Need advice on sump design

[visor]

looking for advice & comments on sump design below. it's quite a standard design I think - 3 compartments - skimmer, refugium & return chamber. just not sure if the baffles are ok & also the heights of each compartment is enough or too much. thanks a lot!

[Tanzy]

You might want to add one or two more extra bulkheads but seal them up temporarily so that you can add other pumps to the sump in the future. For example, you might want to add a chiller pump or secondary return.

[visor]

Tanzy, will do.

one extra secondary return will be added!

[weileong]

You have to make sure your sump has sufficient capacity so it can handle the backflow in case of power failure or when you need to power down your return pumps, skimmer etc.

[visor]

hi weileong,

from my rough estimate, with the 10cm space from top of the baffle, should have some 35liter extra capacity. back flow from return should be minimal if the return pipe is on the surface right? Skimmer... hmm not sure, currently thinking of starting with h&s first. maybe go to beckett later, how much backflow is it from a 3ft beckett? do you think I should make the sump higher, say another 5cm? thanks for the advice!

[weileong]

3ft beckett? Play safe, leaves more extra capacity. You calculate the volume of the 3ft tower should be quite safe. You don't want to change sump again after you change something that caused more back flow right?

For me my new sump is catered for all my back flow and 4ft beckett capacity with another 30-40% extra capacity. That's abt 2x1.5x1.2ft space for backflow.