Need a good "cube" sump design

[jb61264]

I am so depressed...I have always had good water quality in my aquarium and just in the last couple months, I've lost a couple fish (bicolor blenny, rainford goby) and when I did measurements, my nitrates were off the chart :( I have no idea what could be causing it as I use RO/DI from a 7 step system at a local grocery store that I've always used. I have about 40 lbs of live rock in my 29 gallon BioCube (for about 8 months now) and I use a CPR SR3 skimmer that pulls pretty good skimmate.

I think I'm going to make a move to build a sump for this thing and start doing some macroalgae and not put anymore fish in it until I get my water quality back.

I have lots of thriving corals (granted they are only mushrooms, open brain, tongue, zoo's, antheia, and hammer) in the tank though and a mantis that seems ok (I just built a 10 gallon for him and plan to move him out this weekend)...also a maroon clown that has been ok although it looks like he has a bit of deterioration on his top fin.

The dimensions beneath my BioCube's cabinet allow for a cube shaped sump...does anyone have any references on a design for a sump that is "cube" in design? I was thinking 1/2 for a fuge and then 1/4 for a skimmer and 1/4 for a return...I'd like to feed the fuge with a "T" from the return but am open for any suggestions...I'm planning to buy 1/4" acrylic in the next week to get this build going asap.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[D_Hood87]

rubber storage bins work real good. it dosnt have to look good just work...unless you have an open stand then I know there is a small cube they carry at most petsmarts.

[D_Hood87]

and don't go all out on the lights..something cheap in the 3500K-6000k should be fine

[Toddrtrex]

Would suggest testing the TDS of the water you are getting from that store, can't assume that they are ontop of changing the filters.