MY FIRST SUMP COMPLETE!

[richardhmc]

Finished with pics
although im not sure if its okay to put in fish because these fish are small and it seems they are trying to fight the current. I put a layer of rocks surrounding the pump so they dont get near but they still look like somethings pushing them

 

[plausible]

should be the water flowing from the tank to the sump thats pushing the fishes.very nicely done! i wonder when i am going to make one for my tank..

 

[richardhmc]

thanks! =D

 

[Lil_Stinker]

Those orange ones are not made out of copper. It feels like plastic. Its not added with soap or anything its just plain scrubbies =) I gotta go back to lowes

Some cheaper copper ones still feel like plastic....

other metal ones are usually steal & will rust (I have never seen SS ones)

Find plastic ones, or choose an alternate media.

... as far a pvc, here is what I used ....

Primer & cement ..

 

[Lil_Stinker]

Also your water level in the tank is determined by the over flows ... see the red line in the picture...

If your pump is too slow then the water in the tank will go to this point ... raise your pipes till this is where you want. then if the pump is too slow (or off) your water level will be maintained.. you want your max sump level when your tank is at its min level. this is where your balance is.

as your pump fills the tank the pipes let is out to this level.

The desire is not to match the flow rate in each part, but to have more available in the overflows than the pump, usinf the overflow height to establish the water line in the tank. This way you maintain tank level slightly above minimum & the sump level slightly below max... if the power goes out, then a couple gallons flow to the sump & then the system STOPS at the stage we call 'at rest'.

 

[richardhmc]

o.0 i see.... so i should cut down the first one a little bit so that the overflow flows faster? right now, one of the overflows are 1.5 inches taller than the other which is the first one. The one behind it is shorter and it has faster water output. So i should cut the taller pipe shorter?

 

[Lil_Stinker]

They should be at the same level & this will establish the water level in the tank

 

[richardhmc]

uh oh... the sump overflowed for some reason while i was out.. i got a call from my bro that it was overflowing... i only see my 2 in dempsey in my tank. I look over and in a reflection and i see my dat.. it looks dead and i think it got stuck in the pump...

 

[CHOMPERS]

there are two things that I said you need to do that you didn't...

1. Put a strainer or sponge over the pump intake so the fish don't get sucked in.

2. Turn off the power to make sure the sump can handle the water volume.

Here is a third to add to the list:

3. go get a mop

 

[JonF]

I would go with the sponge route (over the pump intake) so that you get a little extra mechanical and bio filtration too...