Drip system question.

[carbene]

i have the same setup as cajun but mine has a wavemaker on display tank and powerhead in sump. only maintenance is changing filter socks every 2-3 week.

 

[ragin_cajun]

I have a powerhead in my sump, too.

 

[carbene]

and a rubber ducky too!

 

[Randys]

Why a power head in a sump?

 

[ragin_cajun]

About a month or so after I set up the tank and sump, I had a guy come over and look at it. He recommended I put a powerhead in the sump because he thought the water in the sump looked very still, stagnant.

I thought it did, too. I figured it's so cheap to put a big powerhead in the sump, why not? So I did.

 

[savannah_az]

What else did you do to reduce the maintenance?

I've also got another question on the drip system.

My first sump was on my 90 gallon Mbuna tank that I built two years ago. At that time I learned to keep the water level in the sump low enough to leave room for the DT water that would drain down when the pump was shut off.
It seems to me that there's another concern on a drip system. Whenever the pump is turned off any water that comes from the DT is drained away. Do you need to locate the drain high enough so there's enough water in the sump to send back up to the DT when the pump is restarted? I'm guessing if the water level in the sump isn't high enough you run the risk of the pump sucking air?

What about picking up a cheap on/off solenoid to match the waterline you have, then wire in a float sensor so in the event the water drops dramatically, that'll kick on filling up a lot faster than waiting for the drip to catch up. I know its al about simplicity, but for me it made me feel better and only cost be about 10 bucks give or take.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

if your sump is big enough, it can handle a power outage without worrying about dry pumps when the power kicks back in. That why I went with a wet sump and fluidized media.

I'm really happy with my drip system. my drain is simply a small tube siliconed into the side of the sump.