# 20 Gallon glass sump



## pmac

Hi, I've decided that I'm going to have a go at making my own sump for a marine tank I'm starting. I just thought I'd run my design by you guys first, since I've never made one of these before, and I hope that someone here would be able to point out any flaws (if any :? ) there are in my design.

Thanks in advance,

Patrick.

Here's my plan for the sump so far. It's a 20 gallon tank, and I think I'll be using the MarineLand 300 series in-sump skimmer, and a Quiet One 3000 pump. (that is, unless someone on here has any better suggestions for me. Like I said, I've never made one of these before)










By the way, this will be used for a 90 Gallon saltwater aquarium with reef/fish.


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## usctom

The only problem I see is that you don't want the water over the bioballs.


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## mightyevil

Personally, I think that the sump is small for a 90 gallon marine tank but it can work. I would ditch the bio balls and the foam and use a filter sock...you will need to change it very often. I would also recommend the best skimmer you can find. The skimmer will be your main source of filtration. In your refugium you will need some cheato (i think that is how you spell it) which will increase your pod population and get rid of nitrates.

For your salt water endeavors visit www,worldwidereefers,com, it is a very nice site where you earn site money for posting in the forums which you can use to buy aquarium items such as auto top off systems, frag racks, test kits, etc... You can also enter a free lottery game to win items and or site money weekly.

Just remember to put me down as the referral when registering (MightyEvil)!!!


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## Toby_H

With your design, the refuguin will hardly see any turnover...

With your design any debris that is caught on the 'foam filter' will wash into the skimmer compartment and potentially be pushed into the pump compartment and potentially be pushed back intot he tank...

It seems like you completely overlooked mechanical filtration in this design. You may have done this consciously and if so no problem, but if it was an oversight, I hope this helped....


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## FSM

You want the water to flow through the media and then under the first divider, not over it. A quiet one 4000 pump would be better, I think. I have a 3000 running the sump on my FW 75 gallon, SW needs much more flow though, correct? The 4000 isn't any less efficient and doesn't cost much more.


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## pmac

Thanks for your tips everyone, like I said, I'm new to this. So all information is very helpful. I'm also not dead set on using a 20gallon sump, that's just what was recommended to me by a quite reputable dealer in my area. I was actually basing my design off of the AGA Megaflow Model 3, but I may have got the design wrong. So all information I can get is very helpful. Thanks.


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## Mcdaphnia

Ditch the bioballs if you are going to have a lot of live rock or any live coral. They are still useful in a fish only (FO) marine tank, but unlike the early days theories, it's best to remove a portion of the dirtiest bioballs and wash them as part of maintenance.

The bioballs are in the dry part of the filter, more air than water and that water drains out the completely open bottom. There will be no water overflowing the top unless something is very wrong.

The bigger the sump the better. Rubbermaid doesn't make 300 gallon livestock tanks just so cattle can drink, right? I was at a guy's house with a nice marine tank in the living room. Then we went to the basement where he had two 100 gallon Rubbermaid stock tanks and one 300 gallon hooked into the remote fitration system for that living room tank. The plumbing for the 100's could be changed with a few gate valves so that one could be isolated and used to mix new saltwater, then put back in tandem so the new water mixed with the older water in the other 100 which then went upstairs. Somewhere in there were a couple six foot tall skimmers, calcium reactor, RO/DI unit, and more.

Most of us have to balance off with the space, funds, and time we have available for our aquarium. That guy did not. So a bump up to a 30 gallon, or a 40 breeder could be more practical.


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## pmac

Ok, I've made some modifications to my design after looking at some other DIY sumps. Let me know if I'm getting any closer to what I should be looking for. Sorry for being such a newbie at this haha 










*Keep in mind, these baffles are in no way drawn to size, I'm just trying to get an idea of what the flow of water should be through the sump. I've found it difficult to find much detailed info on building a sump to suit my needs


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## Toby_H

I think you will want to stick some sponges in the baffles between the skimmer chamber and the refugium chamber...

I would use course foam in the first slot, finer in the second slot... The yet a little finer in the first slot after the refug, very fine (such as felt fabric) in the second slot after the refug...

In my opinion people in general neglect mechanical filtration in most sumps... One design modification I would also suggest... do not have your baffles go all the way to the very top. This way if you completely neglect the sump and the sponges I am suggesting get completely clogged... the water will spill over the baffle into the next chamber as opposed to over the wall onto the floor...


