Diy Freshwater Sump Help

[wuvmybetta]

Sooo, I've been working on a sump for my frontosa tank. It came down to set up moment and ..the tank is too close to the wall to fit the box, but no worries I'll just put it on my 100 gallon, I'm still at square one with the front tank though.

Anyhoooo, I moved everything over to my midas tank and it turns out my pump was too big because the box couldn't keep up. So I returned the pump tonight while I was over that way. I bought a pond pump that pumps out 525 gph for a 100 gallon tank. It turns out the water flow is really loud from here...

Notice how little water is on the right? It's sucking in too fast I guess. Maybe this pumps too big as well? Or is it something else? The next size down is a 325, that won't even give me a 4xph turnover. What to do. Is there anything I can do to slow it down a bit? Is it the box? I bought it off a guy on eBay who hands crafts them. This is my first sump so I have no idea whether or not something's missing.

Here's the bottom piece just in case that helps...

 

[andywg]

Ideally you want to incorporate a Durso Standpipe (google should bring up his site, it has a DIY section, very good) into the drain from the overflow box to the sump. That should quieten the water flow and any gurgles. To help push the level up (and to incorporate the durso) you may find you need to make the divider between the syphon and the drain a little taller.

The fact there is little water there is good, it means the box is coping with the pump. If water started to build up it would mean the pump is a little strong for the box. The water level will sit at just below the level at which the water begins draining down. In this case the top of the bulkhead.

HTH

 

[widgetuk]

I fitted a small plastic tap on a friends external pump to slow it down just a push fitting from BnQ and does the job you just turn it with a screw driver untill you get wat you need

 

[wuvmybetta]

Andy, I found the site you mentioned, I'll give it a good read, at this point it's all greek to me, I think I need to learn the lingo. Bulkhead? Whaaa...?

I'll fiddle around with it and see what I come up with. At this point I'm glad to know this pump will suffice. From what you stated the last one was far too large as the water was building up with the last one.

Thanks for your help, guys. I'll post back when it's working properly.

 

[andywg]

I fitted a small plastic tap on a friends external pump to slow it down just a push fitting from BnQ and does the job you just turn it with a screw driver untill you get wat you need

The problem with this is you are creating back pressure adn making the pump work harder. IT's fine if you are doing fine adjustments, but if you are slowing the flow any decent amount it can shorten the pump's lifespan.

If you go this way, the best thing is to install a tee and out on e exit to the tank and the other back into the tank. Then with a pair of vavles you can adjust the flow rate and not put any strain on the pump (could even make the "spare" feed power a fluidised sand bed if you wanted to go mad... )

Glad to hear you found the site alright wuv. Don't worry about the measurements too much. You could fit a T straight on that bulkhead (the fitting that goes around a hole in the glass/acrylic to let pipework go through the side B) ) and construct the durso from there. shouldn't take up too much height, the only real problem could be width, but you can always trim down fittings.

Best of luck, and keep us updated.

Andy

 

[widgetuk]

The fillter we used should have had two valves but they were missing so we put one on the inflow to the fillter just slowing the flow to the fillter

 

[wuvmybetta]

As a follow up..
I've tweeked around with the filter and managed to get it to quiet down. But, I've also come to the conclusion that I'm going to go marine, I think.
Of course this means I will have to get rid of my frontosa, and I'll move the midas to their old tank- then *drumroll* I'll fix up this filtration system to my liking and start stocking it with live rock.

I never thought I'd keep a marine tank but honestly I would like the ability to get something new now and then, and with a marine tank this is very possible, unlike my current tank situations. I haven't had a new fish in forever The only thing that held me back was the complex filtration, but I'm almost done with that so I might as well. Plus my lfs has a LOT of stock lately and I've been swooned

 

[penguinpimp1990]

i personally wouldnt use this filter on a marine tank, you dont even need a filter at all with the berlin system. Or you could move this filter to a different tank.............

 

[andywg]

But sumps are fantastic for marine systems as the extra water allows for greater volume of water which gives stability: the main thing required in a reef (which is what the berlin system incorporates). If it will just be marine and not a reef (FOWLR or FO), then a wet/dry is a good way of filtering with the bigger feeders (like lion fish or dragon wrasse). Just keep an eye on nitrates as a badly maintaned wet/dry can become a nitrate factory.

In a reef, a sump is good to hide heaters, to site protein skimmers and also to grow some macroalgae in oder to aid nutrient export. At the very least it gives more room for live rock and a refugium for pods to grow in as a constant source of live food.

Best of luck with the marine!

 

[wuvmybetta]

Thanks Andy, I've been doing a ton of reading, and today I told my lfs the news. I'm going to go ahead and fix the sump up better using acrylic, then I'll invest in lights first. It should be fun, I'm looking forward to it. My tanks are so boring lately, nothing new is ever going on
We're already talking about all of the cool things we can have in the future, like hermit crabs and starfish

I do hate to get rid of my fronts though.

 

[Opcn]

Welcome to marines Wuv! So long as ou are goingto go to the expence of setting up a marine tank I would suggest that you have your tank drilled and go with an internal overflow because the flow is much stronger. The wett dry filter isn't going to do a whole lot of good if you have Live rock but you can put a deep sand bed in that sump and do a whole lot of good. Wow, there so much to talk about, I don't really know were to start. Reef or Fish only?

 

[wuvmybetta]

Reef, for sure, as I want inverts and corals. A tank where I can buy something small on occasion.

I've been packing my lil noggin with tons of information since making this decision, I'm quite excited. Step number one is to get rid of my fronts, or at least trade them for live rock. I've saved up about $450 for my lighting, it's a work in progress

Why do you say the wet/dry won't do a lot of good?
I plan on a deep sand bed, a friend has tons of sand lying around from her marine tanks- so I'll take hers and add new if need be.

As for the filter, I'm going to start over and add acrylic instead of my makeshift drilled bucket
I've considered drilling my tank, but if it's at all avoidable, which I think it is, I probably won't.