Hey everyone! When I first joined MFK and heard about all these sumps and pipes and such, I thought it was impossible. 7 months later, I have made my own diy sump with the help and knowledge of CHOMPERS.
Here is the thread that chompers started for me.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61364&highlight=richardhmc
First, Chompers sent me 2 already assembled pipes from his own tank
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78396&d=1174437983
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...attachmentid=78400&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1174438337
After about a month, because I had finals at school and such. I ordered the pump that was required for the tank. I bought the Quiet One 1200 and a 5 ft - 1 in diameter plastic clear pipe to serve as a pipe connecting from the overflow to the sump box.
Ok. Time to build.
This Sump is different than normal ones are made. At first, I had absolutely no idea what chompers was talking about because I was expecting overflow boxes. I didnt know these pipes would serve as a overflow by using just regular water power. Since they ran on just regular water power, the flow would be not as strong as a regular overflow. Thus, that Is why i am using two overflows for one sump so that the pump wouldnt over the tank and the water levels would equal out.
First, I just setup the whole thing, try to get a picture of what it was supposed to look like. This is it - except there is supposed to be another overflow of the same thing and a pump return. This was before school ended and I had time. The reason why there is a water check valve in the top of the U-tube is because once all the air is out of that tube, the overflow starts working and water flows throughout the whole pipe.
Then I went out and bought scrubbies and sponges. I washed them all up and stacked them into the sump.
FIRST ATTEMPT:
On the first attempt, i was planning to do both but unfortunately, I broke on of the check valves hehe
. So I just tried to use one. So everything was set with pump, one overflow, and the bio-media.
So I filled up the bigger pipe with water and then added the u-pipe in. One side of the u-pipe into the bigger pipe and one side into the tank. Then I added the check valve and stuck on the check valve an air line. I sucked out the air and got the overflow started but unfortunately, i didnt notice that water was going through the air line I was sucking on. !!! So I ended up with a mouthful of horrible nasty tasting water for the rest of the day. (I tried brushing at least 5 times and the horrible taste STILL wouldnt get out).
FIRST WATER SPILL!!
I was filling up the tank with a python and i believe i was cutting the pvc pipe. Then all of a sudden, I hear a thud and water splashing. I was terrified of something I thought might have happened. I turned and looked and MY PYTHON FELL OUT OF THE TANK. I ran for it to throw it back into the tank but the floor already had a thin layer of water so I slipped and fell on the floor. OUCH! So then there was water everywhere, thanks to my fall.
After getting all dried up and getting the water level to the top of the tank,
I then noticed that water was going way too slow through the gray nozzle end, or the outlet of the overflow.
I pmed chompers and he told me to cut the height of the Thicker pipe because as he said - "No matter how much you want it to go, water cannot defy Gravity." So I had to cut down the height so that it was lower than the water level in the tank. However, 10 minutes later, i realized that the water level of the sump was RISING!! and the water level of my tank was LOWERING. I quickly looked at everything and didnt understand - the overflows were stopped and so was the pump. I found out later that water was somehow getting through the output end of the pipe attached to the pump and that i was getting through the pipe and out of the pump. I was able to save that water spill because I quickly took a bucket and began to run back and forth to my bathroom, bailing out water
I then went to Home Depot, bought a PVC saw and 2 couplers, and a net screen used for windows. I bought this net screen because the end of the u-pipe in the tank was just a plain open hole that would suck in water. I didnt want any fish in danger of getting sucked up so I cut some mesh and rubber-banded it to the end side.
SECOND ATTEMPT
Yesterday, After buying another water check valve, I cut 2 1/2 inches from both Pipes so that the height of the overflow would be lower than the height of the water level in the tank. I had gotten everything setup and Worked it out. IT WORKS!!! After dumping alot of water into the tank, I managed to level out water levels in the sump and tank. However, there was water leaking out of the pipe because I hadn't glued everything together yet. So I took apart everything and glued it together and called it a day, waiting for it to dry.
SECOND WATER SPILL
Remember that time in the first water spill when the water went through the pipe and came out of the intake of the pump? Yeh, well I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT!!! I was just chatting, looking up mfk, and playing games when I hear my bro go RICHARD!!! THE WATERS LEAKING!!! I turn and see Water POURING over the sides of the sump. First I tried to bail out water again but I decided that i wouldnt be able to catch up to the water flow coming out. Then I did what I had to do. I stuck my hand in the sump which caused another 5 gallons of water to flow out. Then I saw all the water pouring out was going on the 6-outlet surge protector!!!! I was yelling SH*T! SH*T! SH*T!
I quickly pulled out all plugs. This specific surge protector was in control of everything connected to my tank - i.e. lights, heater, and filter. I realized I couldnt go on with that one and the fish needed a filter. so I ran to my local cvs and picked up another surge protector and everything worked out
Now, everything is in the drying process and I am hoping for no more crazy spills I'll post up the finished product soon.
