1st monster tank 150g many sump questions

[Time Lord 1]

Ok, so ive had smallish 40g tanks for 10ish years, i recently had the opertunity to buy a 150 uk gallon tank 4x2x3ft tall, its got 1 60mm drain hole in a back corner for a sump, a sump is completely new to me. Firstly where in the uk can i buy the parts to build a stand pipe etc to drain the water to the sump, secondly what turnover am i looking for for a average stock level, thirdly - with there being just one drain how do i get the water back to the main tank?

I have a 3ft tank (undrilled) i can use for a sump, is this ok? Whats the best newbie sump design? I was thinking maybe drain through a sock for mechanical and loads of bio balls for bio filtration? Is this too simple to work well? Ideally im after a low maintenance sump...

Once we have these questions answered im sure to have more as i need to sort a stand a hood lighting heating and stocking etc but i wanted to get this bit straight in my head first as its my biggest challenge i think.

Thanks in advance

P.s. If theres anyone local to me in wolverhampton, west mids, uk that can lend some expertise and may know local places to get pkumbing things etc please let me know

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[Gill Blue]

if it holds water, you can use it as a sump as long as you've got room for it.
the best newbie design depends on you. are you handy? the absolute easiest sump is water in one end, bio media in the middle, pump at the other end. no silicone or glass sections needed.
from there you can add baffles to divert the water through your media in specific ways, add aeration or anaerobic zones, or to grow plants in.
take the time to read through DIY Filters section. there's 35 pages of threads, but it's worth it if you want to learn.
this is my setup. I've had to clean the sponges 4 times a year, and haven't touched the other side. then I run a penguin 400 on the sump for the fine particulates, I have to replace the felt every week.

I used some of the more expensive media, but all my media will last for years. bioballs are more of a wet/dry filter thing, if you plan on running submerged media, any of the three listed in my drawing would be a better choice. or you can use plastic pot scrubbers for a cheaper alternative.

 

[Time Lord 1]

Ok, will my single 60mm drain be adequate? How will i get the water back in the tank? Is it as simple as as a pipe from the pump up and over the top of the tank? What gph sump would you reccomend?

Many thanks in advance

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[duanes]

There really isn't much mystery in a sump, it is simply a place you put stuff (hardware) to keep that stuff out of the main viewing tank.
A pump is one of those things, you put it in the sump, and it returns water that has overflowed from the main tank into the sump back to the main tank.
Many people also keep things like heaters (along with mechanical filter media) in the sump so it is basically out of view.
Home Base is probably where you would go in England to pick up the plumbing materials you need to make your connections.
I like PVC, but you can use clear plastic tubing, or whatever you are comfortable with.
For ease of maintenance, I like using unions to allow simple disconnecting and reconnecting of pipes near pumps, or long runs.
Below is an example of multiple tanks on 1 sump using PVC

There is a PVC union attached to the pump for easy on and off for pump maintenance, I keep filter socks in the sump for mechanical filtration, and a heater or 2 in the sump.

The red thing is a float valve, used when refilling after a water change, it stops the incoming new water from the sink and keeps the sump from overflowing if I get distracted.

 

[Time Lord 1]

Ok, so its literally as simple as going to a local place for plumbing, ill make a trip and see how i get on, how many gph turnover should i be looking for and what can my single 60mm drain handle?

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[Jc1119]

I keep my sumps very simple. Socks, laundry bags of bio, return pump, done.... Plenty of space for other things, but as long as you have mechanical filtration of some kind before you pass water through your bio, the return pump does the rest.

I use empty tanks/cans/totes with no baffles. I do use pond boxes attached to the pumps of my big tank to help divert flow to the two pumps, but that's pretty much it.

I use check valves and drill siphon breaks in my returns to eliminate the possibility of flooding and I run Herbie drains for silence ....


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