Parallel sump design questions for reef tank.

Gregster · 11/22/2009, 07:03 PM

Hi all.
I am new to reef keeping. I had a saltwater fish only set up about 7 yrs ago, but have had freshwater since then.
I am designing an in wall reef which I have made a humble google sketch-up of which is posted below.
I am a victum of a hit and run drunk driver and have difficulty working on things on the floor. So I am designing a 315 gallon in wall system with equipment/service closet that will have a parallel sump/refugium.
I have never seen any system imploying a parallel sump/refugium. So I'm hoping for some experience from you experts here as to the cons of this set up if any.
The sump will be lower than the show tank which will gravity overflow and then be plumbed around the room to the sump/refugium.

Questions;
I'm concerned about the 90 degree pvc overflow water making the turns might slow down flow too much, should I not use pvc in the wall with 90 degree elbows and do tubing with more gradual bends instead or just larger pvc.
In wall pvc would look cleaner.
Also with the MH lighting will I still need a chiller with an 80'' long sump -asumming I dont run the 3 ea 400W MH's more than say 6 hours each day?

Also this will be a mixed reef tank, with LR/LS but I am not a fan of the solid wall of jammed coral/live rock with tiny fish pressed to the front glass. So I want to leave swimming room in the display tank and put a higher amount of the LR in the sump than most do.

The particulars;
Acrylic show tank is 315 gallons; 24Wx84Lx36H
3 ea 400W fan cooled MH with PC actinics and night LED's all timed.
Tank is visable from front and left side only.
vortech mp40 wavemaker with battery back up on right side.

Acrylic sump will enter flow into the large illuminated chamber 80 gallons which will house a high L/R wall and LS bed. The lighting here will be PC 50/50 with leds. lights timed to run at night while the main tank is at rest and dark.
The next chamber will be a 25 gallon refugium with macro algae and maybe copepods- not sure what to do about lighting here if needed and also heaters will be here and RO/DO auto top off.
Then the in sump Skimmer and finally the return pump chamber which will also have a UV sterilzer (and hopefully not a chiller).
The stands will be primarily for storage although I have planned a 30 gallon glass tank in the main tank stand for mixing/heating and transferring batch water. 30 gallons a week planned. Planning bottled additives as needed for now as it likely won't have a huge abundance of corals.
I have planned louvered doors for any cabinetry and entry door and a ceiling mount bathroom power vent fan/light. Heating and airconditioning duct.
Room for fans above main tank if applicable.
A nano tank qaurantine hospitol. And a plumbed utility sink.
Am I missing anything? Any suggestions?

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...223cd&result=1

Thanks,
-Greg.

shellshocked · 11/22/2009, 07:35 PM

I have a remote sump that is gravity feed via about 20 feet of PVC pipe. There is no problem with the water flow but I suspect your flow will be bigger. My tank is smaller - Two 60 gallon show tanks and one 48 gallon sump. Both tanks connected to the one sump. I think I used 1.5 inch pvc to connect but go as big as you can to be safe. My goal was to eliminate noise from the show tanks. I actually cut the flow to the tank down to make it quiet - you don't hear all the water noise.

Reef_Addict · 11/22/2009, 08:09 PM

Sounds like a good plan to me. Can't wait to see pics. I don't think that the 90s will really affect the flow noticeably.

uncleof6 · 11/22/2009, 08:24 PM

***

Gregster · 11/23/2009, 01:43 PM

Thanks
I have learned a lot from ReefCentral with much more learning to do!

-Greg.

11/22/2009, 07:03 PM	#1
Gregster Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Doylestown, Ohio Posts: 9	Parallel sump design questions for reef tank. Hi all. I am new to reef keeping. I had a saltwater fish only set up about 7 yrs ago, but have had freshwater since then. I am designing an in wall reef which I have made a humble google sketch-up of which is posted below. I am a victum of a hit and run drunk driver and have difficulty working on things on the floor. So I am designing a 315 gallon in wall system with equipment/service closet that will have a parallel sump/refugium. I have never seen any system imploying a parallel sump/refugium. So I'm hoping for some experience from you experts here as to the cons of this set up if any. The sump will be lower than the show tank which will gravity overflow and then be plumbed around the room to the sump/refugium. Questions; I'm concerned about the 90 degree pvc overflow water making the turns might slow down flow too much, should I not use pvc in the wall with 90 degree elbows and do tubing with more gradual bends instead or just larger pvc. In wall pvc would look cleaner. Also with the MH lighting will I still need a chiller with an 80'' long sump -asumming I dont run the 3 ea 400W MH's more than say 6 hours each day? Also this will be a mixed reef tank, with LR/LS but I am not a fan of the solid wall of jammed coral/live rock with tiny fish pressed to the front glass. So I want to leave swimming room in the display tank and put a higher amount of the LR in the sump than most do. The particulars; Acrylic show tank is 315 gallons; 24Wx84Lx36H 3 ea 400W fan cooled MH with PC actinics and night LED's all timed. Tank is visable from front and left side only. vortech mp40 wavemaker with battery back up on right side. Acrylic sump will enter flow into the large illuminated chamber 80 gallons which will house a high L/R wall and LS bed. The lighting here will be PC 50/50 with leds. lights timed to run at night while the main tank is at rest and dark. The next chamber will be a 25 gallon refugium with macro algae and maybe copepods- not sure what to do about lighting here if needed and also heaters will be here and RO/DO auto top off. Then the in sump Skimmer and finally the return pump chamber which will also have a UV sterilzer (and hopefully not a chiller). The stands will be primarily for storage although I have planned a 30 gallon glass tank in the main tank stand for mixing/heating and transferring batch water. 30 gallons a week planned. Planning bottled additives as needed for now as it likely won't have a huge abundance of corals. I have planned louvered doors for any cabinetry and entry door and a ceiling mount bathroom power vent fan/light. Heating and airconditioning duct. Room for fans above main tank if applicable. A nano tank qaurantine hospitol. And a plumbed utility sink. Am I missing anything? Any suggestions? http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehou...223cd&result=1 Thanks, -Greg.

11/22/2009, 08:24 PM	#4
uncleof6 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: AWOL Posts: 12,013	*** __________________ "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." (oft attributed to Einstein; most likely paraphrasing by Roger Sessions; compactly articulates the principle of Occam's Razor) Current Tank Info: 325 6' wide Reef Last edited by uncleof6; 11/22/2009 at 08:41 PM.

11/22/2009, 07:35 PM	#2
shellshocked Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 151	I have a remote sump that is gravity feed via about 20 feet of PVC pipe. There is no problem with the water flow but I suspect your flow will be bigger. My tank is smaller - Two 60 gallon show tanks and one 48 gallon sump. Both tanks connected to the one sump. I think I used 1.5 inch pvc to connect but go as big as you can to be safe. My goal was to eliminate noise from the show tanks. I actually cut the flow to the tank down to make it quiet - you don't hear all the water noise.

11/22/2009, 08:09 PM	#3
Reef_Addict Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 18	Sounds like a good plan to me. Can't wait to see pics. I don't think that the 90s will really affect the flow noticeably.

11/23/2009, 01:43 PM	#5
Gregster Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Doylestown, Ohio Posts: 9	Thanks I have learned a lot from ReefCentral with much more learning to do! -Greg.