Help me design my new sump!

I have always ran my 46 sumpless and the 28 has a backpac refugeium, so a sump is a new animal for me.


The new tank will be a 220 with corner returns and a 75 gallon glass tank converted to a sump/refugeium in the cabinet underneath.


I have looked at lots of different options and combed Melevsreef, and am only getting more confused by the whys and what fors of design and plumbing.


So the basics of what I will have in it is filter socks, a skimmer and a "Turbo" ATS, two heaters, baffles, as much live rock as possible and the return pump, of course. I would like it to be fairly straightforward, quiet, good for copepods, and to not produce microbubbles.


I have the 220, the plumbing and bulkheads for inside the overflows, the 75, the return (Reef Octopus Water Blaster HY-7000W), and the ATS. The metal stand is ordered and I will probably be buying a Reef Octopus skimmer, soon and would like to get in on the group buy for the filter socks, but have no idea what size to get.


So tell me what you like or don't like about your sumps. Are there particular designs you recommend? What would you do differently if you were setting up a new one? Got good ideas on plumbing? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having the return pump in the sump or out? What are the advantages of having the skimmer in the sump or out? What determines what size filter socks? What do I need to consider plumbing wise to make things work and avoid water on my floor when the power goes out? Where do I put shut off valves in the plumbing? Are there other things I should consider including? Where do they go?


Help me out here.

 

Yes, sump will be under tank, no my mixing station / ro is in another room and I am getting ready to redesign that, too. LOL! I have been topping off manually, but want to eventually get some sort of FW receptacle under there with an ATO, but there is so much to learn about!


I was kind of thinking the same thing in regard to the pump, the fewer the places for potential leaks the better, afaic. I also wondered if having it underwater would help cut down on noise? So what about the skimmer, same reasoning? Or are there good reasons to have an exterior one?


I do not mind weekly maintenance in the least, so will have a filter sock. Should I go with a large micron size fulltime and then occasionally put the smaller one on like you said, or should I run the smaller one all the time? What size and length of sock? How many should I have on hand?


So, do you the style with the return in the center is best with each corner going into end, or do you like plumbing over, and having the intake on the far right with the skimmer, then the live rock, then the baffles, and then the chamber with the return pump?


Where to put the ATS and where to plumb to it from? Over the live rock with the supply line being plumbed into the plumbing coming from the overflows?


Should I put a sponge in between one of my baffles?


Where to put a chemi pure bag?


Where would I put a phosban reactor if I wanted one for carbon or whatever, or is that an exterior thing?


Yeah, I am a noob that has been running on sheer dumb luck. So many questions...... LOL

 

What do you mean "Go as long as you can"? Stand length? Sump length? Time?


I gave myself 13" between the top of the sump tank and the top of where the door opening will be. 16" inches to bottom of tank. Is that enough? That puts the top of my stand at 40" and the top of the tank at 70". Foot print matches tank.