Sump Water Flow

[@ombomb]

Just had a thought about a sump I am planning on setting up...

I have never used a sump before, but am aware the basics of the physics of how it works. The question I thought of today, is how do you make sure you have the right powerhead(s) on it? Too powerful and the they'll empty the sump out too quickly right?

 

[yvez9]

usually, a sump will fill up from an overflow system. this for two reasons i assume. One is that the pump will dictate the flow of the sump. as soon as water is returned to the tank, it will overflow into the sump. second and most importantly, if the pump fails for a reason or another, the tank will overflow into the sump, and stop when it is level with the drain pipe. this prevents the sump to overfill and wet the floor if it ever happens.

 

[littleimp]

As a rule of thumb the pipe to the sump should be twice the diameter of the pipe back, other wise the pump will run the sump dry & overflow your main tank. This is especially true if you have a top-up system also connected to the tank. Been their done that!!! Salty carpets!!!



You can't use a powerhead to run a sump, powerheads are not designed to push water upwards. Look for an eheim or ocean runner pump. Also the people who make the maxijet powerheads have just bought out a range of pumps to compliment them at a reasonable price.

 

[@ombomb]

So something like the bottom of these two would be suitable?

Look at the bottom one