s3xtcy Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Hey everyone, Ive designed this in sketchup (free for download from google), and I will email the file to anyone who wants a more complex view (its much easier!) Anyway im after some constructive criticism for the sump and overflow ideas. Ill explain some parts first. The reason ive gone for the overflow in the middle of the tank is because of simplicity, and functionality, i looked at a overflow like this which had a material in there (around and above the pipes) and it was basically silent, (very, very quiet, but not dead silent) - a volume im comfortable with anyway. Are there any major flaws ive completely overlooked? The water height will be sorted as the spray bar will be raised into the light hood, and the teeth in the top of the overflow will be raised so the water level is still above the highest point of viewable glass. Also there will be a mesh over top of the top of the overflow to stop fish etc from jumping in there.. Just had a thought, a series of 3mm holes, drilled quite low down (2/3?) into the overflow box, would act as another backup incase the mesh at the top got blocked for some reason? Anyway, less words, more pictures Enjoy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfishybuisness Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 Just had a thought, a series of 3mm holes, drilled quite low down (2/3?) into the overflow box, would act as another backup incase the mesh at the top got blocked for some reason? im no expert with sumps, but 3mm holes would be able to get blocked quite easy, but if im wrong then someone please speak up, as i said im no expert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 im no expert with sumps, but 3mm holes would be able to get blocked quite easy, but if im wrong then someone please speak up, as i said im no expert yeah, i tend to agree, but the main place where the water would be overflowing would be over the top. the holes should have little, if any movement through them, unless the top blocks, no water flow should mean no blockage, right? especially if i give them a clean up everytime i do my maintenance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoralReefNZ Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 use timber not custom wood. will last longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 use timber not custom wood. will last longer. Yep thats the plan, custom cabinets easy - uncles a cabinet maker lol design looks ok though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoralReefNZ Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 The only thing I always regret is the size of my overflow. Also not sure about having the return plumbing run so high along the inside of the tank. I might create a shadow. I would plumb onto the back of the tank. So you only have two small looking inlets. (I would also put values on them to control flow. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 and if thats a spray bar, probably not a good idea with salt, you'll get salt creep everywhere!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 and if thats a spray bar, probably not a good idea with salt, you'll get salt creep everywhere!!!!! How would you suggest to do the return? Thanks! The only thing I always regret is the size of my overflow. Also not sure about having the return plumbing run so high along the inside of the tank. I might create a shadow. I would plumb onto the back of the tank. So you only have two small looking inlets. (I would also put values on them to control flow. Cheers Overflow too small or big? Reason for the pipes up high is to try and keep capacity up.. whats the benefit of having them lower? I also thought that if the waters higher, less falling of the water over the overflow, so it should be quieter? The overflow is going to be tinted so no light should get through which means no shadows if i ha just plumbed into the back would it not make the gurgling noise? Thanks heaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwiplymouth Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Is that your return pump in the middle chamber of the sump ? If so you will get no turn over of water in the right hand chamber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Have you thought about drilling into the back of the tank and adding a 90 degree angle pipe facing upwards for your overflow? Much tidier than your big one in the picture, and just as good. Also it means your tank is less cluttered with sump/filter equipment so you have more room for live rock which means more good bacteria and more corals :thup: You can still use the spraybar. Just move it down towards the bottom so the water will be blasted around the live rock. That way the water will be filtered better because the bactaria will eat any ammonia and nitrate or whatever that your skimmer might have missed Just a thought anyway; I'm no expert lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Are you going to add anything else to get flow? As Puttputt says, the spraybar will cause problems, and if it is close to the lighting, it will splatter all over the covers of your light fittings. What sort of rockwork are you looking at as well, if you use diffuser or egg crate or make your own out if thick acrylic strips to sit your rock on you could look at the return from this system with the spray bars being under this, and then having a stream to keep the water moving higher up the tank. The little shelf over the fuge may hinder access to it as well - how much space is there under the lights to the top of the