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Planted tank sump design - need your feedback. :-)

Zak Rafik

Member
Joined
11 Aug 2014
Messages
466
Location
Singapore
Hi everyone,
I'm in the midst of setting up a new tank 120 US gal / 455 litres and would like to use a sump for the filtration system.:)

I have googled for ideas for fresh water sumps setups and most of the results are for marine tank and even then all most freshwater sump photos are not showing due to Photobucket's change in photo sharing policy on forums. :banghead:

Anyway, I would really appreciate if you can take a look at the sump design I came up with and interested to hear suggestions.

The details as below:

Main Display tank is 455 litres / 120 US gals. It will be ADA substrate planted tank.

Planing to use over flow box as shown below. Will be drilling the holes on the side of the tank once I have all the info at hand.

These are the things I want to clear before I drill the holes on my precious tank.:D

1. For a 455 litres / 120 US gals, what should the be the ideal size of the sum be?
2 ft / 3 ft..... ? I'm totally blank on this one.:confused:

2.
Are the position of the baffles A, B, C & D, in the right position for good water flow from the filter sock to the main pump? Do I need to remove or add a baffle in the sump design?

3.
I will have approx 100 US gal of actual water left in the main tank after taking away 10% - 15% for water displaced by substrate and stones,

And so....
The MEDIUM size overflow box, rated for tanks upto 100 gal and rated for 800 US GPH flow,
should give me a 8 time water turn over.

For the LARGE size overflow box, rated for tanks upto 100-150 gal, rated for 1000 US GPH flow,
should give me a 10 time water turn over.

Is the LARGE overflow box an over kill or will the MEDIUM size be right for me?

I do have other question to ask with regards to sumps but I don't want to shoot many questions all at once and make this post boring.:p

So, guys, shoot me some tips, suggestions or precautions I should take with the below sump design.:thumbup:

It will awesome if you can post photos of your freshwater planted tank sumps.

Thanks for your input. Have a great day ahead.:wave:


My sump design.

37111931851_a385acf40d_c.jpg



Medium size overflow box.

37084582022_f647e87cba_c.jpg


Large size overflow box.
37256903315_d457eb2e4d_c.jpg
 
I think sumps offer major benefits. Consistent water level & skimmed surface in the main display tank. Auto top up (requires ball valve in sump). Hidden equipment.
& increased volume of total system are a few but, in my mind the single most important factor is the incorporation of a trickle tower!
I would not advise pouring to much water down the overflow pipe as this will very effectively remove C02 from the main body of water.
I tend to run around 4 x tank volume into the sump.
You can run your C02 line directly into the return pump.
 
I think sumps offer major benefits. Consistent water level & skimmed surface in the main display tank. Auto top up (requires ball valve in sump). Hidden equipment.
& increased volume of total system are a few but, in my mind the single most important factor is the incorporation of a trickle tower!
I would not advise pouring to much water down the overflow pipe as this will very effectively remove C02 from the main body of water.
I tend to run around 4 x tank volume into the sump.
You can run your C02 line directly into the return pump.

Awesome.:)
I can't agree with you any further on all the benefits highlighted by you for running a sump for big tank. Thanks for your feedback.:thumbup:

So a tank run with a sump can do with 4x turn over? I was always under the impression that the minimum should be 5X and the ideal would be 8X to 10X.

As for the co2 inline, I wish to just have it free in the sump (but tied near the return pump). I feel it's much easier to change or clean the diffuser when the time arises.

As for the baffles' positions are they ok?

And how about the sump size? I'm in the dark about this.

BTW, what your sump size like?
 
Just a quick update, I will be running the overflow box in a HERBIE OVERFLOW style. Please see diagram below.

As much as I badly want to run a overflow using the U tube where the tank is not drilled (less cost, no holes in my tank, quick plug & play convenience), something deep inside me is shouting at me to drop that plan.:lol:

I have had unknown and sudden power failures in my home 4 times this year. And also I plan to be traveling in the near future on business. I don't want to flood my living room floor.

That's why a Herbie overflow will give much peace of mind when I'm out of the country.

36446520583_b20549dd1f_z.jpg

Image from Marine Depot.
 
I think sumps offer major benefits.

