Eshopps Overflow box question

[felixfish]

I am thinking of starting a sump tank, maybe a 20 or 30 gal for my 55gal behind the tank threw the wall (furnace room). I was wanting to do a algae scrubber instead of a fuge and such. The extra maintance doesn't bother me. However, with the Eshopps Overflow box would I be ok with 75 gal capacity unit, with 500 gph return pump? I've heard that Mag 5 pumps would do the trick.

Would I want to run the overflow straight to the algae scrubber with the fear of it clogging up? Or have an additional pump feeding the scrubber, then have the run out going to the return pump?

Also with my sump tank in a seperate room (furnace room) should I place it up off the floor on a stand, or on the floor?

 

[felixfish]

Here are my sump ideas? I was thinking of switching the HOB skimmer, and scrubber. What are your opinions? Thanks in advance

 

[felixfish]

Extra pictures of tank to put it into perspective.

 

[little_fish]

I have that same overflow box leading right down to my scrubber and it works just fine. But ive found that the overflow box doesnt handle nearly as much water its rated for, so i would go with a pretty big overflow. I also use a mag 5 pump to return the water, and it works well.

 

[felixfish]

Hey Little_fish, what size piping do you have running to your set up? Could I use braded tubing, a type of hosing, or would PVC be the route to go? Also with the return pipe, do you have adjustible hoses to direct the flow?

 

[felixfish]

Here's another idea I thought up of for a 30 gallon tank. Its a general idea, and realizing that the skimmer won't do much eventually removing it down the road. Would I still need it, and would I still need the baffles in each section?

 

[felixfish]

forgot to add pic

 

[little_fish]

Im not quite sure what you asking about with the picture and stuff, but i think i used one inch PVC piping because it was cheap and that was the size dictated by the overflow box. For the return i think i have 3/4 inch PVC, for the same reason. I also have a ball valve on my return, which is an absolute must! It allows me to control the flow from the sump to tank.

 

[felixfish]

What pump do you have running your ATS? I am just trying to figure out the best and cheapest set up (pics) for my sump. And not sure if I would need the baffles, but it may help maybe for a bubble trap.

 

[little_fish]

I have the mag 5 pump. I think you will like having the bubble trap, i have microbubble problem and i think its from the run off from the scrubber, although it might be from the pump as well.

 

[felixfish]

Oh ok I thought you had mentioned in a previous post you had an additional pump to your algae scrubber?

 

[little_fish]

no i dont, but if i had the room, that is how i would run it. I would also still probably go with a mag 5, the more flow you have, the better its filtration.

 

[felixfish]

Don't mean to beat a dead horse yet, but should I run the overflow straight to the turf scrubber, or sump? I'm thinking to the sump, then get a 300gph pump to the ATS, then send the water to the return pump.

 

[little_fish]

I would sent the water to the sump, and then have separate pump to run the scrubber on. That way all you have to do is turn on/off the pump to scrubber when you clean it, instead of having to restart the siphon and what not.

 

[felixfish]

Have the ATS plumbed and ready off a 370GPH pump, and in the process of gluing my bubble trap baffles (pray for no leaks) going to a Mag 7 pump. Should I place a T in the return line with a ball valve back into the sump?

 

[little_fish]

either that or a ball valve so you can turn the flow down.

 

[felixfish]

I'll have both. a ball valve on the retun, and extra line back to the sump. I'm assuming the flow will be pretty good. I picked up the Eshopps PF-800 so I think it should compliment it nicely. This of coarse if everything works to plan. HA!

 

[little_fish]

Is that the one that is suppose to run 800 gph? If so that is what i have and it struggles to move around 400. Annoys the crap out of me.

 

[felixfish]

Yup, crap.. I'll have to mess with it and see what my'n produces.

 

[felixfish]

I have my set up in operation now, and like you said I'm limited on getting the water to flow quickly into the overflow box. I have lowered my draining box inside the tank and it will only flow so fast. Do you think drilling multiple holes in the downtube would create more water flow to the sump?