Help with SUMP...

[Omar 69]

Hii all, I hope you all remember me.

Ive being planning one making a sump lately, and before doing it I would like to know wich are the pros and cons between an only sump or a Refugium SUMP.

I want you to guys recommend me the best size for a sump and equipment.

My main purpose of making the sump is to increase the volume of water on my system, placed the skimmer in the sump and more flow and hope that the tank stabilize better by haveng a sump.

Please all the advice that I have to know to have succesfull sump will be apreciated.

Thanks Agan guys !!!

[jenajet]

Hey what size tank and stand? I say go as big as you can with the sump. I had a refugium and removed it because I just didn't like it. I use the area that was the refugi as the drain from the overflow and have the skimmer pump in there. The dirty water coming from the tank never mix's with the water that is coming out the skimmer and returned to the tank.

[Omar 69]

The tank is a 30 g. 36x12x16

The stand is metal desigened to fit another 30 g tank.

There is a pic so every one can have an idea.

[Geoff]

20 gallon longs are a popular tank to make a sump out of.

G~

[Omar 69]

I found a guy that is selling me a standar 20 gallons with the baffles already done, for 40 dollars ?

Its a good deal or not ?

[Bergovoy]

yes

[Omar 69]

Hii Guys !!

I got yesterday a 10 galon tank for free and Im thinking of buying the pump and making the overflow on tuesday with a friend that is gonna help me with it.

Does the temporary 10 galon sump needs to have baffles ?

Im just doing this until I get the 20. And to place the skimmer in there.

Is this a good idea or not.

Wich pump do you guys recomend me for my tank is a 30G.

[Fly Guy]

I think you should get the already assembled 20 for $40.

edit......NM. I just saw the "temporary part.

if its just going ot e used for a week or two you dont need baffles. Of course, if its just going to be a week or two, might as well just wait to be honest.

Return pump will depend on what skimmer you are using. You want to roughly match the return flow to the amount of water that the skimmer can process. The theory is that there is no need sending any unskimmed water back to the display.

Im assuming a mag 3 or a 5 will be perfect. You will want to put a ball valve on the pumps output so you can taper the flow back accordingly

hth

[Bergovoy]

you will probably NOT have room for baffles after you put a pump and or skimmer in there, and no need as it really is temporary, but try to get teh return pump inlet as far away from the drain or return from the skimmer. Otherwise you will get bubbles in the tank.

Actually, it may not be worth setting up as a temp deal... But if you want to paly around and check out the plumbing and logice behind the operation, then go for it.

Keep in mind that hopefully you have figured out how much rfoom you will need in the sump, if the power goes off for your return pump.

This will tell you how high / tall to make the baffles for your final sump.


You will need to figure out how much water will drain back down (by way of gravity), back down the tubes into the sump. Usually it will drain until air gets into the plumbing line, or actually the top / inside of the pipe, just as air starts to get sucked into the pipe.

You can measure from teh top of water during normal operation down to the top of the inside of the pipe, or the bottom of the teeth of the overflow.

Measure teh length times width of your tank, times the distance from the top of normal water to the bottom of the overflow teeth or inside tope of pipe,, (do all the measurements in inches)

After you multiply all those numbers, then devided by 231. This will tell you how many gallons will drain back into the sump.

Then use your highs school algebra to plug in the information from above and now teh dimensions you know on your sump, and figure for how many inches from the top of the sump DOWN, and make a mark on the glass.

That is your RESERVE space you will need in case of power or pump failure.

I would add an inch for safety.

But obviously the smaller the sump the more space is critical, you may not have an extra inch to spare.

But good luck.

Bill

[Omar 69]

Fly Guy & Bergovoy thanks for the reply...

Like you guys said the 10 is to small and looking for trouble I got another idea.

I will use the rubbermaid container that is on the pic remove the fish are in there and put them in the 10 galon until I find the female a new owner. They are a pair of convicts.

Oke here the point a friend told me that he will no longer used the overflow on hes tank and that I can use ir. I was thinking of setting up the sump with the rubbermaid since it make like 20 gallons.

If there is a need for baffles how does have to be done ?

[zero186]

i am intrested in this and if you are mainly using the sump to get rid of the skimmer and head out of the main tank, do you need baffles? also using it to increase the amount of water in the system

[Geoff]

baffles are nice, but not necessary. improperly placed baffles will be less effective than just leaving the out.

G~

[Omar 69]

Okei Geoff, now how do I set up the sump ?

Just throw the the skimmer and the drain tube from the over-flow on one corner and in the other corner the return pump ?

How does I control the water level on the sump ?

Do you know where can I find some pics of Rubbermaind home maid sump.

I will apreciated, and any info that I need to know.

Thanks again.

[Geoff]

that is what i did with my sump. i have a 50g rubbermaid feeding trough. you can get them at most feed shops. the return and the skimmer on one end and the return is on the other.

the slower the water moves through a sump the less chance of bubbles making it from the drain to the return pump.

since the sump is the lowest volume of water in the system, it collects all of the "extra" water. when first setting up a sump you start with the sump half full. then add water if the water level goes to low and the return pump starts to suck air.

i have an auto-top off on my system so that i do not have to keep adding water due to evaporation.

G~

[Omar 69]

Hii !!

Just to let you guys know how the sump is comming along.

Yesterday a friend and I did the overflow, and bought most of the plumbing parts. And I decide to try an spray bar if i dont like it will remove it.

Now what i need is the pump and Im ready to set it up.


Here are some pics.