Sump construction - Page 2

kwjones · 05-11-2004, 10:04 AM

I'm restricting the flow to the refugium. The rest of the flow is unrestricted to the baffle section. So less water is going to come from the refugium and more is going to come from the baffle section. Both sides flow into the pump section. I just have more flow on one side and less on the other.

Think of it this way... as fast as the pump can push the water back up to the display tank, it's overflowing into the sump at the same rate. I'm just controling how fast it flows to one section, the rest isn't controled so it balances out.

I'm guessing I'll have about 400 to 450 gph being pumped into the display tank with a Mag 7, so I'll also have 400 to 450 gph overflowing into the sump. I only want about 50 gph flowing into my fuge, so I put in a ball valve to control that. The other 350 to 400 gph drains into the baffle area and gets pumped back up into the tank.

If you don't split your drain line from the display tank like I did, and just run a straight pipe to the sump, DON'T put any restrictions on it like a ball valve.

If you want to have more control over how much water gets pumped back to the display tank, but a "T" into the return line. On the section that "T"s off, put in another ball valve with a 90 elbow so it drains back into the sump. Leave the ball valve closed in the beginning. If you think you're getting too much returned to the display tank, slowly open the ball valve and water will drain back into the sump. Keep doing this until you're happy that you don't have too much water being pumped into the display tank. This way you're not restricting your pump, which could cause it to burn out sooner.

I should probably also say that the 20+ x's turnover in my display tank is going to come primarily from an external closed loop system.

tankgirl2 · 05-11-2004, 10:48 AM

Boxster,
also, the low flow into the fuge is just overflowing the baffle back into the section where the return pump is (like turning on a tap into a bowl, it just overflows as fast as the tap is putting more into the bowl, once it's full). Same thing on the other side where the flow is much higher, it just overflows the baffles into the return pump section.

Boxster · 05-11-2004, 10:52 AM

Heres a thought. since my skimmer will be on the baffle side of my return, suppose i feed the fuge with a tee off the return line. that way to water will be filtered by the skimmer. otherwise the fuge water will never pass through the skimmer. im scaring myself, i think im starting to understand some of this stuff

kwjones · 05-11-2004, 11:12 AM

LMAO...wait until you have to figure out how to not overflow the sump or the display tank.

That's not a bad idea either. You could have your drain line totally unrestricted that way.

If you really get worried about pods getting chopped up in the return pump, you could always do a gravity fed refugium and have the sump separate. I like the gravity fed refugiums, I just don't have the space for one, so I put my fuge in the sump.

kwjones · 05-11-2004, 11:13 AM

LOL...the more I think about your idea the more I wish I would have done it that way....less plumbing to glue.

Boxster · 05-11-2004, 11:20 AM

Wouldnt the ball valve on the return T to the ruge be able to control an overflow. can you clue me into the problems im faced with in preventing overflows?

kwjones · 05-11-2004, 11:37 AM

Ok...you basically have two scenarios. When I talk about overflows, I'm talking about flooding.

1. Flooding the display tank. Can be caused by a clogged drain pipe. Lots of things can clog it, fish, snails, algae. If the pump return area on your sump is too big, you pump will push water from the sump into the display tank faster than it can drain. If you keep the pump return area sized right, it won't have enough water in it to flood the display tank. I'd rather replace a burned out pump than be dismembered by my wife.

2. Flooding the sump. If your power goes out, is you sump big enough to handle the water that gets siphoned back down into it? There's a couple of different ways to control how much water gets siphoned back into the sump.

One is a one way check valve. Some people don't use them because they say they can get cloged and affect the flow rate back into the display tank. If you decide to go with a check valve, get one that can be easily taken apart for cleaning and/or replaced.

Another way is to drill a hole in return plumbing just below the water line in the display tank. This is easy enough, just remember that they also can get clogged and need to be checked and cleaned often. When the power goes out and water starts siphoning back down to the sump, once the water reaches the hole in the display tank, the siphon breaks.

Here's a pretty good link that talks about sumps and plumbing.

http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

Kevin

Boxster · 05-11-2004, 12:01 PM

thats a great site. thanks for taking time, im beginning to feel more confident about starting sump construction. my euroreef skimmer gets shipped tomorrow, i need it to establish compartment sizes, i also plan on getting my pump tomorrow, my sales person said a mag 9 or even 12 for my return, sound like too much for 72 gal?

Thanks Kevin

kwjones · 05-11-2004, 12:43 PM

A mag 7 or 9 sounds about right, I have a 75 gallon. A mag 12 might be a little big. If your tank is made by All Glass, I think the overflow is rated for 600gph.

Melev also has some great info on his site about building your own external closed loop system for more circulation in the display tank...no drilling needed.

Kevin