Dito!! Sumps are absolutely awsome.. Actualy from a filtering perspective doesn't mater much how you design them for a sufficiently planted and moderately stocked tank. Plants will take the best part of all anyway, that's why a canister is sufficient as well. So you can make 'm as simple as possible or as complex and overcomplicated as possible it can't realy be beter than sufficient anyway. The major benefit a sump has to offer is you can put all in tank equipment in the sump and since they are always a bit oversized compaired to a cannister they do ned less maintenance and are way easier to maintain and its a skimmer.

This is my creation and it runs like a charme for about 2 years now.

The first compartiment holds the heaters, it overflows with 3 spraybars, trickling over the sponges. Can't see them, are hidden in the plants growing on and in the sponge.
Than it trickles over the balls, additionaly goes through some biomedia, finaly water gets polished through a fine sponge and goes back to the tank. A trickle filter is most sufficient for nitrification etc. But if the tank is heavily planted it likely doesn't realy need it. But it surely is fun to build and you can't go wrong even if you don't realy need it. This is different with overstocked or non planted tanks.

DSCF9483.jpg


The turn over is depended on the capacity of the max drainspeed from the overflow.. This is very dificult to calculate, so in the end it is a bit guessing and trail and error what you effectively realy can do. But 4 times is definitively sufficient for a low energy tank. Mine also has 3 or 4 times, dunno excactly. :) The high techs 10 time turnover goal, is more aimed towards dead spots and co2 delivery than it is to filtering..

So what ever design you come up with, go with what feels comfortable to you. And it looks good so far.. :thumbup:
 
I have run many sumps, marine, Koi & planted, my present 200l tank has a sort of sump but, it is situated at the same level as the display tank, behind a false wall.
I have never use a filter socks (they do look good though) I have just used synthetic sponge & bio balls in a trickle tower.
I did run a planted tank for many years by just feeding the end of the co2 pipe directly into the return pump & this worked very well, although the tank looked very fizzy, there was absolutely no maintenance required. ( no atomiser cleaning etc)
I would not just let the C02 loose in the last chamber, you will oose a lot of it at the surface. You can just place the atomizer right in front of the pump so it all gets sucked in.
You can run any flow you like through a sump but the more you flow over the weir the more C02 will be lost. I use 3-4 time tank volume & subsidise any more flow required with a additional ' in tank' pumps.
 
Dito!! Sumps are absolutely awsome.. Actualy from a filtering perspective doesn't mater much how you design them for a sufficiently planted and moderately stocked tank. Plants will take the best part of all anyway, that's why a canister is sufficient as well. So you can make 'm as simple as possible or as complex and overcomplicated as possible it can't realy be beter than sufficient anyway. The major benefit a sump has to offer is you can put all in tank equipment in the sump and since they are always a bit oversized compaired to a cannister they do ned less maintenance and are way easier to maintain and its a skimmer.

This is my creation and it runs like a charme for about 2 years now.

The first compartiment holds the heaters, it overflows with 3 spraybars, trickling over the sponges. Can't see them, are hidden in the plants growing on and in the sponge.
Than it trickles over the balls, additionaly goes through some biomedia, finaly water gets polished through a fine sponge and goes back to the tank. A trickle filter is most sufficient for nitrification etc. But if the tank is heavily planted it likely doesn't realy need it. But it surely is fun to build and you can't go wrong even if you don't realy need it. This is different with overstocked or non planted tanks.

The turn over is depended on the capacity of the max drainspeed from the overflow.. This is very dificult to calculate, so in the end it is a bit guessing and trail and error what you effectively realy can do. But 4 times is definitively sufficient for a low energy tank. Mine also has 3 or 4 times, dunno excactly. :) The high techs 10 time turnover goal, is more aimed towards dead spots and co2 delivery than it is to filtering..

So what ever design you come up with, go with what feels comfortable to you. And it looks good so far.. :thumbup:


Now! This is what I need. Thanks to the power of 100.

So I guess the position of the baffles don't matter that much as far as my design is concerned. Awesome!:thumbup:

I intend to use filter sock (200 micron) as the first line of defense to trap plants matter, leftover fish food and what not.
As for your mentioning "turn over is depended on the capacity of the max drainspeed from the overflow", I'm sure that can be controlled by having flow control valves on the pipes from the overflow box. Am I right to say this?

One point I forgot to mention in my 1st post is that for the time being, I plan to have med light demanding plants with EI dosing and injected Co2 but I'm definitely aiming for high light plants.
Do you think I can get away with 7X to 8X turn over ( using the Medium size overflow box - photo in my 1st post ) or must I aim for 10X when growing high light plants?
As for the fish, it will be the small fish from the Tetra family and lots of shrimps.

