My sump design for 75g

[blackwater]

Here are some drawings of my simple sump design. Basically, what I'd like to know is this - will it work and is it any good? Of course if you've got any pointers or criticisms then I'd like to hear those too.

Here is the top elevation:

Here is the right-hand side elevation:

Here is how I hope it will work:

1. Tank water enters the left-most section. I plan to place an AquaC EV-120 skimmer here and have allowed room.

2. Water runs through the bubble trap and into the middle section. This will be the refugium.

3. The flow is directed across the refugium and into the second bubble trap on the opposite side to the first bubble trap.

4. Water enters the right-most section and is pumped back up to the tank via a submersible pump.


The volumes of each section are as follows:

Section 1 (LHS) = 18.4 L (4.87 gal)
Section 2 (middle) = 17.5 L (4.61 gal)
Section 3 (RHS) = 22.4 L (5.90 gal)

I wanted section 3 to be larger than the other two sections because this is the only part of the whole system where the water level will drop due to evaporation.

So, what do you think?

 

[FL Knifemaker]

I'm certainly not an expert but plan on installing sump/fuge myself very soon. You put a lot of thought into it and it looks great to me. I'll be interested in seeing what the pros have to say.

Please explain your evaporation comment in the last paragraph. I would think that any evaporation would draw down all the areas in the system including the display tank equally??

Also, what material are you going to build it from?

 

[blackwater]

Hey FL,

Thanks for your kind words
Unfortunately, my design didn't turn out to be that great. After discussing it with some of my engineering buddies (we've all studied fluid dynamics etc) and speaking to some experienced reefers, I have decided to change my design.

Basically, the main problem was that there will be too much flow going through the fuge (section 2 in my drawing).

I have decided to swap around sections 2 and 3 so that the fuge is on the right and the return is in the middle. Water will be fed to both section 1 and section 3 (fuge), but flow will be restricted to section 3. I'll try to put up another drawing with the new design soon.

About the evaporation - true, water will evaporate from ever surface (depending on heat from lights etc). However, only the water level in the return section (section 3 in the above drawing) will drop.
This is because the main tank's level stays constant (at the level of the overflow/drain holes) and is being continuously topped up by the return from the sump. Water in section 1 comes from the tank, so it will always stay at the correct level and water in section 2 flows from section 1, so it will always remain at the correct level.

So, the only place where the water will drop is in section 3. Of course once section 3 is empty, no water can be returned to the tank and so the tank, sections 1 and 2 will drop due to evaporation.

... at least this is how I understand it! Hope I made sense.

Cheers!

 

[mogurnda]

Funny, the only comment I was going to make was that you probably didn't want all the flow to go through the fuge. Now it's moot.

You might want to put a little thought into placement of a float valve or switch for auto-topoff in the final section. My 90 goes through 1-2 gallons/day, and it makes my life a lot better.

 

[blackwater]

Thanks Dave, the float switch is a great idea. Unfortunately, I've been trying to get my hands on a couple of good floatswitches here in Australia and can't really find any.
I have asked www.floatswitches.net if they will ship me a few, but their website says they only ship to the US and Canada.

Any chance of you sending me one of their floatswitches??

Cheers mate,
Chris

 

[VDub90]

I would check out this website Barr Aquatic .This guy knows his stuff. As well as there's lot's of pics to get a good idea.

 

[blackwater]

Thanks for the tip VDub90 - i'm checking it out now.

 

[adidas]

Thanks Dave, the float switch is a great idea. Unfortunately, I've been trying to get my hands on a couple of good floatswitches here in Australia and can't really find any.
I have asked www.floatswitches.net if they will ship me a few, but their website says they only ship to the US and Canada.

Any chance of you sending me one of their floatswitches??

Cheers mate,
Chris

Check out Ebay

 

[brovo2zero]

float switches

hydroponic stores cary a lot of float switches all difernt sizes from one inch to a verry small hole might be worth checking out..