# Designing a new sump for a planted tank.



## PlantGate (Aug 23, 2016)

I would go with a 3 compartment 40b "drain | refugium | return" (I have 2 diy 40b sumps). A 20 is small enough to be useful really just to hide equipment. For the bubble trap I suggest "under | over | under" for maximum bubble dissipation. For the tank drain go with a full siphon style drain. These are totally silent with maximum flow. I would not suggest using a filtration media between the bubble traps but rather use filter socks on the output of your drains (using a sock holder). They will get most of your larger solid waste and ditreus.


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## FuelingFire (Nov 8, 2012)

The only thing I forgot to mention Is I would prefer not to silicone any baffles in my 40 breeder, Because if I ever want to use it again, I don't want to have to buy another tank. Plus I would have to buy more glass for baffles for the 40g, I already have baffles made for the 20. the other option is use the glass from my 20 for the 40g. Again I don't want to do that. I'm trying to save money. Only because I am spending it mostly on my 240g tank. I don't mind the 40g being a sump provided I don't use any baffles that have to be siliconed or that will mark up my glass. although The thought has crossed my mind. I have been told I needed to get rid of some tanks, so it could be an option but It really upsets me thinking about losing my 40g as a tank. But I'll think hard on it.


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## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

The dollar per gallon is going on could nab another 40b a petco


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## FuelingFire (Nov 8, 2012)

Nothing I would love more then to buy another tank. But I would prefer to use what I have then to keep spending money that takes aways from me buying more fish for my 240g display. Altho I may end up buying a 20g Long again. just as a permanent QT tank. 

OK if I use my 40g tank as the sump that means I will have to take apart my 20g to use as baffles. (not buying glass for baffles) which means I am going to have to buy a another 20g, yeah The boss of the house is going to kill me. I can see it now. but I need another 20 long.


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## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

you can use poret or some other open cell foam as baffles instead of glass, they won't help with stable water level in the tank, but they will act as a separator for your equipment/plants/etc. They also do a great job of filtering, both mechanical and biological


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## PlantGate (Aug 23, 2016)

A 20g sump on a 240g tank is almost useless. Really you should have at least a 75g. You are also going to need an auto top-off unit to keep the water level stable. I think if it were me, I'd focus on one tank setup. You can remove the silicone from the glass btw. Glass baffles will run you $20 each or so. WAY cheaper than a poorly designed (they all are) commercial sump. Is that tank drilled? Are you going to drill?


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## Boreas (Jan 24, 2016)

My idea is three baffles. 

First chamber is drain / sponge filtration for mechanical filtration. Baffle is under flow.

Second chamber is biological filtration media. The Baffle will be over flow.

third chamber will be a large refugium. With plants, maybe just floating plants. Bare bottom, ill use it to acclimate fish as well. The lights will either be 24 hours or just on when the display lights are off. These plants will stabilise oxygen levels at night.

The third "baffle" will be a full size poret foam block. With the last chamber being my return. The foam adds extra polishong/bio media and means that the water my return pump can draw from is the full refugium and return chamber volume.


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## Joshism (Nov 26, 2015)

This looks interesting. 
What can I do to reduce sump noise? - Equipment Forum - Nano-Reef.com Forums

I'm also wondering how quiet this one is, because the intake is under water, not above the sock. Obviously, the trickling water ain't gonna be very quiet, but the first chamber seems like it should be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TICzgBiJJ3A


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## FuelingFire (Nov 8, 2012)

PlantGate said:


> A 20g sump on a 240g tank is almost useless. Really you should have at least a 75g. You are also going to need an auto top-off unit to keep the water level stable. I think if it were me, I'd focus on one tank setup. You can remove the silicone from the glass btw. Glass baffles will run you $20 each or so. WAY cheaper than a poorly designed (they all are) commercial sump. Is that tank drilled? Are you going to drill?


If you reread the first post again you will see it isn't for my 240g tank. that has a 60 gallon sump with a continual drip system. I am redoing the sump for my 75g RR tank. that is what this discussion is about...

theatermusic87: I thought about that, But if I do a drip system on this tank as well evap won't be an issue as it will be at a constant level. But where would I get that foam at?

Boreas: Not a bad idea.

Joshism: I have no problem with noise from my over flow, Just when i had the trickle tower the trickle was very loud. my over flow is the quietest I have ever heard, and it is a prefab that came with the tank.


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## Boreas (Jan 24, 2016)

I forgot to mention. Make your drains a full syphon / emergency and have them exit below the water line and it will be virtually silent.


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## theatermusic87 (Jun 22, 2014)

FuelingFire said:


> If you reread the first post again you will see it isn't for my 240g tank. that has a 60 gallon sump with a continual drip system. I am redoing the sump for my 75g RR tank. that is what this discussion is about...
> 
> theatermusic87: I thought about that, But if I do a drip system on this tank as well evap won't be an issue as it will be at a constant level. But where would I get that foam at?
> 
> ...


Foam is available from Swiss Tropicals Foam
though I personally got my foam on ebay, search for "Reticulated Open Cell Foam Sponge Filter Media Aquarium Fish HMF Sump" and the seller cll_petsupplies, I've bought foam from them a couple of times and have had very good results, and the prices imho are quiet resonable


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## FuelingFire (Nov 8, 2012)

thanks


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## Bobbybills (Nov 30, 2015)

I have a 20g sump on a 90g tank and no issues. I wanted to reduce the number of baffles to 2 so I have 2 outflows going into a the first compartment of 3" which houses a few bags of bioballs used for a quarantine tank when needed. Then over into the main filtration compartment using a combination of foam, padding and lava rock and then under into the return compartment which has a few more bags of bioballs and the CO2 pump.

The outflows are silent enough and since the filter media is on top of the second compartment, is easy to change.

The main advantage of a larger sump in freshwater setups is more time between top offs due to evaporation. A smaller sump has less water to give up to the display tank before needing refill. If the last baffle is an over design, then the return has even less water in reserve. If the last baffle is an under design, both compartments can be used for reserve, just remember that the filter media can dry out if too much water is used.


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## FuelingFire (Nov 8, 2012)

Yeah se My first design was a 3 baffle design 20g sump, It worked great was very quiet but did have one flaw, the intake. i had the intake chamber as an over. and the pipe went to the bottom. isn't a problem most cases however because the down pipe was straight down from my over flow, (tank is a RR tank with bottom drain bulkheads.) the Bubbles would get sucked down and desperse in my sump which would off gas Co2 and my plants didn't do well, I was giving them root tabs however it was the first tank I have done in almost 3 years that was not dirted, So with that my plants withered slowly away. even with florish and root tabs. So i think it was the off gassing. But this time I am thinking of maybe the first baffle as an under then to an over, and have my floss under the out take. then it can go into my bio media. then under the next baffle and over the 4th, into the pump. 

Top offs for me is about a gallon every day or every other day depending. But I am most likely going to just add a drip system to it as well. (just got to hide the water lines from going across my floor. so my dogs don't rip it up when they run through. but that can be a later time.


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