my first drilled sump system tank

[chefjamesscott]

Ok so I had this 180g that was drilled and set up for sump which I finally got around to setting up. Here are the pics of how it is set up then I will ask my ?. I kind of just shotgunned the set up and went for broke figured what the heck what can happen other than the floor getting wet!!

computer fan to vent the stand for humidity

diy ghetto sump system but it works

ok so here are my ?

Is it normal for fish to go over the overflow and then end up getting sucked into the sump, what is best way to stop that .

As soon as I dropped the test pilots in a few minnows went up through the down pipe and now are in the sump, and some of the goldfish are in the overflow box. Will it hurt if I put some nylon over the downpipe to stop them from getting sucked in? And what is best way of keeping them from going into the overflow?

Is it normal for the level in the overflow to fluctuate up and down a bit?

 

[dmopar74]

1. bigger fish or eggcrate at top of overflow
2. bigger fish
3. yes, it will stabilize once it gunks up a bit.

 

[chefjamesscott]

1. bigger fish
2. bigger fish
3. yes, it will stabilize once it gunks up a bit.

These are actually all my fry grow outs from my 60g that I just shut down. I figured that these macaw cichlids, convicts and peacocks best be able to swim in the new waters of this just set up tank(I am trying seachem stability out on this tank).

 

[chefjamesscott]

1. bigger fish or eggcrate at top of overflow

Ah it is all getting very clear today in the sump basket were 10 goldfish and 2 angelfish. In the overflow was the bichir, and about 4 other fish.

So now I can see what you mean about bigger fish .

I will get some eggcrate on that puppy right now !!

 

[chefjamesscott]

so update I put the eggcrate on bothsides and tonight i pulled at least 20 dead fish outta this tank very amazing how a fish can fit through egg crate, and the ones who had passed away in the filter basket whacked the water quality.

I did a 80% wc with a good dose of prime tonight.

It won't be much of a problem with the smaller fish going over the overflow basket starting tonight, because, I brought home a shovelnose cat 10 inch, and 2 knifes12 inch and 7 inch and put them in that tank. Should be interesting to see how fast they eat em up.

I moved out the exodons and severums from the tank as well as the silver dollars. Tomorrow I will be taking out the convicts which actually are meant to go to one of my tank contracts to establish a feeder colony.

So the population of this tank will be 3 iri shark,2 niger cats, 2 knife, shovelnose cat and a pleco I have not been able to id.

For sure any overflow tanks I do from here on in will never have fish under 7 inch as I have found them trapped against the eggcrate as well.

So it is goodbye macaw cichlid babies and good by various african babies it is time to meet the big fish in your tank.

edit:I just put my 10 inch aro in this tank as well I want all the little guys gone fast

 

[fish_master2000]

dang dude, plastic mesh would work

 

[chefjamesscott]

dang dude, plastic mesh would work

yeh but the macaw fry were bought at .25/ and the others well Meh africans keep making babies in my tanks.

I came in today and still a few left that seems to be to big an fast, so I dropped in my 9 inch emperor cichlid and she immediately began to go to town.

If there are any survivors tomorrow night I will fish a few out and throw them into one of my feeder breeder tanks.