so my 240g tank is arriving this coming weekend and then ill start to strip it and re build it in the mean time ive started building the sump see pic below and let me know your thoughts.

shit i forgot to upload the photo

media is as folows water will go through filter foam then bio balls then peet fibre then ceramic noodles and then through sum netting before it enters the last chamber that will just have water pump and heater in.

your plan looks sound from what i've seen.
my only question is why all the raised dividers after the bioball chamber?
and with a tank your size are you using a 1000-1200gph pump? and your intake line to your sump will be how big 1 3/4 " or larger?

just curious cause i'm now building an overflow pipe for my sump.

one of the deviders acts as a bubble trap the rest of them were just extra glass i had so i figured ill stick that in there as for the plumbing i hvnt givin that thought yet i figured ill build the sump,tank & cabinet first and get to the plumbing last as in my opinion the plumbing is possibly the most important part of the whole system.

any suggestions regarding the plumbing is more than welcome
thanx

from what i've been able to find the flow from the tank to the sump should be a little more than the pump rating at the highest peak in the return.(gph drop in flow the higher you have to pump the water).

if you aim for 5 times your tank volume (say 200gal for example)you would be looking for a pump that moves at least 1000gph.

that being said your flow through your overflow should also be about 1000 gph.

here's a chart i found with pipe sizes and flow rates
gravity flow rates

pipe size flow rates

3/4" 330 gph
1" 600 gph
1 1/4" 910 gph
1 1/2" 1300 gph
1 3/4" 1800 gph
2" 2350 gph
2 1/4" 2960 gph
2 1/2" 3650 gph
2 3/4" 4450 gph
3" 5280 gph

and as a side note if your new tank does not have a predrilled area for a sump you can find easy to make diy directions for a pvc overflow that will only cost about $20 online (i cant remember the site off hand)

good luck with your project

thanx for the info that helps a bit with the head ache of doing the plumbing.

luckly there is a drilled hole all ready so it just a matter of sorting out the piping