New set up

[pdhenderson]

I really dont want to get a larger tank, I would like to use what I have on hand right now.
Guess I could use the 20 as a sump and add on at a later date. My other option that I came up with last night was to build my own acyrlic tank to use.
But again I would much prefer to use what is in the garage right now.
so 250gph pump it is then.

 

[pdhenderson]

To reduce my flow, to 250 should I go to 3/4" bulkhead?

 

[sstainba]

If you're worried about your overflow "overwhelming" your pump - don't. One of the entire points of using this overflow model is that you can only drain water as fast as you can pump it back in. If too much water drains too quickly, the siphon is lost until the pump can put the water back in the tank. This design ensures that your sump cannot overflow. You could, of course, design it in such a way as to defeat this purpose. Ideally, the intake for your overflow should only be 2-4" below the surface of your tank. You can use an elbow to ensure a siphon effect or you can use a straight tube if you're not worried about it. Either way, you can only drain as much as your pump can push back in.

 

[pdhenderson]

If you're worried about your overflow "overwhelming" your pump - don't. One of the entire points of using this overflow model is that you can only drain water as fast as you can pump it back in. If too much water drains too quickly, the siphon is lost until the pump can put the water back in the tank. This design ensures that your sump cannot overflow. You could, of course, design it in such a way as to defeat this purpose. Ideally, the intake for your overflow should only be 2-4" below the surface of your tank. You can use an elbow to ensure a siphon effect or you can use a straight tube if you're not worried about it. Either way, you can only drain as much as your pump can push back in.

Whew, thats what i wanted to hear!
Thank you

 

[sstainba]

So were you planning on drilling the hole for the bulkhead fitting in the back pane of the tank or on the bottom ? I'll try to give you a little diagram of how it should work...

 

[sstainba]

Nevermind... just saw it... gimme a min to whip something up....

 

[sstainba]

Ok, so here is a little diagram showing the shiphon from the back pane. I'll point out a few things. The tube in the tank is long to pull water from all depths since different types of debris will have different boyancies. You should cap the bottom of the tube to avoid sucking up fishies or other animals. You can put holes or slits in the tube, whichever is easier for you. Just don't make them too large. Again, you don't want fish or wandering anemones or get sucked in.

The air tube at the top is important!!!! This is what keeps the sump from overflowing. If the water level in the tank drops below the top of the bulkhead fitting, this tube makes sure you don't keep pulling in water. You can cute the tube from rigid air tubing available at most pet stores, or out of anything similar. Just drill a hole in your pvd elbow and stick it in the top. It doesn't actually *have* to be above the surface of the water:

If the air tube is below the surface, your drain will siphon only until the water level drops below the tube, and at that point the siphon is lost and water will only free flow in equal to the amount you can pump back to the tank. If the tube extends above the surface, you'll never have an actual "siphon" but water will flow down into the sump without it.

So, really, depending on where you place your bulkhead you may not need a tube or you may need a long one. If you were to place the bulkhead fitting so that the elbow of your overflow is 2-3" below the water surface, you can just drill a small (1/4") hole in the top of the elbow and that will be fine - no tube requried.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[pdhenderson]

I see what you are getting at and i appreciate your advice


My main concern I suppose was balance ( Water leaving vs water returned vs overflowing sump) I think I will add an elbow to my bulkhead pointing it towards the surface, this should work correct ? as when the water drops no more can be siphoned out. I am also thinking of adding on a ten gallon for a fuge plumbed inline with the sump.

Now, i am thinking of adding a 3/4" bulkhead and a pump ( still searching) with a max head around 350 ( water is only going to be moved 4.5 feet)

 

[sstainba]

You can do that and it will work just fine, but you'll basically only be skimming water from the top. And you'll have to watch when feeding... anything that floats will go straight for it.

I built a small fuge into my sump. it's in a chamber right after the bioballs and before my protein skimmer. It's got two mangroves and a BUNCH of macro algae and about 2" mud in the bottom. Works great. Lots of little critters running around in there.

My 125 has two 1" overflows. So I imagine 3/4" would be fine for you.

 

[pdhenderson]

people still do mangroves!?!

I thought about the food problem before, I was deciding on adding a brine shrimp hatchery in the sump or fuge that will feed via my diy oscillating return! which will direct them away from the exit.

 

[sstainba]

lol. are mangroves no longer in syle??? i must not have gotten the memo.

 

[pdhenderson]

lol
just havent heard much about them lately