Sump I designed for my small 11 gallon tank

[Eziofezio]

Hello everyone! Please give me your opinion/experience! I am a very active person so I have decided to create sumps for all my tanks including my small 11 gallon. I have designed this sump for my 11 gallon but I don't know if the baffles would be enough. I also would like to put some rocks in the refugium to increase media for bacteria. I am doing this as I would like to keep the display tank as clean as possible and without space consuming internal filters or heaters that are usually ugly or don't contribute towards the aesthetics of the tank and since this is a small tank they take valuable space away. Please tell me what you think, if you give me feedback I will give you a discount when I start making sumps large scale....I hope! The design is copyrighted September 2020.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Is there a max distance how far below the tank it can be? Is there good access to the heater for altering the temp? Could plants be added to the refugium? This would obviously then require lighting source..

 

[madmark285]

Issue with your sump.

When the water level drops in your sump, the water exiting the filter area will create a waterfall. This will add bubble in saltwater and will outgass CO2 in planted tanks.

Water will always seek the path of least resistance. If someone using bio-balls, the water may find a channel around the bio-balls with the horizontal arrangement of the filter media. Typically sumps place the media vertically with separate compartments.

For saltwater, a Bubble Trap would be nice.

The heater box adds complexity, more parts and may not be need. How are you going to seal the heater box?

 

[Eziofezio]

Issue with your sump.

When the water level drops in your sump, the water exiting the filter area will create a waterfall. This will add bubble in saltwater and will outgass CO2 in planted tanks.
-Hiya! Thanks for answering. So take those baffles out? The sump will be for a freshwater tank so will I still have the problem with CO2?

Water will always seek the path of least resistance. If someone using bio-balls, the water may find a channel around the bio-balls with the horizontal arrangement of the filter media. Typically sumps place the media vertically with separate compartments.
Well in fact that's why the end of the entrance pipe is a T shape so to distribute water more horizontally. So I should try and make the filter as high as possible.

For saltwater, a Bubble Trap would be nice.

The heater box adds complexity, more parts and may not be need. How are you going to seal the heater box?
My idea is that the box you see in the drawing that covers the heater is a plastic box that goes over the heater to force water around it and because I don't want it to interfere with the refugium. I was thinking of not sealing it so if I have an issue with the heater I can simply lift the plastic box off the heater to gain access to it. The plastic box will be anchored there using gravity and maybe put some rocks to add gravity. I thought of plastic because it is easier to drill holes on the side and so it will be less fragile. Should I seal it? The problem is that if I seal the box then I don't have access to the heater in case it breaks or something.

 

[madmark285]

Not trying to discourage you but there are 100s of sump for sale in the USA (look at ebay), they are so easy to build. Just buy a small glass aquarium and glue in baffles. I think you are underestimating the complexity of building your design, you have alot of different sized parts which have to be cut and held together while being glued. Look at the standard type of sump below, just 3 baffle plates in it and may work very well.