Does This Sump Design Work?

[sianeds]

Does this work. If not why? I need a few opinions before I measure up

Oh BTW the display tank will have a BB and no LR. It will be just some decorative rockwork for easy maintenance. It is a 17gallon dislay tank and the sump tank will be in the region of 30gallons.

 

[SkiFletch]

Just as long as the final compartment (with the pump) is big enough (prolly 2-3 gallon capacity) you'll be fine. Remember, all evap manifests itself there so if its too small you'll be topping up all the stinkin time

 

[sianeds]

Thanks Ski. I'm not too worried about evap etc. As you know I'm home all day fiddling around with my ever growing collection of tanks

 

[l337dave]

Thanks Ski. I'm not too worried about evap etc. As you know I'm home all day fiddling around with my ever growing collection of tanks

One think to think about when designing your sump with an overflow box: what if the power goes off and the syphon in your overflow breaks. Then when the power comes back on the return is emptied into the tank can it cope?

I may be paranoid but i _know_ that there is no way that my sump or tank can overflow, and as a result of my maths I ended up with ~1G in the return. Evap doesn't worry me because the level in my sump will have to drop about 3inches before I'm trouble. Until it gets warmer that will take about 4 days.

just something to think about.


dave.

 

[sianeds]

I saw a modification on melevsreef.com where he drilled a hole for airline at the top of the overflow and attached it to a small pump so that if syphon was lost during a power outtage, as soon as the power came back on, the air would be pumped back out of the overflow, restoring syphon.

I am not going to do this personally but if it's something that worries you it may be worth considering.

What I am considering is getting a trip switch I've seen which, If the power cuts off, will permanently cut off power to the return pump until I flick a swich where it is plugged in. So when power is restored the return can't start again until I turn it back on. It is relatively cheap aswell.


Ironically as I was writing this my power went off

 

[l337dave]

I saw a modification on melevsreef.com where he drilled a hole for airline at the top of the overflow and attached it to a small pump so that if syphon was lost during a power outtage, as soon as the power came back on, the air would be pumped back out of the overflow, restoring syphon.

I am not going to do this personally but if it's something that worries you it may be worth considering.

What I am considering is getting a trip switch I've seen which, If the power cuts off, will permanently cut off power to the return pump until I flick a swich where it is plugged in. So when power is restored the return can't start again until I turn it back on. It is relatively cheap aswell.


Ironically as I was writing this my power went off

there were a few days when I was testing flow rates and stuff I hadn't put the baffles in the sump I was soooo scared of power cuts!

I do have an airpump that I use to pull the air out of the box every couple of days but it's loud loud LOUD! I wouldn't have it running all the time (the tank is in the living room)

With the trip switch thingy - you'd prolly have to have the heater in display with that setup just to be on the safe side...


dave.





dave.

 

[andywg]

Running airline form the syphon to the inlet of the return pump is a pretty good way to prevent too much trouble.

For 99% of teh time, possibly even more, overflows will work fine. However, I always plan for the worst which is why every one of my tanks is drilled. That's just me being over cautious, but considering the cost of my livestock and house furniture, I don't want hundreds of litres of salt water on the floor.

 

[sianeds]

Yeah the thought of ruined carpets is always at the back of my mind. The laminate isn't much better either especially when you're like me and liberally splash water around during changes etc. I guess I'll just have to hope that I don't run out of electric in the middle of the night (like I usually do). I will definately try a FW test run before I fill it with SW and see what happens.

 

[littleimp]

Sump framework looks ok. I would lose the 3rd compartmnet with live rock in though and just have one large dsb. Their is no point in live rock in a sump unless their is a good flow around it. And if theirs good flow around the rock that means theirs too much flow for the dsb!! Recommneded dsb flow is 5-10x tank volume/hour. Live rock requires at least 3 x this to be effective.

 

[andywg]

Sump framework looks ok. I would lose the 3rd compartmnet with live rock in though and just have one large dsb. Their is no point in live rock in a sump unless their is a good flow around it. And if theirs good flow around the rock that means theirs too much flow for the dsb!! Recommneded dsb flow is 5-10x tank volume/hour. Live rock requires at least 3 x this to be effective.

That isn't entirely accurate.

The reason you aim for such a high turnover in a tank is to ensure there are no dead spots for detritus to accumulate and to account for the needle like water movement of conventional powerheads. Use of wider flow powerheads reduces the need for such high levels. True wave like motions do not require a great amount of movement at all, with a powerhead in the region of 10x good for SPS.

In a sump the water will be moving as one large body, and will be better at removing dead spots. It will certainly aid in filtration no matter what the flow rate over it, and it will provide a good refuge for all sorts of fauna.

 

[sianeds]

Sump framework looks ok. I would lose the 3rd compartmnet with live rock in though and just have one large dsb. Their is no point in live rock in a sump unless their is a good flow around it. And if theirs good flow around the rock that means theirs too much flow for the dsb!! Recommneded dsb flow is 5-10x tank volume/hour. Live rock requires at least 3 x this to be effective.

Well spotted.....There will be NO LR in the main display tank (which will also be BB) also I was planning on putting a nano PH in the LR area of the sump once it's running if it looks like it's flowing too slowly.

I am planning on keeping dwarf lionfish in the display which will make alot of mess so easy of cleaning is paramount. The only decorations will be to provide hiding places for the lions so they don't get stressed. I have run BB tanks before and currently have a 30gal FW with a BB which works brilliantly. My plan is to syphon out as much poo as possible from the bottom, where it will settle due to the low flowrate in the tank, at least twice a week along with weekly water changes (if not more often)