If you had a tank size which is similar to mine, what size for the sump would you plan? I'm curious to know.

You mentioned "trickle filter". Is it similar to wet/dry filter? Won't this lead to too much degassing of Co2?

BTW, I simply love the way you're growing plants in the sump are a too. We planted guys can't have enough space for our plants.:lol:
Definitely going to borrow your idea on this.

Thanks for taking the effort to write clear and relevant answers along with clearly labels photos. Thumbs up.
 
I have run many sumps, marine, Koi & planted, my present 200l tank has a sort of sump but, it is situated at the same level as the display tank, behind a false wall.
I have never use a filter socks (they do look good though) I have just used synthetic sponge & bio balls in a trickle tower.
I did run a planted tank for many years by just feeding the end of the co2 pipe directly into the return pump & this worked very well, although the tank looked very fizzy, there was absolutely no maintenance required. ( no atomiser cleaning etc)
I would not just let the C02 loose in the last chamber, you will oose a lot of it at the surface. You can just place the atomizer right in front of the pump so it all gets sucked in.
You can run any flow you like through a sump but the more you flow over the weir the more C02 will be lost. I use 3-4 time tank volume & subsidise any more flow required with a additional ' in tank' pumps.


Hi Foxfish,:)

Well, here in Singapore, filter socks are very cheap and I especially like the aspect where even tiny plant matters and what not get trapped in a 200 micron sock.

I fully understand what you meant by having not having the atomizer loose. Yes I intend to tie as near as possible to the inlet of the return pump. I will keep in mind your suggestion of just feeding the co2 tube directly into the return pump.
I can save much time by not cleaning inline diffusers...and the result is more time to enjoy the tank.:cool:

As for the "subsidise any more flow required with a additional ' in tank' pumps" I do have a Tunze brand power head model 6045 with adjustable flow control. It can do from 1500 l/h to 4500l/h.
BUT I would prefer not to use it as I like my tank to look sleek. That's the main reason I have decided on a sump. Get rid of all that clutter in the tank. I want just to marvel at lovely plants, fish and shrimps in my tank.

Please do share on what else I should look out for...example the type of return pump I can choose. I value all the members' inputs.

Take care.:)
 
"turn over is depended on the capacity of the max drainspeed from the overflow", I'm sure that can be controlled by having flow control valves on the pipes from the overflow box. Am I right to say this?

That's a difficult part to say up front how it will work.. That's the trail and error part. Indeed a controll valve in the drain should be installed. But if there is overcapacity when fully opened you get a very nosie drain and or can break the syphon.. Than you can only reduse it to get the quietest drain possible and here you have to find the balance between flood and drain.. How it actualy will work depends on how the drain is connected to the sump, the route it has to go, the material used, dirt in the hose and or syphon etc. It took me several weeks of tuning and even changing things in the piping and choose a different pump of which i initialy thought would work but still didn't.. The slightest change like a dirt particle can have a huge impact if you are running it on the edge. You wont notice till it happens, it's running nice for a few days and than something stuppid like a plant leave in front of the syphon and all goes nuts.. Laws of nature and the chances involved are hard to predict and or to calculate up front. It is go with the fllow and find out and fine tune it along the way.. :) Drilling a tank makes it a bit less complex, but a syphon is a slight different story.
 
One alterative I have used with amazing success was a needle wheel pump, they have mutable fins instead of an impeller & are used on large marine protein skimmers.
They are purposely designed to chop up air bubbles but work in the same way with C02.
I now use a reactor because I down sized my tank & I run fairly low lighting but on a tank your size a needle wheel pump would work.
I feed my trickle tower from a small pump situated in the sump (Like you have pictured you UV) but I only use two compartments in the sump.
One to hold the sponge & the rest of the sump is just one chamber with the two pumps & the heaters.
The trickle tower is just a plastic box filled with bio balls.
You could have some more holes drilled in your tank to feed an external pump for extra movement.
 
The slightest change like a dirt particle can have a huge impact if you are running it on the edge. You wont notice till it happens, it's running nice for a few days and than something stuppid like a plant leave in front of the syphon and all goes nuts.. Laws of nature and the chances involved are hard to predict and or to calculate up front. It is go with the fllow and find out and fine tune it along the way.. :) Drilling a tank makes it a bit less complex, but a syphon is a slight different story.

