My Sump - DIY

[The Guy]

Originally Posted by hfp75

Heres an updated pic of my sump...

Works good, I'd modify it for next time but its doing what I want so I'm gonna leave it alone. Flow is not fast - I could open it up but it gets loud and I need time for the Chaeto, Reactor, Skimmer, ect to work... so slower than faster seems like a good way to go.

If I were doing it again, I'd make the wall on the right side (holding the Sand, rubble, and chaeto) higher, the baffolds - I'd space them better, over to floss 3" vs 1" and then under to Chemical filtration (purigen, carbon, ect) then over to the return pump......

I have 4+ inches of water over the return pump and it works fine - I do evap 1 +/- gallon a day. I can run 2+ days before I blow air if I dont top up the sump..... I have a Tunze ATO that I need to setup. Presto Problem solved - maybe next week.

Here is the updated chamber list:

Chambers (R -> L) (the T (tall) height is the drop/fall to the next chamber. Include 12W for all below dimensions)
* RED are my modifications

#1 - Live Rock/SAND/Chaeto (8.5W x 7.75T) (I'd make this a bit taller)
#2 - Skimmer/MATRIX (8.75W x 6.75T) (good height)
#3 - Walls to trap bubbles (Not effective - only waisted 2-3 inches here) (3/4 apart from each other & 1/2 inch clearance at the bottem (3/4+ clearance is better). I plan to put filter floss in between the baffles (impeded flow way to much, water just ran over it and not through it) and not run a sock.)
#4 - (NO) Chaeto - NOW Filter Floss folded in half & still no sock (3W x 5/8 clearance at the bottom)
#5 - Pump (RIO 2100) (pump is throttled back)

From #5 I have a 200gph pump that runs sump water to a Reactor (Rowaphos) and then to a UV sterilizer (9w TurboTwist) then back to chamber #2
I was contemplating a canister filter for the chemical filtration but am not gonna do that as the idea of a leak scares me. The Carbon and Purigen will be fit in somewhere.

pic:

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m79/hfp75/sump3.jpg

Is the black pipe to the left of your gate valve your emergency over flow from the display tank to the sump? I would put ty raps on the little rubber elbows on your reactor as I've been told by J&L that they have been known to come off. Good safe guard against a flood.