Teds 45 gallon mixed reef

Now we are getting some where. cant wait for your equipment to get there this week. i think i need to get a couple of emeralds.

 

The sump is in :bounce:

 

And now for the first real snag in the build......So can I close up this opening and drill some holes above it?

 

yea you can it would be better if you could keep more water over your pump the way it is it will suck air.

 

or put the pump on the other side. that would be the best option i think

 

Ya when I pulled the sump out of the box and 900 yards of bubble wrap. I was all excited and then saw where the pump goes and the blood ran out of my face. Way to shallow a area. What a minute.......ok I am not a expert on anything, especially sumps since this is my first but. the wall coming out of the bubble trap is 10 inches the the fuge section has a wall at 4 inches then the return section. can i just have the water level in the fuge and return section at say 6 to 7 inches? Is that how its suppose to work?

 

it looks that way i would move the pump to the deeper side at least and maybe make the fudge part a bit deeper.

 

here is the sump with water in it. the refugium really isnt deep enough (4 inches )for rubble i guess but no way a sand bed. So if i keep it as is I would have no sand in the sump.....decisions decisions.

 

Are you sure the return section isn't the opposite side?

Seems like a silly sump design like that. I'm no expert on sumps but it seems to be to have a few flaws:
1. The fuge section in the center would ideally contain chaeto....which would then risk flowing into that gap in the two pieces of acrylic and could get into the pump without regular monitoring.
2. What is the top piece even for? How does it function?
3. If that's definitely where the return pump is meant to go, It is probably designed for a smaller return pump.

I would just do as you suggested and use a couple pieces of acrylic well-sealed to those two baffles and then drill some holes above it.

 

ummm no. No idea....this is the first sump I have ever tried.....so maybe like this.

 

so the big question is input with skimmer, refugium bubble trap and return pump or input with skimmer bubble trap refugium return pump.....I feel so stupid :frustrat:

 

no that design of a sump is just different. maybe this will give u some ideas this is my sump

 

nice setup thus far sir

 

ok drain and return lines finally came in today also the heater. I can get the sump into the stand with out modifying the stand :bounce: well almost. I do need to put a solid bottom in the stand. So off to Home Depot....Didnt get to do as much to the tank today as I wanted. Spent most of the day getting stuff for my daughter. Homecoming is this weekend.

 

Hmm I posted a update earlier but I dont see it here. So second try. I put a board to fill the dead space and then another board on top to give a nice level surface for my sump. Tomorrow I plan on putting the tank together on the porch after work. That way I can make sure i have no leaking hoses and can mark my sump for the water level I need if there is a power outage. I figure it would be better to survive any floods outside then playing trial and error on the carpet. Here are some pic of the stand before and then after the modification.

 

Cool, looks good! Good idea on working outside.

 

looking sharp Ted any progress is good progress

 

Ok after going back to the lfs and buying a different drain line and return line the tank is on the back porch full of water and running. No leaks. I have figured out the max depth for the sump and given myself a inch and a half above that just in case. I put two little holes on the return just below the water line to break suction if there is a power fail. I still have to figure out the skimmer....can be in sump or out. I did wonder is it normal for the drain into the sump to have so many bubbles? I have a airline going into the drain in the overflow box to tune the gurgling which is pretty straight forward. Just seem the I will be having a lot of salt creep in the sump with all these bubbles. Is there a better way?

 

Hmm I have no clue I'm trying to figure the same damn thing out. My sump I'm working on is my vary first. any who hope someone has an idea

 

You can get a filter sock.