fuge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Are you going to add anything else to get flow? As Puttputt says, the spraybar will cause problems, and if it is close to the lighting, it will splatter all over the covers of your light fittings. What sort of rockwork are you looking at as well, if you use diffuser or egg crate or make your own out if thick acrylic strips to sit your rock on you could look at the return from this system with the spray bars being under this, and then having a stream to keep the water moving higher up the tank. The little shelf over the fuge may hinder access to it as well - how much space is there under the lights to the top of the fuge? 1 - there will be wavemakers etc in the tank too 2 - i plan on having the spraybar slightly under the water level so that there is no splashing or noise 3 - not sure on rockwork yet, i want a low reef, more live rock in the sump than in the tank probably, thats why the fuge is pretty big , i never thought about having the rock raised, so that water can flow under it.. 4 - its quite small - only 125mm! didnt realise that at the time, just thought it would be handy or the lights and a place to keep food and bits and pieces - do you need to move much around in the fuge? Have you thought about drilling into the back of the tank and adding a 90 degree angle pipe facing upwards for your overflow? Much tidier than your big one in the picture, and just as good. Also it means your tank is less cluttered with sump/filter equipment so you have more room for live rock which means more good bacteria and more corals :thup: You can still use the spraybar. Just move it down towards the bottom so the water will be blasted around the live rock. That way the water will be filtered better because the bactaria will eat any ammonia and nitrate or whatever that your skimmer might have missed Just a thought anyway; I'm no expert lol. 1 - Yeah i thought about drilling in the back, but i wanted to be able to keep it very close to the wall, and also this way i can muffle the noise with things above / around the pipes, if its just a pipe down the back of the tank it might be noisy? 2 - yeah thats the plan, just got grumpy with rendering and thought meh this will give a good idea and im no expert either, hence all the (probably silly) questions, so thanks for your input!! Is that your return pump in the middle chamber of the sump ? If so you will get no turn over of water in the right hand chamber yeah the middle one is the return, the reason the right hand pipe is higher is so that if the main pipe blocks for any reason then the water level will rise, and then flow down the second pipe, making it a good backup thanks heaps guys, keep it coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 4 - its quite small - only 125mm! didnt realise that at the time, just thought it would be handy or the lights and a place to keep food and bits and pieces - do you need to move much around in the fuge? Depends on how big your bits of rock are that you are trying to stuff in there! It can often end up as a repository for naughty fish as well, and if you are lighting it you could put some put algae in there for nutrient export. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Depends on how big your bits of rock are that you are trying to stuff in there! It can often end up as a repository for naughty fish as well, and if you are lighting it you could put some put algae in there for nutrient export. Hmmm dont know what size rock! Is there any biological difference betweenbig rock and smaller pieces? On a side note, how much live rock do you have in your sump? I love your tank, but want a bit more rock in there. As for naughty fish.. hmmm... could they not go in the return area? Is it only normally a temporary thing or permanant? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 As long as the rock is not crushed into sand I do not think it makes much difference providing you can get flow around it and get no dead spots. What ends up in the fuge is usually bits that you cannot scape with because of their shape/size :-? and bits of rubble. I do not have a sump on my tank, everything hangs off the side/back and looks a bit ugly. Naughty fish are usually those that you buy on impulse and have not done your homework on before purchase, they look neat in the fish shop, but are usually agressive towards your existing inhabitants or graze on your corals or kill your inverts, they are hard to move on because of these traits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Ahhh, is there a website that can tell you if certain fish will clash? I remember seeing a site a while ago that did that? Might have only been freshwater, ive got a big list of fish but im a bit scared that its going to get halved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 I think you mean http://www.aqadvisor.com. Take everything on there with a grain of salt. It's a great general calculator but I wouldn't count on it for fish temperament matching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted July 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 Yeah, thats the one, bugger! Guess ill just post my list on here then and watch it get nailed. Lol Anyway, back to the subject at hand, anything ive missed or things others would change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted July 24, 2011 Report Share Posted July 24, 2011 There is a book by Scott W Michael called Marine Fishes, gives quite good info on fish compatibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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