Sump Question, Design?

[philb]

What stops a sump overflowing the main tank? If the overflow or weir gets blocked or the syphon breaks on the weir, will the sump just not keep pumping until the main tank overflows and the sump empties?

And does anyone have any simple pictures of layouts, like with and without skimmers in the tanks?

Cheers

 

[Allen]

if my syphon breaks only the water in the return section (on the left) can be pumped to the display tank as the rest stays behind the bubble trap.

 

[Pheonix]

it depends how your return setup is setup, you can get water level sensors for the sump and tank and if they exceed either of these levels the system will shut down until u can see what the problem is and fix it!

if you have no sensors your right! youll have a large puddle on the floor! not good!

as for designs go onto google image search and type in marine tank setup designs u get a few good pics to give you an idea

or look at allens above

 

[philb]

if my syphon breaks only the water in the return section (on the left) can be pumped to the display tank as the rest stays behind the bubble trap.

On the picture were is the intake, far right? and how is the skimmer connected? Just in teh next section sat in teh water?

Also what snad, algae etc do you have, as there is none in the current picture! Thanks!

 

[Allen]

The water syphons from main display to the section on the right.

The section on the right has the pump for the skimmer and forces water into the skimmer in the middle section. Water also flows over the first divider and exits the skimmer into the middle section.

No sand or live rock there yet, its only been completed and plumbed in for 2 days.

It then goes over/under the bubble traps to the return section (far left).

The pump in the return section pumps it back to the tank.

If the syphon breaks the pump will only return the water in the return section as the rest will stay behind the dividers.

Ive not put in any protection for this though and running the return pump dry will certainly kill it.

But hey - Im still learning (at a very fast rate)

I did want the skimmer housed in the first section (far right) but lack of planning ahead means it wont fit !!!!

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, if you drill a tank you dont need to worry about breaking syphon, that's by far the safest method. Allen's method works well too if you have to use an overflow box without drilling

 

[philb]

Well, if you drill a tank you dont need to worry about breaking syphon, that's by far the safest method. Allen's method works well too if you have to use an overflow box without drilling

I think the overflow box, or weir is going to be my probable method, as i dont fancy drilling the tank! but using allens method it shouldnt overflow, as once the sump has run that section empty the tank cant get ny higher! and the pump is replacebale, unlike the roof falling in from upsatirs form water damage!

 

[rhysiboy]

well with the syphon method just make sure that your water level in the return section of the sump doesnt have too much water so that it will spew out over your display tank. If you had a taller tank and made your own hood you could cover up say 2 - 3 " of the top of the glass to allow for such a mishap

 

[philb]

Is it worth having a sump with a fish-only tank, or fish-only with live rock tank? Or better just to ahve the external filter??

 

[SkiFletch]

IMO, totally worth it having a sump, reardless of livestock. Lots of convenience in having a place to put equipment, place to do water changes and not disturb livestock, etc.

 

[ox5477]

Is it worth having a sump with a fish-only tank, or fish-only with live rock tank? Or better just to ahve the external filter??

Even with FOWLR it is advantageous to have a sump as you can place some LR in the sump and thereby freeing up more swimming room for some of your more active stock. Even if not worried about space, it gives a place for the skimmer and heater to go to get them out of your main viewing tank to make it look better

 

[philb]

Is it worth having a sump with a fish-only tank, or fish-only with live rock tank? Or better just to ahve the external filter??

Even with FOWLR it is advantageous to have a sump as you can place some LR in the sump and thereby freeing up more swimming room for some of your more active stock. Even if not worried about space, it gives a place for the skimmer and heater to go to get them out of your main viewing tank to make it look better

But by running a filter, would this not make the use of refigium in a sump be irrelevant? and the sump would be just to expand water volume? and have a skimmer/heater/top-up area?

or would the refigium still have a purpose?

Also would it be better to use the filter to draw out water, filter it, then output the filtered water into the refigium and back up to the tank via a normal pump? or have the filter after the sump?

so tank ----> filter ------> sump ------> pump ------>tank

or

tank ----> sump ----> filter ----> tank??

 

[BigIan]

if your going to use a sump you won`t need a filter as the sump is a filter on a LARGE scale,

simply fill one secton of the sump with LR with plenty of water movement and that should take care of the fuge and some the filtration needs

 

[philb]

if your going to use a sump you won`t need a filter as the sump is a filter on a LARGE scale,

simply fill one secton of the sump with LR with plenty of water movement and that should take care of the fuge and some the filtration needs

So with a sump i wouldnt need a filter? even if i was not running live rock in the tank, but only the sump? and some of the weed and sand etc in the sump too?

 

[andywg]

If the sump was large enough you could do so, though it is wisest to use LR in the tank as well for extra filtration.

I use sumps for things that would look nasty around the display tanks, so Deep Sand Beds, Skimmers, heaters, chemical media (Rowaphos) etc.

Sumps can be all that you want.

If you wanted to be flash you could set up one large sump to filter a number of tanks.