20 high as a sump for 40 breeder

[DOJOLOACH]

Is a 20 high really that bad as a sump? I have one lying around id like to use instead of purchasing a 20 long or 10g.

 

Itll be on a 40 breeder.

 

Also, any helpful design builds/links please post them. I could notfind much on here about a 20g high sump 

[paneubert]

On the plus side it is deeper and can hold more water if needed/when the return pump breaks.  Not THAT bad of dimensions, especially if you don't need a big refuguium in the middle chamber.  Could make the first chamber big enough to handle a "standard" sized skimmer (I just looked at what seemed to be the average footprint across a few brands for the size that a 40G tank would need), a return chamber that is big enough for your average sized return pump footprint, and then see what that leaves you for a center chamber. 

[DOJOLOACH]

Thanks for the reply. Ill do some research on what pump i am to use and the skimmer... then post up here my plan and sketch of the sump

[paneubert]

16 hours ago, DOJOLOACH said:

Thanks for the reply. Ill do some research on what pump i am to use and the skimmer... then post up here my plan and sketch of the sump

If you want your heaters in the sump....that can sometimes mess with your sections measurements and cause you to need a larger section.  I got lucky and my heater fits exactly horizontally on the bottom with no extra room when I lay it at a 45 degree angle off from front to back or side to side.  I did not even think about it when I was building.  So it was luck.

[DOJOLOACH]

For pumps should i be looking to circulate tank volume 10x in a hour? And ill assume the pump rating is st the same pump height, or should i account for head loss when sizing it?

[paneubert]

What will your overflow handle?  In my opinion I would get a pump that is slightly oversized for the rate your overflow can handle.  It is always wise to have a way to restrict the return flow, like a ball valve.  So even if the pump is overly powerful, you can dial it back manually. 

 

I actually am not sure what my overflow can handle on my 40B, but I use a Mag7 as a return pump and I do not have to restrict the flow at all.

[jservedio]

If you've got a lot of vertical space in your stand, they are great as long as your skimmer fits. You get more volume in a smaller footprint and can put your skimmer on a stand to get it to the proper depth. Just be careful with water level differences between chambers if you have thinner baffles or acrylic baffles. With a tall stand, you can get a good 15 gallons of volume out of a 20g sump.