Dumb question about sumps...

[FINWIN]

I think this is the glue


Backfromthedead

was talking about. A bit pricier than I would have thought. I heard some folks use Loctite super glue.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Yep thats it. The only reason i recommended it is that i destroyed a couple of bulkheads using regular primer and cement once...delayed my setup quite a bit as i had to replace them. I think the primer and/or blue cement might be a bit too harsh for ABS and softens it a bit too much. Hence the green stuff.

 

[FINWIN]

Okay, here's the plan:

A sump made from a slim 23 gallon recycle bin (its tall) and a lid with the two openings for recycled cans. I figure this top is useful for the pipes/hoses and will reduce evaporation. I may elevate it to match the height of the 225 with blocks.

No drilling, 225 is tempered. Space too limited for any below tank stuff.

Sump will be on a short side of the tank.

Would prefer attaching an overflow box to sump. Taking suggestions on manufacturer..

Not sure about this 'flow rate' deal and size of hoses/pipes. How many times turnover rate for a 225 with cichlids and a future oscar? 3x-5x? I read the in/outflow are different sizes is this correct?

After looking at enough videos I'm trying to keep this simple and clean as possible. I've also discovered this "diy" stuff really isn't all that cheap (at least not here) when you add up material costs or any tools you don't have. Some of the videos online are four to twelve years old! So those prices are a joke.

What I have discovered is that the consistency in my water clarity is undeniable now. The 225 looks like glass nonstop. So this tells me that after losing Brick (sniffle) even my w/c schedule may have just been 'adequate' and I need to up my game yet again. The 225 screams for another oscar. And it will have one. Possibly another chocolate too.

diagrams and opinions cheerfully accepted. Pictures will be taken as it goes.

 

[duanes]

Although water clarity is often sited as a barometer of its purity.
This is not the reality, this is an aesthetic aquarium judgement, not a true assessment of water quality.
I have seen crystal clear bodies of water, that were essentially lifeless, and on the other hand, brown or green tinted water with tons of healthy fish.
Testing for parameters, and keeping nutrients like nitrate in check, is the only real judge of what are healthy water conditions, or not.

Although the water in the shot above is brown, when I tested it, nitrate was undetectable, and the stream was full of healthy fish.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjSqvHTyPOBAxXLnWoFHROXCG4QFnoECBoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.journals.uchicago.edu%2Fdoi%2F10.1086%2F713252&usg=AOvVaw3wjKcEGjmgQiDil_lM_3aw&opi=89978449

And an anecdotal example, below is the type water I often find oscars in, in nature.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Florida%202014/Oscars/.highres/IMG_2111_zps3a72c646.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Florida%202014/Oscars/.highres/IMG_2108_zps6f9c2303.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Ceibal/pond%20ceibals/.highres/002-1.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i97/dstuer/Ceibal/pond%20ceibals/.highres/004.jpg?width=320&height=320&fit=bounds

 

[FINWIN]

No I realized long ago clear water doesn't prove anything (Vodka and Gin are clear, lol) More of a dissolved solids deal I would say. That reminds me, I need a new test kit.

 

[FINWIN]

Ok. Am I understanding correctly an overflow box (gph) should match pump output (gph)? How would this work if you're accounting for head loss?

ex: instead of say 800 gph (pump) / 800gph (OFB)

it would be 800 gph (pump) / 1000gph (OFB)

I see some of the boxes are self priming with the top attachment for an air pump. thoughts on these?

I'm also looking at the burn protected pumps.

Total height with tank/stand is 59"
bin height is 30"

this chart look about right?

 

[Backfromthedead]

Ok. Am I understanding correctly an overflow box (gph) should match pump output (gph)? How would this work if you're accounting for head loss?

ex: instead of say 800 gph (pump) / 800gph (OFB)

it would be 800 gph (pump) / 1000gph (OFB)

I see some of the boxes are self priming with the top attachment for an air pump. thoughts on these?

I'm also looking at the burn protected pumps.

Total height with tank/stand is 59"
bin height is 30"

this chart look about right?

View attachment 1540249

Thats where the calculating comes in. Like i said before, i avoid all of these complications by simply putting a valve on the drain and buying a controllable pump with more power than i will need to overcome plumbing and head height restrictions. This way, you simply set the power on the pump where you please, and then adjust the outflow from the sump to "match" the pumps flow.

These charts are great and all but unnecessary and i find they just confuse newcomers. i cant calculate the psi on my full siphon drains off the top of my head--thats not necessary either.

How much flow do you want moving through your 225g tank?

 

[esoxlucius]

These charts are great and all but unnecessary and i find they just confuse newcomers.

Definitely this ^^^^^

When I set up my first sump I don't recall looking at any charts, nor confusing myself trying to make sense of various peoples responses on a forum.

The very basic idea is to have your drain a wider diameter than your return. Couple that with a variable speed pump and you simply cannot go wrong really.

The biggest worry for me, but in the end even that was simple to work through, was what would happen in the event of a power outage or pump failure. Would my sump take the excess run off from the tank without flooding.

A few trial runs of cutting the power and seeing what happened, and tweaking the sump operating level, soon eased any worries I had.

 

[FINWIN]

Thats where the calculating comes in. Like i said before, i avoid all of these complications by simply putting a valve on the drain and buying a controllable pump with more power than i will need to overcome plumbing and head height restrictions. This way, you simply set the power on the pump where you please, and then adjust the outflow from the sump to "match" the pumps flow.

These charts are great and all but unnecessary and i find they just confuse newcomers. i cant calculate the psi on my full siphon drains off the top of my head--thats not necessary either.

How much flow do you want moving through your 225g tank?

You're right, I'm suffering from a bit of "paralysis by analysis!" I'm stepping out my comfort zone on filtration so I'm kind tiptoeing!

Flow wise I'm thinking 3-4x. Don't see a need for anything more than that.

 

[FINWIN]

Definitely this ^^^^^

When I set up my first sump I don't recall looking at any charts, nor confusing myself trying to make sense of various peoples responses on a forum.

The very basic idea is to have your drain a wider diameter than your return. Couple that with a variable speed pump and you simply cannot go wrong really.

The biggest worry for me, but in the end even that was simple to work through, was what would happen in the event of a power outage or pump failure. Would my sump take the excess run off from the tank without flooding.

A few trial runs of cutting the power and seeing what happened, and tweaking the sump operating level, soon eased any worries I had.

I'm thinking of marking down 2-3 inches from the 225 top and siphoning that amount into the bin to get an idea of the max fill line. I'd rather overdo it than underdo it.

For the confusion part you're right...some of the videos are good, some are trash. One guy did a barrel diy filter that leaked a couple of says later so he took handfuls of silicone and glopped it all over the plumbing. Of course that failed too when it fell off in chunks and he stood there wondering at the camera what happened. Dumbest thing I've seen recently.

If y'all have links here with your setups I'd love tto see them.