sump

[Denita]

Hello,

I am planning on getting my sump built this week... For the past year I have been just using a protein skimmer and filter with 3 powerheads for flow. I am not quite sure what I am going to need for a over flow and return pump. any ideas? I am going to be building out of a 10 gallon tank. also using the protien skimmer in the sump so I have more room in my display tank. I am going to have 3 piece of acrylic for the bubble trap.

so my questions are

what to use for a return pump?
and how do I hook it up, my display tank down to the sump and back up to the tank?

I know I am going to be using a overflow box but does the water flow down from the over flow to my skimmer to through the bubble trap and bio balls back up to the wave maker? am I thinking this right?!

 

[Zissou]

If you remove the refugium section in my ms paint masterpiece, (not sure a 10g is big enough for a refuge), you can make your sump like the skimmer and return section.

You want to make the skimmer section just big enough to house the skimmer, and the rest of the real estate (after the bubble trap) dedicated to the return section. The bigger the return section, the less times you have to top off each day. You'll lose the same amount of water each day, but with a bigger return section, you can top it off once every two or three days instead of each day, before having to worry about running the pump dry. You want to keep it topped off as much as possible, of course, but if you want to leave the house for the weekend it's a bit of extra insurance.

Most important however, is the siphon break on the return pipe. Where your return enters the water, you'll want to drill one or two small holes (I drilled four :P) into the pipe just under the surface of the water. When the power shuts off, the water will back siphon through your return line down to your sump. As the water level in your display drops, having these holes will insure that the siphon breaks as soon as they hit the surface of the water. This will stop the back siphon, and stop it from overflowing your sump and flooding your house.

Hope that helps. Oh, and I'd leave out the bioballs.

 

[Rcpilot]

Sump Size:

A 10g sump? You might as well not even bother. I would recommend AT LEAST 20g for a sump. Most people don't realize how much room a skimmer and a couple baffles takes up. By the time you're done with the skimmer compartment and a couple baffles - you'll have a 2g return section. It'll evaporate water out faster than you can replace it. It'll be a pain in the ass all the time. :frustrat:

Return Pump:

You need to decide how much water you want moving through the tank first. This is the first thing you need to do. By making a decision on how much water you want to move, you will then know how big your return and drain lines need to be. Now you can size the overflows or bulk heads and the pump.

Editing - brb

 

[Rcpilot]

I had a replay all typed out and lost it. :frustrat:

Here's the abbreviated version. Sorry, my hands got tired.
You want to find a return pump that will push between 150gph -- 200gph at 4 feet of head pressure.

Get enough powerheads to move about 600 - 800gph inside the tank.

Drill it!! Drill the tank and use a bulk head. It's not hard and the drill bits can be purchased from Hong Kong for about $2 or $3

welcome to richontools.com <hole saws - get the diamond coated hole saws

Buy flexible pvc pipe at FlexPVC.com PVC pipe, hose, & pvc fittings online @ wholesale discount prices (flexable) <bulk heads

Bulk Aquarium Supplies - Reef Aquarium Supplies | BulkReefSupply.com <internal overflow box

 

[Piratefish]

Go bigger!! I wish my sump was as big as my DT !! It just makes things easier.