Help, 29 gallon Diy sump

[Fishianado]

Ok, I need help. There are way to many plans out there and each one claims to be the best. I have a 29 gallon tall, 12 wide 24 long and 18 high. I would like to have and skimmer and refugium in it. As well as a heater and return pump. Does anyone have a good idea on how to set this up? Thanks in advance, JP.

 

[dcforester1]

Make sure whatever you do give yourself plenty of room. I have built 2 in the last 4 months, and might be working on number three. I built one and loved it. Then I got a new skimmer, and it didnt fit, so I built another. Well I wanted to add a gate valve, and guess what no room. I spent $50 for the gate valve, and it will cost 15 to return so I am not sure what to do at this point.

Make sure if its in a cabinet you can get in it easy enough. My first one was kind of tall.

I made mine both ways drain/sump/return, and drain/return/sump. I liked the return in the middle better, with the refuge getting a small trickle of water.

Good Luck Derek

 

[Fishianado]

Thanks, This will be my first and hopefull for a while my last.

 

[Jennifer]

There sure are a lot of designs out there.
The big question is, what do you want to get out of your sump?

Any and all thoughts will help us, help you figure out which one is the one for you.

What skimmer do you have, or which one would you like?
With a 29 gallon there is not much room for an in sump skimmer and a fuge. But if you were to hang a hob skimmer on your sump, that would leave more room for a fuge.

How big a DT do you have and what type of return pump (internal or external )?

Cheers!

 

[Fishianado]

That's why I love this sight. I really want a good size fuge. I hear ya on the skimmer issue to, I'm looking for a hob skimmer as we speak to free up some room. It will be for a 92 gallon corner bow with an overflow built in the back. I'm currently building a hood for it and thought why not have another diy project to go with it. Also the return pump is internal, can't remember the name but I have a ball valve on the return to slow the pressure. Happy New Years to everyone and thanks.

 

[snowmaker]

Here is a pic of 1 of the 2, 29g sumps I have built. PM me for some direction or dimensions of baffles if you want.

 

[Fishianado]

Wow, Nice. I might have to steal the design. I have a Turboflotor 1000 hob skimmer. Forgot i had it downstairs, so that will save some room.

 

[Fishianado]

I might go for the drain on the left the skimmer and return in the middle and the fuge on the right. Should I use pexi for the seperations, also what is the purpose of the serperations and the heights?

 

[Fishianado]

Seperations= Baffles, sorry. What's the purpose of the baffles and how do I figure how high they should be/

 

[snowmaker]

IMO the most important thing is to figure out how much water will flow back into sump during a power outage, and design with this in mind.
Left to Right or visa-versa doesn't really matter, unless you have all display drains, for instance, on the right, as this picture does.
Another consideration is footprint of return pump and skimmer. Also working depth of skimmer.
May sound complicated, but it really isn't once you get started on paper.
I have never used plastic baffles, and prefer 1/4" glass.
Skimmer / Drain chamber should always have a consistent water level, which is why I would keep it separate from return chamber. I like to have the return chamber the only one where the level changes due to evaporation. This will get your ATO to work well.
This 3 yr. old post has the best info to design your own sump IMO:
http://www.clubswam.org/forum/index.php?topic=17.0

 

[Fishianado]

Great, thanks. Just what I needed for the design.