Sump ? (1 Viewer)

[TiffMunchkin]

Hey yall, so I am trying to set up a 55 gallon for a dive shop. Well I never really dealed with sumps and return pumps and things since I have a biocube. So here is some questions i got.

1. how big of a sump will i need for a 55 reef?
2. how on earth do i make all those return pipes and all the other pipes work? i literally got no idea about all those things.
3. what sump chamber outline would be best for the sump?

i appreciate any income. pictures would be perfect since i am a visual learner. if you have pictures of your own sump and pips that would help a lot. thanks

 

[TiAg]

1. As big as you can fit in the stand.
2. Return is easy, just come off your pump and plumb to the tank. Drains are more difficult and you have to calculate the size of the plumbing you use based on the flow. 1" on my 210 can handle the entire flow at full siphon. You also need to figure out what type of drain your're going to use (durso, full siphon, bean animal etc)
3. Depends on the sump and if you're going to use a skimmer and fuge/bio-balls etc.

Plumbing on my 210

Plumbing on my 70

 

[TiffMunchkin]

eeeeehhhhhhhmmmmmmmm what? i have like no idea what you just said. how do i figure those things out you just mentioned up there?? i have never done those thing before so i got no idea what you just said. its going to get a custom stand. one of the owners does all kind of custom stuff so he will build one. so should i tell him to make it bigger for a bigger sump?

 

[TiffMunchkin]

oh and i do have a skimmer its a hang on skimmer which i used on the 55 gallon when i had my eel live in it. but know it will be a reef so more waste so i want to make a sump. since i got no idea about those thing how about you tell me what I SHOULD do. i dont like options when i dont know what i do in the beginning haha

 

[TiAg]

Do you have a tank already? If so where are the holes, what type of overflow? Do you have a picture?

 

[TiffMunchkin]

its a 55 gallon from petco. i got it for free its not a perfect tank for a reef. but thats all i got. we try to keep it as cheap as possible. thats all i got so far. adn that hang on skimmer i got from a marsh memeber a while back ago. no holes .....i am scared to drill holes in the thing...

 

[TiAg]

Ok so now we're getting into the right information. Assuming now this tank isn't drilled at all and doesn't have overflows you have 2 options.

Do a closed loop system - meaning buy an Eheim (or equivalent) canister filter. Use a HOB Skimmer, and HOB fuge.

or

Drill the tank, purchase/make overflows and use an open loop system with a sump.

If you want to use a sump you'll really need to drill the tank for a gravity drain or you're asking for problems, but you'll need to find out if the glass is tempered or not. You know there are a few MARSHians out in Webster or in the vicinity, you should see about tracking someone down so you can go look at their tank and the plumbing and have a discussion about what is best for your current build.

 

[TiffMunchkin]

i remember it saying DO NOT DRILL label on the tank. so i dont really know if thats like a standard label and i can still drill or I REALLY CANNOT drill. alright so i will check out other peoples tanks. to be honest i dont want to use a cansiter filter. they loud and nasty and i have to clean that crap and bla bla bla. i never liked them much. my boyfriend use to have a 90 gallon with a canister filter and it wa a pain in the *********. pardon my language. i really would like to have an open loop system.

Ok so now we're getting into the right information. Assuming now this tank isn't drilled at all and doesn't have overflows you have 2 options.

Do a closed loop system - meaning buy an Eheim (or equivalent) canister filter. Use a HOB Skimmer, and HOB fuge.

or

Drill the tank, purchase/make overflows and use an open loop system with a sump.

If you want to use a sump you'll really need to drill the tank for a gravity drain or you're asking for problems, but you'll need to find out if the glass is tempered or not. You know there are a few MARSHians out in Webster or in the vicinity, you should see about tracking someone down so you can go look at their tank and the plumbing and have a discussion about what is best for your current build.

 

[flexrac]

this tank will require a hang on back overflow, like this:
Reef Octopus Hang On Overflow Box | DIY Overflow and Sump

for a sump, depending on what type of stand you get, yo may be limited. if you bought one of those petco stands for the 55, you won't get a sump under there, most of those stands where designed for freshwater tanks and canister filters.

what you need is a stand that looks more like this:

then you could fit a 20 gal long below with diy baffles, which any member on here can help you with, or if the store is willing to pay, you can have a custom acrylic sump designed.
for the return pump, i would go with a ehiem pump or a quiet one 3000, nothing more than the overflow you purchase can handle, will have to read the box for that or look at specs online. your return plumbing will have to go over the top of the glass with something like like this:

Or diy which is easy to do.

LMK if you need any help.

 

[TiAg]

Hey Felix have you ever done that? The flow physics aren't making sense unless you have a pump pulling and a pump pushing - which I wouldn't consider unless there is a drain in the floor. Guess I just don't see how the HOB overflow can get water out of the tank.

 

[Mark L.]

Hey Felix have you ever done that? The flow physics aren't making sense unless you have a pump pulling and a pump pushing - which I wouldn't consider unless there is a drain in the floor. Guess I just don't see how the HOB overflow can get water out of the tank.

They work good for an add on overflow. See that small tube on the top? That's what creates the siphon for the overflow to work. You use something like an aqua lifter pump.

Here's an example
CS Overflow - Overview and Installation - YouTube

 

[TiAg]

Makes more sense, interesting.

 

[OceansX]

Check out this visual:

Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

Two very important points (I have been using a hang-on back overflow box for ~25 years on my reef):

1. Make sure the return line has a small hole above the tank's water line, or the return outlet is placed above the water line.
This prevents too much water from draining back into the sump when power is lost. Regularly CHECK to make sure the hole is open.

2. After priming the siphon tube, just close off the air tube. Depending on another pump to make sure you don't don't have a small
spill after a power outage is risky. Regularly CHECK the siphon tube for air bubbles, and suck out air as necessary ~ once a week.

With the overflow boxes on the market, pumps, and sumps; whatever you plumb will probably work.

 

[BiGPiNK]

Check these out
http://www.tomaquarium.com/prod_details.php?cat=29&p=65

I've been using one for about six months and they're awesome, you don't need an extra aqua lifter, you don't have any unsightly utubes for the return line and you don't have to do any math (use a return pump under 900gph and it takes care of everything for you)
Plus they automatically restart siphon if there's a power out and they look quite swish too!

Sent from BiGPiNK's Tapatalk

 

[flexrac]

i used a hang on before, they work off a siphon, once you get it going you don't have to worry about, even during power out, it will start up again without you messing with it. i just did not care for the noise i got from the one i had, they seem to have improved on them, but i have not seen any new ones in action.

 

[flexrac]

Aquarium Sump Wet/Dry