New Sump Idea

[XR250rdr]

My current sump works fine but I'd like to add a fry tank to it and right now I just don't have the room. I've been working on a model of possible new sump and I'd like some feedback.

Biological media capacity is a little over 2.3 gallons. Mechanical media capacity is a bit higher. The secondary tank on top can probably be shortened a bit.

Return from the fry tank will just spill back into the main sump chamber. The hose shown will connect to the HOB filter inlet.

 

[jones57742]

I've been working on a model of possible new sump and I'd like some feedback.

XR:

Major Items

• [1] IMHO you will soon live to regret the volume of the sump utilized for mechanical filtration media and biological filtration media.
  The total sump volume is approximately 22G and IMHO the chamber volumes would be:
  • [a] 6G for mechanical media,
  • 2G for coarse biological media (bio balls, pot scrubbers, etc.),
  
  
  • [c] 1G for fine biological media,
  • [d] 5G for the pump suction orifice chamber, and
  • [e] 8G for the fry chamber.

• [2] Overflow orifices from the mechanical media chamber to the pump suction orifice chamber may save a ton of tears.

• [3] I do not understand your reference to a hose but the proximity of the orifice/bulkhead between the pump suction orifice chamber and the fry chamber to the pump suction orifice may generate a venturi effect with an associated velocity and flow in what appears to be rigid tubing from the fry chamber to the main sump.

• [4] Fry chamber filtration
  • [a] I am not familiar with typical HOB's and hence I do not understand the details of your proposed implementation.
  • I do not understand why you would be filtering pristine water but maybe you are just using the HOB primarily as a pump and secondarily for tertiary (or quaternary) filtration.
  
  

Minor Items

• [1] You might consider the following when establishing the horizontal dimensions of the mechanical filtration media chamber:
  • [a] The coarse blue bonded uncut media size is 12"x26"
  • The micron filtration uncut media size is 30"x36"
  
  

• [2]The layering of fine biological filtration media which would be placed in media bags could be:
  • [a]ceramic cylindrical toroids over
  • sintered glass spheres over
  
  
  • [c]sintered glass aggregate.

• [3] The layering of the mechanical media (with each layer being 1/5 of the chamber depth) could be:
  • [a] coarse blue bonded media,
  • filter floss in a media bag,
  
  
  • [c] quilt batting,
  • [d] 100Mu media, and
  • [e] 50Mu media.

TR

 

[Rbishop]

What is going to stop the fry from leaving the fry tank and flowing out to the sump?

 

[XR250rdr]

Thanks for the replies

XR:

Major Items

• [1] IMHO you will soon live to regret the volume of the sump utilized for mechanical filtration media and biological filtration media.
  The total sump volume is approximately 22G and IMHO the chamber volumes would be:
  • [a] 6G for mechanical media,
  • 2G for coarse biological media (bio balls, pot scrubbers, etc.),
  
  
  • [c] 1G for fine biological media,
  • [d] 5G for the pump suction orifice chamber, and
  • [e] 8G for the fry chamber.

• [2] Overflow orifices from the mechanical media chamber to the pump suction orifice chamber may save a ton of tears.

• [3] I do not understand your reference to a hose but the proximity of the orifice/bulkhead between the pump suction orifice chamber and the fry chamber to the pump suction orifice may generate a venturi effect with an associated velocity and flow in what appears to be rigid tubing from the fry chamber to the main sump.

• [4] Fry chamber filtration
  • [a] I am not familiar with typical HOB's and hence I do not understand the details of your proposed implementation.
  • I do not understand why you would be filtering pristine water but maybe you are just using the HOB primarily as a pump and secondarily for tertiary (or quaternary) filtration.
  
  

1. This is a first step. Changing chamber volumes is very easy to do now.
2. This is also easy enough to add in.
3. The bulkhead fitting is threaded on both ends. I can move the return pump suction out towards the center of the chamber. Also I can move hole locations with a few mouse clicks.
4. The tubing is going to be flexible, it just looks rigid in the model view. My plan is to have a barbed fitting in the divider. The HOB is going to be used as circulation only. I'm going to leave out the cartridge. I'm using it mainly because I'd rather utilize something I have lying around than spend extra money on another pump. It will pull water from the sump return chamber to circulate the fry tank then excess water will spill back into the sump return chamber.

Minor Items

• [1] You might consider the following when establishing the horizontal dimensions of the mechanical filtration media chamber:
  • [a] The coarse blue bonded uncut media size is 12"x26"
  • The micron filtration uncut media size is 30"x36"
  
  

• [2]The layering of fine biological filtration media which would be placed in media bags could be:
  • [a]ceramic cylindrical toroids over
  • sintered glass spheres over
  
  
  • [c]sintered glass aggregate.

• [3] The layering of the mechanical media (with each layer being 1/5 of the chamber depth) could be:
  • [a] coarse blue bonded media,
  • filter floss in a media bag,
  
  
  • [c] quilt batting,
  • [d] 100Mu media, and
  • [e] 50Mu media.

TR

The details of mechanical/biological filtration aren't set in stone by any means. I'm more worried about getting chamber volumes appropriately sized right now.

What is going to stop the fry from leaving the fry tank and flowing out to the sump?

Thats another detail I'm working on. Right now, nothing.

I want to get a solid concept worked out, then focus on details.

 

[jones57742]

What is going to stop the fry from leaving the fry tank and flowing out to the sump?

A very fine synthetic screen material which can be purchased at Lowe's.

TR

 

[Rbishop]

Lots of possibilities, just wanted to make sure he was keeping that base covered.

 

[jones57742]

Lots of possibilities, just wanted to make sure he was keeping that base covered.

Bob:

The fine synthetic screen material was the only one that I could think of based upon his concept.

What others are you envisioning?

TR

 

[XR250rdr]

After some further consideration I have a new design.

The media bins slide down into the sump.

 

[1oooop]

how do you design this stuff? BTW if you need a PCB done you can ask me, but please provide your own PCB, I can't cut well with my hacksaw

 

[XR250rdr]

The drawings are done with solidworks.

I figured out how much space I have then tried to fit everything the sump needs and the extra features I want (like the fry tank) into that space. I dont consider this one a finished design yet.