Remote Sump Setup Help

[geomarq]

I was thinking I can have one master sump for both my tanks. Can someone help me plan this out? Is this a good idea or should it be separate sumps?

- the tank in the living room has been running for a few months or so (it's on a canister filter setup)
- I just picked up a 150 gallon tank (free) that I'm going to build a table for and setup; this will be a floor below in the basement
- I can easily locate a sump/refugium in an adjacent furnace room (in the basement also)
- I should be able to gravity feed both tanks, just have to make my table for the 150g. a bit taller than normal.
- Here's a quick drawing:
http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL277/1803527/8420805/398680243.JPG

Is this a good idea (I think so) and what challenges/parts are needed?
- the head/length back to the small tank is roughly 30' and roughly 15' high/height - what sized pump would be needed?
- the head/length back to the big tank is roughly 30' also and roughly 5' high/height - what sized pump would be needed?
- or would I use one big pump and somehow divert the water to each tank?

 

[bojangles93]

I think the way you have it drawn out can work , but equalizing the flow would almost be impossible which could cause possible flooding issues. I would plumb it the following way so that flooding risk would be minimized and the flow issue would be non-existent since you would only need one pump.

1st floor tank - overflow to the 150 gallon
150 gallon overflow to sump
sump pumps back to 45 gallon

the plumbing should be easier this way


:twocents:

 

[Burch01]

I'm not so sure that plumbing the 1st floor tank into the 150 gallon tank would be ok unless you had an overlfow in the 150 that was capable of handling the extra flow from the 1st floor tank. If the overflow isn't rated for the increase capacity you could overflow the 150 gallon tank. Also if you just pump the return to the 1st floor tank, the 150 gallon tank is not going to get the water turn over of 1500 gph and your not suppying it with water from the sump (where you might have a skimmer or other apparati).

To combat the return siphon effect I would add a check valve just after the return pump that will close if flow from the pump is stopped. Also you will need a pump that has an outout capable of 2000 GPH at a height of 15 feet and a length of 30 feet. Head loss is actually a function of different variables other than height alone (i.e. pipe diameter, fluid flow rate, pipe length, etc.). Once you have your pump sized properly you will need a way to regulate the flow between the two tanks. The 1st floor tank needs a turn over of 450 gph and the 150 gallon tank needs 1500 gph. So with that said you will need to use a tee to split the single flow from the pump and then install a gate valve on either side of the tee so that the flow can be reduced to each tank. You could also regulate the flow by reducing the pipe to the 1st floor tank but this can be complicated.