hard time with sump

[freetareef]

so i'm setting up a new sump with a dsb to help with nitrates, house all my equipment like my skimmer and heater, i'll have cheato too, as i already have a 96 watt light from a saller tank that gave up the ghost (seem).
i have 160 lbs of all purpose sand from the hardware store in a 45 gal rubbermaid tub.
i made the down tube out of one inch pvc and the sump is under my display tank.
i bought a 500 gph pump along with about $100 live rock today at my lfs in hopes of having my sump flowing tonight.
my one inch pvc flows 600 gph and i read that the overflow should flow a little more then your pump. i don't know, but maybe 100 gph is to much, i am going to by a ball valve tomorrow and match up the flow.

the other issue is the water is really cloudy and am wondering how much harm will come of this running into my 75 gal display tank for 24 hrs before all the crap settles as my tank is fully aclimated and i have 6 fish, a brain coral, and 7-8 sps frags. should be alright, right?

 

[treehugger]

Don't forget to calculate head loss depending on how high it has to pump the water from the sump to the display. There is a head loss calculator somewhere. What type of pump is it?

 

[Fijiwigi]

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~DN1125~tab~1.html head loss calculator

 

[freetareef]

cool thanks. the pump is an odyssea 500, rated for 500 gph. yeah, i think i'll grab the 700. thanks alot, my flow was way out of wack. its going to be running to the tank, which is about 3 1/2', and hanging in my tank i made a piece of 1/2" pvc with 4 tee's to spread the flow. so i'll have a lot of loss. do you think the 700 gph is enough? i'm putting the ball valvue on the 1" down pipe today. i think i might be able to match it up with the 500. i'll check the calc. thanks.

 

[freetareef]

wow!!! head loss suckss a$$!!!

 

[Fijiwigi]

No need for a ball-valve on the down pipe of the overflow. Slowing the drain would only cause a main display overflow. If you are going to restrict flow it should be done on the return line without restricting the pumps flow. This Is usually accomplished by adding a T and splitting the return line to pipe back into the return pump zone so that the pump is still running at full force. You can control flow by opening/closing the ballvalve that feeds water into the return pump zone and changes the flow up the return pipe to the main display.; Also I learned on the return line you are better off using flexible PVC the hard PVC elbows restrict flow. And you also want the return line to be at least 3/4" 1/2" PVC actually restrics flow as well.

 

[surf_buddy]

I thought I read somewhere on the forum that "all purpose sand" was full of silicates, and should not be used. You might want research this to avoid any potential issues down the road.

so i'm setting up a new sump with a dsb to help with nitrates, house all my equipment like my skimmer and heater, i'll have cheato too, as i already have a 96 watt light from a saller tank that gave up the ghost (seem).
i have 160 lbs of all purpose sand from the hardware store in a 45 gal rubbermaid tub.
i made the down tube out of one inch pvc and the sump is under my display tank.
i bought a 500 gph pump along with about $100 live rock today at my lfs in hopes of having my sump flowing tonight.
my one inch pvc flows 600 gph and i read that the overflow should flow a little more then your pump. i don't know, but maybe 100 gph is to much, i am going to by a ball valve tomorrow and match up the flow.

the other issue is the water is really cloudy and am wondering how much harm will come of this running into my 75 gal display tank for 24 hrs before all the crap settles as my tank is fully aclimated and i have 6 fish, a brain coral, and 7-8 sps frags. should be alright, right?

 

[dnjan]

Second the advice on never putting a valve for flow control on an overflow line. You want the overflow to be as smooth and un-obstructed as possible, so in the future you are less likely to get "things" (such as a hunk of nori that comes loose from the clip, etc.) caught in your overflow, causing a flood.

 

[freetareef]

yeah I've spent about 4 hrs messing with this tonight and i can't even come close to matching the flows. i got the news today that we are moving to a bigger place so i think i'll scrap the crappy sump and the crappy sand and the crappy pump and when i move my tank i'll set up a plenium or a dsb. wow what a waste of a hundred dollars.