help diy sump(i think)

[Pharaoh]

It all depends on how much water movement you want in the tank. Let's say 3-5x turnover. 55 x 5 = 275 gph. now we look at head height. I'll guess 5 feet because i don't know how tall the barrel is. So at 5 ft of head needing 275 gph....I would say this one:


Quiet One 2200.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4585+9849&pcatid=9849


Now get started and take lots of pics for us.

 

[smokin]

thxs pharoh looks good

 

[jworth]

if your tanks are cycled then just put the feeders in and the ammonia will not be a problem. if you are just doing this for feeders its a waste of time and money.

 

[fishman646]

I would use a 1200 gph'!

 

[fishman646]

I kidding do a 650gph

 

[smokin]

alright was gonna say thats seem like alot but idk

 

[Pharaoh]

The reason I said 275 is that feeder fish are typically small. Too much turbulence could stress out and weaken the feeders. I am already having issues with my feeders in a 30G tank with a HOB on it.

 

[MyFishEatYourFish]

i think you'll have more success overflowing the water from the big barrel and then using the pump as a return. this way the pump only has to deal with clean water and you don't have to worry about feeders getting caught. also a pump will turn poop and stuff into gravy, which is much harder to filter, and it is much more efficient to filter large particles and save room for bio as apposed to spending so much space on filtering tiny particles. this also makes for a filter that is much easier to maintain.
also you can use a stool that keeps the filter at the same level as the top of the feeder barrel, this makes for a 0 head hieght and will save you money on the pump.

 

[zennzzo]

if your tanks are cycled then just put the feeders in and the ammonia will not be a problem. if you are just doing this for feeders its a waste of time and money.

There's nothing wrong with trying to keep trips to the LFS for feeders to a minimum and to quarantine a supply to keep on hand...

Smokin here's what you need ...get a 500gph submersible pump. Put a prefilter on it, and set it in the bottom of the 55...
Pump the water to the top of the 15gallon and let it trickle down and out back into the 55...If the power shuts off the 15 will drain into the 55gal...
No harm No foul...
when the power resumes, then the water goes back up into the top of the 15 and resumes trickling back through the media...

I know this works, as I have used it myself as has alot of people here...15 gallon gives you alot of room for media=biological filtering...

 

[smokin]

thx zenn.. a prefilter is that just a sponge? and do i have to keep any amount of water in the bottom the the 15?