Setting Up A Sump For A Freshwater Aquarium

[Welshsprout]

I have had a search but cannot find anything on this subject so apologies if this is somewhere on the forum (and if it is please point me in the right direction)
 
Come Sunday I take delivery of a 350 litre tank with 80 litre sump, now not wanting to re-invent the wheel, by plugging drilled holes etc I thought I would try to use the sump as a freshwater filter system, although I can find some (ok plenty) of brief explanations on the web I cannot find anything with detail on how to go about it.
So my questions are as follows
 
1. Would it be an improvement on an external cannister filter?
2. Are there any special considerations to take into account?
3. What order do you put the media into the sump?
 
The tank comes with all piping and a 2000 lph water pump.
 
Any suggestions, tips etc more than welcome
TIA

 

[Fluval-1200]

Id say it would be better than an external canister filter, if you think media wise you can have so much in the sump + when you want large amounts of media with a canister you use filters like the fx5 which cannot use fine wool, on a sump system you can without any problems.
Lots of things you can do with sumps aswell, can have the co2 reactor there + the heater so the equipment in tank is next to none.
 
 
Is tank drilled on the back or bottom? also does it have a weir.

 

[Welshsprout]

yes the tank is drilled both back and bottom, the out flow is via a vertical intake and then out via back drilled hole,
/engage nOOb mode
Weir ah now what's one of them, I am not sure tbh.
/end nOOb mode
 
OK just done a search but cannot find details on an aquarium weir, not on function nor definition, so looking to standard definition the hole in the bottom of the tank has a vertical pvc pipe (adjustable?) that is the outlet to the sump (I believe) sorry to be vague, but I have not actually laid eyes on the tank myself yet other than in a photo.

 

[DrRob]

A weir is a section of the tank, generally with a hole in the bottom, that runs to just below the water level of the tank. It's purpose is to hide the pipework and to stop the entire tank emptying if something decides to leak.
 
Otherwise media options are pretty much anything. Sumps give you the option to have refugiums/mixed media and, as said, to hide kit. Generally the media is in the same order as an external, with mechanical, then bio, then chemical. A lot of them use a filter wool/floss pad at the input to the sump as open systems don't struggle with blocking and flow reduction like externals do.

 

[Welshsprout]

Hmmm
Once I take delivery I think I need to take some photos and get someone to explain it to me

 

[Welshsprout]

The tank is home and oh boy, this is way more tank that I could have thought.
It has a combined intake (overflow from the outer pipe)  and return set up, with what appears to be three tubes nested one inside the other, the inner most is the return that has a boom attachment to pass the returned water to the opposite side of the tank, for inside the cabinet I have an assembly along the lines of a U bend (but more complicated) that allows the water from the tank to enter the sump and to attach the return line from the pump.
The inner most pipe is 'wrapped' in a plastic spiral (to slow down the falling water in order to reduce noise?)
The intake/return column also appears to have vents around the bottom of it in the outside pipe.
It is proving difficult to find information without having/knowing names for the different parts,does anyone know if this type of system has a name?
I will try to take some photos tomorrow.

 

[Fluval-1200]

I think photos would go well here lol

 

[Welshsprout]

the return pipe is fitted into the top of this cap which is on top of the outlet/return.
outlet/return from front
transports returned water to opposite side of tank
Top down view of outlet/return as you can see it is only two pipes not three as I said earlier
View attachment 72835 Vertical return pipe, this fits into the outlet/return above
this spiral is around the return vertical return pipe, it appears to be broken in two places, it is in three parts, should it be like this?
fitting on bottom end of vertical outlet/return just above the sump finally the sump itself
 
I have now ordered an LED Luminaire and am currently looking into options for a top cover/lid/canopy

 

[Fluval-1200]

I must admit ive never seen anything like that lol.

 

[nortonmad213]

well that is very different to any knowledge i have of a sump set up.

