Oh, the pumps...run two tee'd into the same return. If one fails, you still have 50% flow, better than no flow
Help with sump set-up
- Thread starter GoldFinger
- Start date
I wouldn't be home to fire up the generator though in some cases. I'll try to find a battery back up I suppose.
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Another way to do it is run inverters off batteries. Good inverters will come on automatically when power fails. You can set them up so only critical equipment is powered by them in a power outage. They don't have a real long run time unless you hook up a bunch of batteries in parallel. Best to only run one pump, one heater or something like that. Buy the highest amp/hour batteries you can afford and keep a battery tender on them to keep them topped off. The lithium solar batteries are really good but pricey
If you wanna go big bucks, they sell natural gas generators that come on automatically when the power goes out. I have a friend that has one that runs his whole house and horse barn in power outages. Cost him around $12,000!!
So the primary tees into return #1&2 and the back up just feeds #2? I would need a check valve on both pump outlets to prevent them from pumping into one another correct? And would they both be running at the same strength? For a 305 gallon at 6x/hr water turnover I would need an 1830GPH sump correct? Would both be rated the same? Sorry I'm such a noob
Look into a controller for your heaters i use ranco but others have had success with inkbird.
I run both the same with check valves. You have to take into account that your check valves restrict flow, so go with pumps with a higher gph than what you need. Running them on separate returns is certainly an option. I've done it both ways. Most of my sumps right now only have one pump. I don't stray too far from home so I never leave my fish unattended for too long. Plus I have a WIFI camera to moniter everything when I'm away from home...good investment, also a neat toy!
I have been using good ol' fashion (submerged) bio-balls as my primary for bio filtration since I started my current tank 2.5 years ago. I'm sure my substrate and large driftwood also host BB in the tank itself, not to mention the rest of surface in my sump. I'm about to drop in some Seachem Pond Matrix which I've read has one of the greatest surface space compared to many other forms such as lava rock and ceramics. I want to see if I can establish anaerobic bacteria. I'm skeptical if it will make a difference, but no harm to try, right? So, I'm at two extremes from the least bio-balls to Matrix. Marine Pure seems to be relatively porous as well - but I've not used that.
Heater controller used with heaters with separate thermostats is good practice as suggested. Although I have been using a controller with titanium heaters so far. If you have chambers in your sump, just be mindful of where you place the controller probe.
I recently made little mod to my sock holder, so I'm now using 4" x 14" 200 micron socks.
Heater controller used with heaters with separate thermostats is good practice as suggested. Although I have been using a controller with titanium heaters so far. If you have chambers in your sump, just be mindful of where you place the controller probe.
I recently made little mod to my sock holder, so I'm now using 4" x 14" 200 micron socks.
For my returns, I have two returns into my tank and each one is attached to a separate pump. I run both pumps at all times. They are redundant so that if one ever fails, the other is still running and giving me half flow. This happened once when my power glitched and one pump started back up but the other errored out during startup. I came home to my tank running half flow off of one pump, which is way better than no flow. My pumps/returns are not T'd together, they are completely separate. I also don't use check valves on my returns. I have siphon break holes on each return and I make sure that my water level in my sump is low enough to handle any excess water draining from the tank when the pumps are shut off.
Btw, an easy way to make sure you won't overflow your sump during a power outage is to fill your main tank and let your sump be filled from the overflowing water as your main tank is filled. Stop filling your main tank when the water level in the sump is topped off. Then, when you turn your pumps you can be sure that the water draining from the main tank can't overflow the sump when the pumps go off.
For heaters, multiple smaller heaters are better than one large one for reasons already mentioned. I find it best to use a controller to turn both/all of the heaters on and off at the same time. I use an InkBird controller that I have set to 82*. I then have my two 300W heaters set to 85-86*. The heaters come on when the InkBird powers them up and turn off when it cuts the power to them. In the event that the InkBird gets stuck on, the heaters internal thermostats will turn off at 85-86*. Again, redundancy is key. I did have the heater on my son's ten gallon tank get stuck on before and the water was 102* the next morning with all of the fish dead, so it does happen. I now have and InkBird controller on every one of my tanks, even the little ten gallon.
Btw, an easy way to make sure you won't overflow your sump during a power outage is to fill your main tank and let your sump be filled from the overflowing water as your main tank is filled. Stop filling your main tank when the water level in the sump is topped off. Then, when you turn your pumps you can be sure that the water draining from the main tank can't overflow the sump when the pumps go off.
For heaters, multiple smaller heaters are better than one large one for reasons already mentioned. I find it best to use a controller to turn both/all of the heaters on and off at the same time. I use an InkBird controller that I have set to 82*. I then have my two 300W heaters set to 85-86*. The heaters come on when the InkBird powers them up and turn off when it cuts the power to them. In the event that the InkBird gets stuck on, the heaters internal thermostats will turn off at 85-86*. Again, redundancy is key. I did have the heater on my son's ten gallon tank get stuck on before and the water was 102* the next morning with all of the fish dead, so it does happen. I now have and InkBird controller on every one of my tanks, even the little ten gallon.
