Friends sump help

[jaws7777]

Im helping a friend spruce up his sump but have something i wanna run by you guys before he gets started. The tank was purchased used and the previous owner has two bulkheads sitting in the middle of the tank one is capped and no overflow.


His problem is low flow rate and wanted to pick up a new pump (dct6000) to increase it. But im thinking with the 1 inch drain gravity fed not a siphon its around 600 pgh right ? If so he'll still have issues.

I suggested upening up the capped drain to use as a dry E-drain but
The tank is in his garage and hes not concerned with flooding just wants to increase flow.

Could we just lower the standpipe thats in use, slap a gate valve on it and make it a siphon ? That should get him in the ball park of where he wants to be.

ragin_cajun DN328 pacu mom Woefulrelic slippery slimecoat

 

[slippery slimecoat]

If you lower the height of that standpipe the tank will drain to whatever height the standpipe is when the pump shuts off, potentially overflowing the sump.

 

[jsodwi]

I would run them both as overflows rust capped bulkhead looks a lot bigger too

 

[jaws7777]

If you lower the height of that standpipe the tank will drain to whatever height the standpipe is when the pump shuts off, potentially overflowing the sump.

I didnt thinknof that great point.

I would run them both as overflows rust capped bulkhead looks a lot bigger too

I noticed that and wanted to use that as the e drain.

So only real solution is to use the larger bulkhead as a gravity fed drain... looks to be 1 1/2 inches maybe 2

You guys agree that a new pump wouldnt solve the flow rate issue with the existing standpipe being garvity fed 1inch ?

 

[jaws7777]

I would run them both as overflows rust capped bulkhead looks a lot bigger too

I missed your point... in the middle of wc's... i get it run both as gravity fed to get it close to the pumps output...great thx man

 

[Brian Rodgers]

I've just finished a new twin solids lift outflow for our 2600 gallon tank. You all probably deal with this in the beginning of a build. Somehow I left it overflowing the stand pipe (skimmer) to the sump for a year. The problem with my setup was the loop to the filters was being bypassed by overflow from the fish tank. The issue is pump outflow compared to filter flow. In our setup the pump put out more than the filters were taking. I solved the problem by doubling the air-lift capabilities of the SLO. I did this yesterday and last night after gluing all the PVC pipes and buying a new air pump all the pump flow was going through the filters. Your friend's issue sounds similar. Increasing the flow to the sump beyond what the pump can return might overflow the sump. Getting the inflow to match the outflow is the ticket.

You can read about how I accomplished this http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23206

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Are those the only drains on the sump?

If the tank is in the garage and he is not worried about a flood, then I would recommend uncapping the larger bulkhead and running the flow through both overflows at the same time. He could really push flow through it then.

There are a few problems with that 1" drain. First, it's only 1" so it's a bit on the small side to begin with, depending on the tank size. Next, that screen that he has zip tied over it is actually quite a restriction. If he removes that then I think he would see an increase in flow through it and be able to pump a bit more water, but I think he will still need the other bulkhead opened up if he wants to add that DCT 6000.

What size is the tank? What size is the sump? What is the current pump he's using? Does he care about noise at all?

 

[jaws7777]

Tank is a 180.. removing the screen isnt an option some of his fish could fit in the pipe.
Thx guys i think the easiest solution would be to use both drains.


This is why i shop here

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/low-profile-bulkhead-overflow-strainers.html

I think that something like this would be much more suitable for the tank instead of the elbow with the screen on it. They're cheap and give a lot more area for the water to flow into the standpipe compared to the currents setup.

 

[714car11]

I would use a herbie overflow use one pipe with a strainer with full siphon and use the the other for emergency.