Hi Marcel,
So I guess I will be running the tank "on the edge" if I use the MEDIUM size overflow, as it is rated at the maximum of 100 gal tank volume.
With LARGE size, I still have bit room to increase the flow when it is required.

Thanks.
 
One alterative I have used with amazing success was a needle wheel pump, they have mutable fins instead of an impeller & are used on large marine protein skimmers.
They are purposely designed to chop up air bubbles but work in the same way with C02.
I now use a reactor because I down sized my tank & I run fairly low lighting but on a tank your size a needle wheel pump would work.
I feed my trickle tower from a small pump situated in the sump (Like you have pictured you UV) but I only use two compartments in the sump.
One to hold the sponge & the rest of the sump is just one chamber with the two pumps & the heaters.
The trickle tower is just a plastic box filled with bio balls.
You could have some more holes drilled in your tank to feed an external pump for extra movement.


Yes, I have thought about using needle wheel pump but for now Co2 diffusion on my 3rd or 4th on my list as I have collected all manners of co2 diffusion tools and are on standby.

As for now, I'm more concerned on
1.)The size of sump I should get,
2).The type of return pump ( meaning how many gallons per hour pumping capacity) I should get.
3).The size of the overflow box I should get ( but I think from what Marcel has mentioned, I'm now 80 to 90% decided on the LARGE size overflow box).

One thing I still don't get is the trickle filter. Do I need it? I will have to gather more info on that.

Thanks. :)
 
Well this is my opinion, if you run 10 x times the tank volume, you will need two overflow boxes & two return pumps. The noise will be considerable & the flow like a jungle waterfall into the sump.
Personally I would not flow such a large quantity of water through my sumps.
There are no 'planted tank police' so no you don't need a trickle filter at all!
Trickle filters out perform any other type of filter, a hand full of bio balls exposed to air and water will hold the same amount of helpful bacteria as several submersed chambers of media but both will work just fine.
I have found that a large, empty, slow flowing sump chamber is very efficient at collecting mulm & dead matter even after the mechanical filter stage!
Having lots of compartments just complicate the whole system when a small removable box of bio balls will do the same job.
However I understand that people like to have different media & compartments (even if I don't understand why) & I understand how much fun it is designing all the sump components as I have done so many times.
My tank lives in my lounge, I like it to be quiet, 2000l (5000l in your case) of water continually going down a hole is not quiet! So I run a much slower flow & use a internal pump for extra circulation. I use a reactor for dissolving the C02 but I used a fhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/EHEIM-Compact-Skimmer-Needle-Gallons/dp/B002KRIXVY for many years.
I use an AquaTurn adjustable flow pump for the main sump return, it has three power settings = 1200l 2500l & 4500l.
I don't use a conventional overflow box, I have a 25mm x 180mm cut out in the centre of the back glass panel & the overflow box is situated behind the tank.
I have a mains water feed to a ball valve in the sump, this is a fantastic facility. Not only to top up the water level (that goes down pretty fast with high flow sump) but to aid water changes. All I need to do is syphon from the main tank, via an air line into a sink drain. I can leave the syphon going for as long as I like, normally a morning once a week, & the water change is done without getting a hand wet.
 
The first mistake i made was miscalculation and connecting a hose from overflow to sump.. Than if the hose is not bellow the water line of the sump you get the noise of water falling into the sump. Like snowwhites 7 dwarfs are peeing in it at the same time. If the hose is submersed in the sumps waterlevel it eliminates the peeing sound,

BUT, than the hose completely fills with water.. Not a problem, till airpockets start to accumulate, water falls through the hose but air wants to come up, it kinda creates a restriction, at some point the air bubble shoots through and you hear a blob in the sump. Next problem, that air bubble is restricting the flow and the moment it shoots through flow encreases, it makes a very erratic fluctuating flow patern. The sudden encrease creates a suction at the overflow and can result in even more air getting sucked into the hose. Resulting a slurps burbs and blobs and constantly changing water levels in the tank and sump. Till in worst case scenario the syphon breakes and the system stops. Next to that the hose gets dirty which again changes the flow speed.

