Sand bed sump

[bob`_your_dog]

I've had some ideas about revamping my sump I currently have a 2 foot sump (50 liters) with just alot of filter floss, a heater and skimmer in it. Now i've been thinking about converting it into a DSB but i'm a bit limited for space

Thats the idea i've got, nice simple easy to build. water enters compartment A gets skimmed i thought i might shove some filter floss in compartment B then my DSB which will be about 35X20X30cm and then into D where it gets pumped back up.

As you can see my current sump is a bit of a disaster. I live next to a beach so i can go down to the reef and collect as much sand as needed, which will hopefully be alive allready

 

[bob`_your_dog]

Anybody?

 

[Navarre]

Um.... the diagram shows the sand being very deep. just how deep are you intending to make the sand bed?

 

[bob`_your_dog]

I was thinking of making it about between 15-20cms deep and about 32 cms long by 45cms wide

 

[Opcn]

Not so much a DSB as a sand filter then eh, those are very efffective at removing every bit of silt and anything orgainic, you may want to mix in some gravle or crushed coral to lessen blockage aswell. Personnally I think that it would be wiser to build a second sump, because the flow rate through this one will be slightly less than what the average nerit snail can accomplis with a thimble relaying the water from one end of the sump to the other.

 

[bob`_your_dog]

Why do you say not so much a DSB? The water will be flowing over the bed, not under and through it. And my sump pump runs at about 250 L/H so it's not to fast. And i was thinking about Growing some macro algea and turn it into a mini refuium above the sand bed.

 

[jimboliana]

Check out http/www.reef-eden.com/diy_4.htm

Hope this helps