 

[Welshsprout]

All I know about the tank is that it was imported from China, I have no manufacturer, model, there are no labels anywhere on the tank or stand other than a 'checked by operative #' sticker that has a 6 digit number.
I have a piping section to attach to the fitting in the cabinet that comes off the side to direct the water down into the sump and I have a 2000 lph (I was told 2000 but the model is 2500 ?!?!) pump with clear tubing to attach to the bottom.
 
I have now ordered three grades of sponge, 1 kg of Alfagrog  and activated charcoal, the big question now is in what order and where to place each of the the filtration media.
 
Coming in the same delivery is an adjustable LED luminaire, 2 x 25kg 3mm pea gravel (to give overall depth of 2 - 2 1/2 inches), 3 x 5.8kg plant substrate (2 cm depth). I will also be topping this off with 25 kg of Pettex Roman Gravel Harlequin (Black & White mix) which already has 500 gm of Laterite mixed in with it. (total weight of gravel + substrate = 92.4 kg)
 
I do have a multi-coloured submersible combined air stone and lights, this will give a nice 60 cm air curtain, but sadly unlike the sedate and soothing slow moving light show they had in the presentation video the lights are more suited to and acid party.
 
My intention is to have it well to heavily planted when complete (at least at low level), to that end I am considering putting a sugar/yeast CO2 reactor in the cabinet, where should this be placed in order not to remove the CO2 prior to the water returning to the tank.
 
My thinking is as follows: -
 
Flow path is :  first section in from top, out from bottom. second section : in from top out from bottom, third section : in from top out from pump (with suckers) I assume placed on bottom of sump (as opposed to the side/back or front)
Pump in-take is approx 3" square one end of the pump, so in theory could be placed on side with that end close to the bottom glass of the sump without restricting flow.
 
in first section of sump (top down)
Coarse sponge
Medium sponge
Fine sponge
 
 
in second section
Alfagrog
 
Third section
Activated charcoal
Pump
 
The third section does pose a minor problem, in so much as I would like 100% of the water to pass through the charcoal and I cannot envisage just how to achieve this short of placing a grill in the section that has a gap underneath it large enough for the pump and then covering the whole grid with the activated charcoal.
 
To me this seems logical order and method, unless of course 'You know better' in which case please let me know.
 
Due to the size of this tank I am intending to take my time and make sure I am moving in the right direction before taking a step forward, I have already had to remove 25 kg of gravel and plant substrate due to a false start.
 
The only drawback I have seen so far is that with a setup like this the water level is dictated and not an option, due to the fixed height of the outlet pipe.

 

[Fluval-1200]

First thing you dont want any air curtains in the tank if you plan on having it planted. You could make your co2 bubbles get sucked into the pump so it blows straight into the tank, that will also chop them into finer bubbles for the plants to absorb.
Your media order sounds good to me, is the charcoal activated carbon by any chance? if so its piontless running it. I only use activated carbon to remove medications and any tannins from bogwood.
I understand the pipe work sort of now im looking at it.

 

[nortonmad213]

having a second look at the pictures it almost looks like the tank set up my lfs has for its plants tank

 

[Welshsprout]

First thing you dont want any air curtains in the tank if you plan on having it planted. You could make your co2 bubbles get sucked into the pump so it blows straight into the tank, that will also chop them into finer bubbles for the plants to absorb.
Your media order sounds good to me, is the charcoal activated carbon by any chance? if so its piontless running it. I only use activated carbon to remove medications and any tannins from bogwood.
I understand the pipe work sort of now im looking at it.

 
Yes there will be bogwood in the tank once setup, the charcoal is activated carbon (charcoal is so much easier to type), any ideas about the spiral.
 

having a second look at the pictures it almost looks like the tank set up my lfs has for its plants tank

Really? would it be possible to ask them about the plastic spiral?
 
 
Many thanks both

 

[nortonmad213]

when i next get there i will
i have no doubt that as you say it is to reduce noice by keeping the water flowing rather than just dropping