7ft Tank Setup and Sump HELP!!!!!!!!!

[lungfishlover]

okay fellow MFK'ers! i've saved up enough money to purchase a L7'xW3'xH2' glass tank. i plan to build a sump also. for the sump i've purchased a very cheap second hand 5'x22"x20" tank. my stocking levels will be as follows;
2x motoro or orbignyi rays
black arowana
lima shovelnose cat
clown knife
2/3 polypterus
some datnoids
possibly a p. bass and florida gar if space allows??????????

so my questions are -
1. what would be your best solution for dividing up the sump (number of chambers? filter media?
2. what size piping to be used for inlet and outlet ( i need these worked out so i can have the tank drilled when i place order)
3. what pump should i purchase to make best use of the sump and work best for the stocking levels?

for my sump i would like to have a chamber for some plants maybe? am i correct in saying the plants could go in the last chamber with the pump?

any help on this would be greatly appreciated as the cash is under my mattress waiting to be spent lol!

 

[prettykitty]

1. what would be your best solution for dividing up the sump (number of chambers? filter media?
2. what size piping to be used for inlet and outlet ( i need these worked out so i can have the tank drilled when i place order)
3. what pump should i purchase to make best use of the sump and work best for the stocking levels?

1. for dividing the tanks buy some tank dividers from your lfs. OR you can buy some plexiglass from a hardware store for cheap and measure it and they cut it for you, make sure u have room at the bottome short for the water to flow under. The number or chambers it totally up to you because a sump can have like those drawers where u can make it a wet/dry first before going on to more biological filtration. But thats what i would do, If you would like to just do a one with no drawers, just go 3-4 chambers depending on how large your sump is. Filter media would be any you want its up to you but personally i would go with ceremaic rings, volcanic rocks, bio balls, scrubbies, probably some sponges, maybe a prefilter sponge... possiblities are endless

2. if you have an overflow it depends on how much gph and size of your sump and aquarium and all that,

average default i would go is overflow 1 inch, 3/4 coming back pvc
the ratio can be modified and obviously the overflow input will have a thicker pvc

3. 2 pumps probably any pumps u want, get a quiet one that probably does 600-1000 gallons per hour

example would be: http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp48948/si1379785/cl0/suprememagdrive95utilitypump

or


http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...0/lifegardaquaticsformerlypentairquietone4000




btw n your sump you can put plants yes, some to lower ph or prevent algae, eat some nitrates/ammonia.. u can have fish too, maybe some gold fish but make sure its on the other compartments and some nettngs on the pvc..

you can also add for it to go through a UV sterilizer before going back up

hope this helpd

 

[BadOleRoss]

You need to decide whether your sump is also going to include mechanical filtration as well as biological filtration. That can make a pretty big difference in how you design your sump. You need to size your overflow tubes based on the size of the pump you will be using. If the tank is not drilled I would go with an overflow box like these and size your pump accordingly. It's important to have an auto restart on a overflow box.
http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html

 

[lungfishlover]

okay. ive worked out how im going to build my sump, my only reall question is what pump should i use? as in how many gph should it be pumping, with my stocking levels???

and thanks prettykitty and BadOleRoss for your responses!