The sump is assembled!

Well, the sump is finally assembled, and connected to the tank. I still have some work to do, including setting up the auto-topoff, but it is in working condition. Here are some photos from teh build:

Leak checking the sump assembly. You may notice that the sump is unconventionally in two pieces, connected with an underdrain. This is how I needed it to be made so I could fit the thing in my existing setup.

I was worried that the bulkheads and unions wouldn't hold water, but everything worked out great after the first attempt.

Here is everything in a dry mock-up of how it will all be assembled. Then, I connected the unions, filled it with water, and started it up.

Here is the left section fully operational. The grey cube on the left is the discharge pump, which returns the clean water to the display. The ball of green stuff on the right is chaetomorpha macroalgae. Below the "chaeto" is my remote deep sand bed. Approximately 3-4" deep, with all sorts of critters living in it.

This is the right side of the sump. The protein skimmer is to the far right. Same one I had on the display, just relocated. The white bag is a filter sock. Basic mechanical filtration. The rubble rocks in the middle are a means of more mechanical filtration. Next to the rubble rock zone is a bubble trap zone. Hoping that this will keep all unneccesary bubbles out of the tank.

A full tank shot (FTS), including the new sump below.

That's it for now... will soon post new photos of the newest fish... once I get one (this week).