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## pmac

Thanks a lot Toby, those are some helpful bits of info. So, other than the added mechanical filtration, and moving the baffles down a bit, does my current design seem to be in order? (sorry, I'm just kind of wingin' this, going by some pictures, and sumps I've looked at while in my LFS lol)


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## Mcdaphnia

A skimmer is of course mechanical filtration. so are foam pads if they are large enough to trap particles and you change them out with a clean one daily or at least every other day. It may improve your pH if the refugium has a light cycle the reverse of the tank's.


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## pmac

Okay. So after doing some more research, I believe I've decided on my final design for the sump I'll build.










I may end up changing it from a 20 Gallon Long, to a 30, depending on how much space the skimmer I go with takes up, but this is basically what the design will be.

Any input is greatly appreciated


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## Mcdaphnia

pmac said:


> Okay. So after doing some more research, I believe I've decided on my final design for the sump I'll build.
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> I may end up changing it from a 20 Gallon Long, to a 30, depending on how much space the skimmer I go with takes up, but this is basically what the design will be.
> 
> Any input is greatly appreciated


Since you have live rock in the refugium, I would replace the bioballs with a much larger block of sponge. I like the Poret brand foam or the Japanese Filter Mat. I would make the final foam piece longer so it sticks up above the divider a few inches. Won't hurt to have it higher and makes it easier to grab and pull out without tearing it to pieces. I'd have duplicates so I can replace them with clean ones daily. They are not for biological filtration, but if you leave them in too long, that is what they will become and be in competition with your live rock for nutrients. When cleaning, try not to squeeze the foam. Slapping it soaking wet up against the bottom or inside wall of a utility tub works better and the foam lasts longer. You have to do the JFM that way, not squeezable.

Also is that foam between the wet/dry and the skimmer? A few extra air bubbles will do not harm at all to the skimmer unless you get so many that you have cavitation. Between the skimmer and refugium makes sense. Again have it stick up so you can pull it out in one piece.


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## Mcdaphnia

PS Too bad you're on the other side of Lake Erie! I have a 30 I picked up at the last fish club auction for $13 (near the end). Sitting empty in storage. I just couldn't let it go for $12.


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## pmac

Thanks a lot Mcdaphnia, I'll take all those suggestions into consideration. So you're saying that the bio-balls are not necessary since I have live rock? (Like I said, I'm new to this lol).
If I replace the balls with a large block of foam, I'm assuming it would have to be quite porous, as to not restrict the flow so much that my sump backs up. (Since it's at the beginning of the cycle).

Also, I like your suggestions of having the foam stick up to make it easier to take out.

Thanks for all the tips!


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## Mcdaphnia

The Poret is possibly the best brand for good flow through the sponge. You can get it either from Germany since you are in Canada, or from Columbus Ohio (Swiss Tropicals). You need good flow but there is a safety feature I think you left in your design. If the foam or any part of the tower clogs, the water overflows into the baffles.

As to having the foam stick out, I can't be proud of that one.  It's something you learn indelibly in the middle of the night when the foam is clogged and after pulling out little pinches of it, you run around to all the closets trying to find an old-fashioned wire coat hanger. opcorn:


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## KaiserSousay

Just wonder why filter socks were not mentioned.
With a ratcheting clamp they are super easy to change while the system is running.
Washable, reuseable.
Pretty decent selection of micron sizes to choose from as well.


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## Mcdaphnia

KaiserSousay said:


> Just wonder why filter socks were not mentioned.
> With a ratcheting clamp they are super easy to change while the system is running.
> Washable, reuseable.
> Pretty decent selection of micron sizes to choose from as well.


 I thought about them, but it would be a design change from the baffles. You would have to switch to acrylic in order to make the right shape opening for the filter ring.

http://www.marinedepot.com/JBJ_200_Micr ... FS-vi.html

Besides, with the foam you just pull out the old and push a new one in.


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## crawgator

:dancing:


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## pmac

Hi guys, here's a picture of my completed sump. I ended up changing the design slightly since I ended up going with a different style skimmer than the one I originally planned. Seem's to be working pretty well so far though, although I would like to get a little more mechanical filtration in there, but the foam I got seems to hold the water back too much, so I guess I'll have to either change something, or look for some less dense foam. Also, I didn't end up going with the wet/dry section, the overflow just goes straight into a section where I've put some blocks of foam.










Feel free to comment with any suggestions you might have that might improve my design. (if you can see clear enough from the picture)

Thanks,

Patrick


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## ksk_che_che

Bioballs are very good for fish only tanks, but if you plan on having a reef tank then I would ditch them. As far as mechanical filtration your skimmer will remove most of that for you. What model did you end up going with?


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