Anyway a constantly water filled hose from overflow to sump was a constant uther very unreliable failure.
nogo.jpg


Solved it like this.. Keep the overflow as short as possible and create an oversized open gutter pipe. the short hose on the overflow ends up into that pipe and it has an open connection. To eliminate running water noise in the pipe plug the open connection with a piece of coarse filtersponge. That way it is pluged but air still can get in. In my case 32 mm PVC pipe was more than sufficient. It never blocks it is an open gutter and can't restrict the flow no matter how dirty it gets, but it actualy doesn't get that dirty. And its cascading and aerating the water. In the sump the pipe is submersed and doesn't make a sound.
go.jpg


:)
 
I have a 350 litre planted discus tank with a 90 litre sump with trickle tower, bio balls in the trickle section with seachem matrix, biohome and eheim substrat pro in the submerged part. I also have a purigen and denitrate reactors in my return pump section. I went for a herbie overflow and my system runs nearly silent, just a slight trickle sound. The water from my primary standpipe runs into the my sump and is always underwater so no drainage sound. Here's a side view (crude drawing).

20170917_204200.jpg

20170102_174632.jpg


Here my custom sump when it first arrived, my first sump came with the tank and was a bit of a disaster, it flooded the room every time there was a power cut, so I calculated how much water would drain from my tank in a power cut situation and had a sump built that wouldn't overflow. -

20170104_175729.jpg


All setup

s2.jpg


I did have a big problem with maintaining CO2 level until I fitted a lid with a seal (used rubber door draft seal), now my CO2 is perfect and I'm using a lot less than when I didn't have a sealed lid. I reed my CO2 into a diffuser next to the return pump, the diffused CO2 bubbles get completely dissolved (big thanks to @foxfish for this idea) into the water by my pump, I did want a needle wheel but couldn't find one at a reasonable price

I'm running a 6500lph pump at 80%, my turnover is over x10 I'm only using 1 main standpipe and 1 emergency standpipe but they are both 40mm so can drain a huge amount. I've got a journal with lots of picture on how I set things up -https://ukaps.org/forum/threads/juwel-trigon-350-build.41843/
 

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QUOTE="foxfish, post: 498999, member: 3574"]Well this is my opinion, if you run 10 x times the tank volume, you will need two overflow boxes & two return pumps. The noise will be considerable & the flow like a jungle waterfall into the sump.
Personally I would not flow such a large quantity of water through my sumps.[/QUOTE]

Hi
I'm not aiming for 10X right now. For now I would be very comfortable with 7x to 8x.
Also if I do need 10X turnover, I don't need 2 overflow boxes + 2 pumps.
I'm planning to get the large size overflow box. Since it is in fact rated up to 150 gal tank capacity and my tank is 100+ gal, there is some over capacity in the ability of the overflow.
I'll also intend to get a slightly large return pump just in case I need more flow.
Overflow box LARGE size PNG.png

BTW what's your opinion on Jebao brand water DC pumps. I like the fact it has a 10 minutes feed function and it will stop the running pump when feeding fish. I think this is cool as I have experienced food flakes or brine shrimp floating all over in my old tank which had I flow and some fish foodget stuck in the dense plant growth....and you know what that leads to ;).
Also this brand pumps has a digital 6 speed flow control built into the pump.
My dream pump is an Eheim but the costs are high $300+ and I don't think it has the digital speed control nor the feed function like the Jebao.

Jebao return pump- DC5000.png

Image from Google.

There are no 'planted tank police' so no you don't need a trickle filter at all!
Thanks for the assurance. I just want a simple and easy to maintain sump.

the overflow box is situated behind the tank.

Mine will be similar to your overflow ( I think) except that mine will be placed on the side of the tank. Example like the ones below. The 1st photo is of the overflow from outside the tank. The 2nd photo is the view from inside the tank.
installed.jpg

installed2.jpg

Above images from Google.

I can leave the syphon going for as long as I like, normally a morning once a week, & the water change is done without getting a hand wet.
I'm turning green with envy now.:lol:
 
The first mistake i made was miscalculation and connecting a hose from overflow to sump.. Than if the hose is not bellow the water line of the sump you get the noise of water falling into the sump.
Yes. I have read about this noise problem online many times. That is why I plan to have the pipe about 1 to 2 inch below water.

Like snowwhites 7 dwarfs are peeing in it at the same time.
I think nobody could have described it any clearer than you my dear sir. :lol: :lol:

in worst case scenario the syphon breakes and the system stops. Next to that the hose gets dirty which again changes the flow speed.
I can with 90 % confidence say that I won't be losing syphon at all with the overflow box I'm getting as I'll be using the Herbie overflow method. If the pump stops, water just stop going down the overflow and when the pump restarts, water will start going down and gravity will start to pull the water into the filter sock area.
AND even if I were to have problem with the main pipe not starting in time, I still have the emergency pipe ( Red colour pipe in the above posted photo) which will have no flow valve connected and is always ready.