Here is the thread that chompers started for me.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61364&highlight=richardhmc
First, Chompers sent me 2 already assembled pipes from his own tank
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78396&d=1174437983
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...attachmentid=78400&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1174438337
After about a month, because I had finals at school and such. I ordered the pump that was required for the tank. I bought the Quiet One 1200 and a 5 ft - 1 in diameter plastic clear pipe to serve as a pipe connecting from the overflow to the sump box.
Ok. Time to build.
This Sump is different than normal ones are made. At first, I had absolutely no idea what chompers was talking about because I was expecting overflow boxes. I didnt know these pipes would serve as a overflow by using just regular water power. Since they ran on just regular water power, the flow would be not as strong as a regular overflow. Thus, that Is why i am using two overflows for one sump so that the pump wouldnt over the tank and the water levels would equal out.
First, I just setup the whole thing, try to get a picture of what it was supposed to look like. This is it - except there is supposed to be another overflow of the same thing and a pump return. This was before school ended and I had time. The reason why there is a water check valve in the top of the U-tube is because once all the air is out of that tube, the overflow starts working and water flows throughout the whole pipe.
Then I went out and bought scrubbies and sponges. I washed them all up and stacked them into the sump.
FIRST ATTEMPT:
On the first attempt, i was planning to do both but unfortunately, I broke on of the check valves hehe
. So I just tried to use one. So everything was set with pump, one overflow, and the bio-media.So I filled up the bigger pipe with water and then added the u-pipe in. One side of the u-pipe into the bigger pipe and one side into the tank. Then I added the check valve and stuck on the check valve an air line. I sucked out the air and got the overflow started but unfortunately, i didnt notice that water was going through the air line I was sucking on. !!! So I ended up with a mouthful of horrible nasty tasting water for the rest of the day. (I tried brushing at least 5 times and the horrible taste STILL wouldnt get out).
FIRST WATER SPILL!!
I was filling up the tank with a python and i believe i was cutting the pvc pipe. Then all of a sudden, I hear a thud and water splashing. I was terrified of something I thought might have happened. I turned and looked and MY PYTHON FELL OUT OF THE TANK. I ran for it to throw it back into the tank but the floor already had a thin layer of water so I slipped and fell on the floor. OUCH! So then there was water everywhere, thanks to my fall.
After getting all dried up and getting the water level to the top of the tank,
I then noticed that water was going way too slow through the gray nozzle end, or the outlet of the overflow.
I pmed chompers and he told me to cut the height of the Thicker pipe because as he said - "No matter how much you want it to go, water cannot defy Gravity." So I had to cut down the height so that it was lower than the water level in the tank. However, 10 minutes later, i realized that the water level of the sump was RISING!! and the water level of my tank was LOWERING. I quickly looked at everything and didnt understand - the overflows were stopped and so was the pump. I found out later that water was somehow getting through the output end of the pipe attached to the pump and that i was getting through the pipe and out of the pump. I was able to save that water spill because I quickly took a bucket and began to run back and forth to my bathroom, bailing out water
I then went to Home Depot, bought a PVC saw and 2 couplers, and a net screen used for windows. I bought this net screen because the end of the u-pipe in the tank was just a plain open hole that would suck in water. I didnt want any fish in danger of getting sucked up so I cut some mesh and rubber-banded it to the end side.
SECOND ATTEMPT
Yesterday, After buying another water check valve, I cut 2 1/2 inches from both Pipes so that the height of the overflow would be lower than the height of the water level in the tank. I had gotten everything setup and Worked it out. IT WORKS!!! After dumping alot of water into the tank, I managed to level out water levels in the sump and tank. However, there was water leaking out of the pipe because I hadn't glued everything together yet. So I took apart everything and glued it together and called it a day, waiting for it to dry.
SECOND WATER SPILL
Remember that time in the first water spill when the water went through the pipe and came out of the intake of the pump? Yeh, well I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT!!! I was just chatting, looking up mfk, and playing games when I hear my bro go RICHARD!!! THE WATERS LEAKING!!! I turn and see Water POURING over the sides of the sump. First I tried to bail out water again but I decided that i wouldnt be able to catch up to the water flow coming out. Then I did what I had to do. I stuck my hand in the sump which caused another 5 gallons of water to flow out. Then I saw all the water pouring out was going on the 6-outlet surge protector!!!! I was yelling SH*T! SH*T! SH*T!
I quickly pulled out all plugs. This specific surge protector was in control of everything connected to my tank - i.e. lights, heater, and filter. I realized I couldnt go on with that one and the fish needed a filter. so I ran to my local cvs and picked up another surge protector and everything worked out
Now, everything is in the drying process and I am hoping for no more crazy spills
I'll post up the finished product soon.
, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger
