Aquarium sump

[jimdogg187]

I'm attempting to turn this 20 US gallon tank into a seperate fuge area for macro algae. I'm using two pumps of the exact same size with the exact same length of tubing, one to fill the tank, one to drain it. However, I cannot seem to get it to work right. One pump either takes too much water out, or one pump pumps too much in. So while I'm gone or asleep, I either get water on my floor, or a dry tank. I don't want to use a skim box from the main tank because I want to take the water right from my wet dry. So, do I need to put in a baffle or two to create some type of resevior? Even then, how will I match the flow of the return pump? Does any one know how can I keep the flow even?

 

[ste2k3]

You either need to get the tank drilled (which I suspect isn't possable) or use an overflow box.

ste

 

[Navarre]

Trying to find 2 identical pumps will be impossible. Even if you were lucky enough to have them both operating the same speed, within a week or so they would no longer be calibrated together due to wear or fine particles building up etc.

The only way you can get water from 1 tank to another is by using a drill or overflow system.

 

[jimdogg187]

I bought the tank used a while back from a lfs. I has a hole drilled in it already but it's at the top towards one of the corners. the hole is 1/4 inch, (I don 't know how many centimeters). Could I some how use this hole or does the hole need to be underneath? Jim

 

[Great Lakes]

The hole is in the display tank, or the 20 you are tryin to use for a sump?

And as Navarre and others have said, you cannot use two pumps. The one returning water has to work against head pressure. Head pressure is determined by how high you are pumping the water. If you look at specs for a pump, it will say something like 500 gal@ 0 head, 380 gal@ 1ft head pressure, and so on.

The method you need to approach is using a return pump from the sump rated at less than the drain/overflow employed from the main tank.

You get a siphon box rated at say 600 GPH, and a pump rated slightly less than that. This way, the siphon can easily return every bit of water that the pump puts into the main tank.

GL

 

[Navarre]

If the hole is drilled into the main tank then it can be placed at the top and a pipe fitted to flow the water down to the sump.

If the hole is in the sump then you could still use it to house the pump outside the tank and alow a pipe to flow into the tank. (make sure the water level in the sump will be the same hieght as the hole so the pump can prime itself. the beauty of having apump outside the sump is that its own heat is not added to the water and thus will help keep tank temperatures down.

 

[smithrc]

this might help...

 

[jimdogg187]

Thanks for the info all!! Great Lakes, so right now I have CA 1000 pump that does 500gph. If I bought a skim box that does say 600 gph, is that too much? I don't understand the situation. If the skim box is draining more water into my 20 gallon tank from the display than the CA pump is pumping out, won't the 20 gallon tank start to overflow? Perhaps you could tell me the exact skim box I need with the exact pump I need. Or The skim box I need with the pump I already own. Thanks again for all the help everyone, I really appriciate everything!!
Regards, Jim

 

[jimdogg187]

Okay, I understand. After doing some research this concept now makes sense. I feel pretty dumb. So the skim box will only take in the amount of water that is pushed back into the display from the sump. I will go to my lfs and pick up a new skim box that will not overflow my 20 gallon tank if the power shuts off. Thanks again all. Jim.

 

[paultn]

this info has really helped as i was goin 2 do the same as you, jimmdog, i have been lookin for skim boxes bt cnt find them, where do you think i cud get one from on the net???

 

[jimdogg187]

Aquadirect

This site should be of assistance. You want to get the cpr brand. Also, buy the rio 600 pump that goes with it. This connects to the siphon box, then removes all the air that accumulates. So if the siphon ever breaks when the power shuts off, when the power comes back on, the pump will start the the siphon again. Jim