Simple sump/fuge

[meemoo]

After battling high temps and working around a crowed in wall aquarium I have decided to try to build a sump/fuge for my 55g. Only thing is the more I read the more confused I get. I want to put the sump in the basement and I will be working with a tank that is 30"x12"x12"L. I will have a hang on overflow as I can't drill my tank. First question- What size pump do I need to return the water to my tank. Secondly how can I design a simple sump/fuge without getting baffled about the baffles. Sorry bout the pun. Any help is greatly appreciated as I hope this will also reduce the amount of microbubbles clouding my tank. And can I use the hangon skimmer and refugium on the sump or will I need to get something new? Thanks in advance.

 

[dedfish]

I'd start by reading this page if you haven't already:
http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

 

[aweeks95]

that is a good site....i took my design from it. http://bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12041
this is all in a 10g tank....it will have a CPR bak-pac on the left...so ya you can have a sump/fuge with a skimmer...it all fits in this tank...it was easy to build.
as far as return pumps...you don't want to exceed your overflow unless you have two of them. the size of pump is dependent on the head length...distance the sump is under the main tank...there is a good head pressure calculator that some one knows about. it's in a thread on this site about pumps...you can find it or maybe someone will chime in here...

 

[meemoo]

I guess the first thing I need to do is figure out what kind of hang on overflow to get. Any ideas for a 55g and any brands better than others?

 

[aweeks95]

i got mine form the LFS. i forget the brand...it is a bit large for my 15g tank but i don't mind. i can use it when i up-grade, right...LOL. any way...you might want 2 over flows...something like 3-5 times the volume of water to turn over between sump and main tank...in your case around 2000 gph...maybe, again i'm going on things i've heard...i am doing about 400 gph in my tank, which might be too much, but it's working fine!!! i haven't had any problems as of yet with my overflow....you need to make sure the return pump has enough volume to keep bubbles out of the overflow tube, this i know from experience. no guessing here. when i set it up i used a maxi jet 900...not enough flow for 3' head. i was lucky if i had 100 gph at the tank...big bubble in over flow. up grade to a 500 gph pump wich gives me 325-375 gph at the tank now and no bubbles what so ever.....
let us know what you get for equipment....and how the project goes for ya