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sump design - does this look ok?

krazypara3165

krazypara3165

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Joined
23 Aug 2012
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591
Location
Warrington, Cheshire
As per my previous post I am looking at ways of upgrading my filtration and I am toying with the idea of a sump. what do you think of this?

zgsd3g2.png

I shall attempt to explain my crude drawing..... basically I will have drilled a hole at the water level on my aquarium and i will plumb a pipe in leading to the bottom of my aquarium as I always prefer to draw the lower tank water. on the other side of the outlet there will be a hole at the top so it does not act like a syphon (am I correct in thinking this?) on the other side of the hole that will be drilled (on the exterior of the tank) It will lead to a flexi hose 25mm ish as I cannot plumb in solid piping due to a lip on my stand. it will lead to the first chamber of my sump. from the first chamber it will lead to a chamber filled with foam and floss im then toying with the idea of adding an additional chamber with bio balls, before it is returned to the final chamber to be pumped back up. there will be enough space at the top of the sump for the excess water in case of a power cut. there is also a feed from the pump to the first chamber which will have a valve on so i can adjust the flow (thus adjusting the flow back to the aquarium) i will have valves on all lines which have not been shown in the diagram.

opinions?

cheers!
 
I my opinion the design is not so good unless you drill a big hole for the overflow, you will only be able to draw a low volume of water into the sump.
Even a 50mm hole wont allow much flow assuming the pipe is half full at the overflow point.
You mat also find the design quite load as water fall down the overflow pipe.
Drawing water from the surface is much better & safer!
 
Issues I see are
- Gurgling down such a length of tube, you have both air and water in the overflow.
- If using CO2, you will loose lots in the sump and as well as lots escaping up the syphon.

The marine boys try to operate their syphons full of water, to keep them silent.

One thing to silence it, is fit a length of pipe in the air hole and loop round to just below the water surface. You then suck the air out, filling the syphon, thus it is quiet. If too much water is taken out, ie return pump fails then end of the tube gets exposed and syphon breaks.

Somthing like it here. I remember seeing this type of thing 25 odd years ago.
BeanAnimal's Bar and Grill - Silent and Fail-Safe Overflow System
 
I doubt it in real terms as you will be using more C02, more ferts (due to increased volume) & more heat!
On the plus side you can easily have ..auto top, much more oxygen, hidden equipment & a clean, skimmed surface.
In theory you can add more gas & still keep fish happy, certainly not the easy option but something I feel is worth it..I just don't think I would recommend a sump unless you feel the benefits really matter?
 
That is defiantly a great way to do it & is in fact what I have!
Well not quite as my sump is not really a sump but an extension to the back of the tank fed over an overflow & hidden behind a stud work, my trick tower is actually above the tank water height.
 
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