Solved it like this.. Keep the overflow as short as possible and create an oversized open gutter pipe. the short hose on the overflow ends up into that pipe and it has an open connection. To eliminate running water noise in the pipe plug the open connection with a piece of coarse filtersponge. That way it is pluged but air still can get in. In my case 32 mm PVC pipe was more than sufficient. It never blocks it is an open gutter and can't restrict the flow no matter how dirty it gets, but it actualy doesn't get that dirty. And its cascading and aerating the water. In the sump the pipe is submersed and doesn't make a sound.
This is what I like about UKAPS guys. I'm always learning something new here.:)
 
I have a 350 litre planted discus tank with a 90 litre sump with trickle tower, bio balls in the trickle section with seachem matrix, biohome and eheim substrat pro in the submerged part. I also have a purigen and denitrate reactors in my return pump section. I went for a herbie overflow and my system runs nearly silent, just a slight trickle sound. The water from my primary standpipe runs into the my sump and is always underwater so no drainage sound. Here's a side view (crude drawing).
First of all, beautiful fish and scape. Wow!
The main reason I'm going with Herbie overflow system is due to the reduction in noise and it ability to restart on the return pump is restarted.
I guess a trickle system will be most useful for Discus fish keeping which needs O2 rich water. You're the 3rd person in this post to use trickle system......hmmm interesting.

Here my custom sump when it first arrived,..... had a sump built that wouldn't overflow.
When I saw your custom sump my jaws dropped to the floor. Wow. Superb!

funny.png


I did have a big problem with maintaining CO2 level until I fitted a lid with a seal (used rubber door draft seal), now my CO2 is perfect and I'm using a lot less than when I didn't have a sealed lid. I reed my CO2 into a diffuser next to the return pump, the diffused CO2 bubbles get completely dissolved (big thanks to @foxfish for this idea) into the water by my pump, I did want a needle wheel but couldn't find one at a reasonable price

High Five to that! :)Exactly the same on what I'm going to do also.
I find needle wheel pumps to cost a fortune here. Half the capacity but double the price of a normal return pump.

I'm running a 6500lph pump at 80%, my turnover is over x10 I'm only using 1 main standpipe and 1 emergency standpipe but they are both 40mm so can drain a huge amount.
My overflow will have stand pipe 2pcs and emergency pipe 2pc will be 1 inch each ( 2.54cm each). Please give your feedback on the expected flow.

I've got a journal with lots of picture on how I set things up -https://ukaps.org/forum/threads/juwel-trigon-350-build.41843/
Sure will. Thanks. :)
 
I find needle wheel pumps to cost a fortune here. Half the capacity but double the price of a normal return pump.
Search the internet about how to make your own needle wheel pumps from conventional pump impellers and frying pan scrubbers.

One thing to bare in mid is what happens after (or during) a 50% water change ? Being a planted tank, more especially if using CO2, will the sump fail safe and sump automatically restart after the system has 50% water removed and the 50% water added back ? You don't want to be faffing around clearing air locks & starting syphons every time you change the water...
 
BTW what's your opinion on Jebao brand water DC pumps
I use a Jebao DCP6500, really good pump and quiet too. I have had 2 other Jebao pumps a dc1200 and DCS300 all great pumps. The DCP range are the quietest of the Jebao pumps.

When I saw your custom sump my jaws dropped to the floor. Wow. Superb!
Thanks! After a lot of research on sump design and hours drawing up what I wanted I managed to find a company that agreed to make the sump from acrylic to my spec at a decent price.

My overflow will have stand pipe 2pcs and emergency pipe 2pc will be 1 inch each ( 2.54cm each). Please give your feedback on the expected flow.
I can tell you my 40cm stand pipe flows a massive amount or water much more than my 6500lph pump can handle. The valve I have on it is only a quarter open and this flows enough for the pump to handle at 80%.
You will need a ball valve on each main stand pipe and emergency, so you can adjust the flow to what you return pump can handle. If you go for a jebao pump which comes with controller it makes it really easy to balance the flow. If you only used 1 stand pipe to floe to the sump I would say you'd only need it open about 35-40% for the 3000lph pump to coupe with, if you use both stand pipes then half that 17.5-20%, only way to really tell is to open them both a small amount switch your pump on and adjust.
 
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