Sump same level as display tank?

[montoya]

Hello all.

I'm thinking of turning my 29 gallon tank into a sump for my 55 gallon display tank. All of the plans I find require the sump to be lower than the main tank so water can siphon into the sump and be pumped up and back into the display.

Due to the location of my main tank in my house - my ideal setup would be to have my 29 gallon sump sit on a stand at the same height as my 55 gallon display tank (in addition to the fact a 29 gallon would not fit under my 55 gallon cabinet).

Is there an easy way to do this? I can't think of how I would balance the water input /output to and from the sump if I have to pump both directions so it doesn't either overflow or run dry.

Thanks for any input.

 

[dustin_P74]

i dont know how this would be done, sorry

 

[Trickster]

where there is a will there is a way. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.php shows a hang on overflow, if your 29gal is shorter then your main you can dump onto it then its just a pump external or internal plumbed back into your main. Beware your overflow has to handle more flow then your pump.

 

[d.french]

you can make it work as same design as a hang on fuge pump water to it and drill the fuge tank and plumb it to flow back to display, that way during a power failure no worries for floods.

 

[d.french]

 

[d.french]

here is a link to show you how sumps with hang on overflows work, i do this on both my tanks.
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

 

[mltmtascp]

I have seen this done with a breeder tank and it does work

 

[Keaton]

You could put a 20gal. under your display and run it the standard overflow,siphon/return pump way. Just seems like it would be easier and you can buy a 20gal. for like $30.

 

[d.french]

i agree with keaton 20 gallon long, hang u tube style overflow probally be 600 gallon per hour on flow use a pump that has probally about 900gph for return pump.

 

[montoya]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

In any siphon overflow / pump setup - wouldn't the passive siphon overflow need to have a larger capacity gph then the active return pump?

In your example of a 900 gph pump and a 600 gph siphon wouldn't the tank with the siphon overflow?

 

[Bifferwine]

You can control the flow of the pump using ball valves.

 

[Trickster]

A valve at pump to regulate is a must & a 900gph listed pump dosent put out 900 differ's by head pressure & use.

 

[d.french]

my overflow is 600 gph and i use a 900 gph return pump but like trickster said differs by head pressure