need help with pump

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

cichness

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 6, 2008
95
0
0
michigan
im trying to figure out what pump i need for the sump im going to build...

i want to do either 1) a large sump (made of a 50 gal rubbermade container) to filter two 75 gal tanks

or 2) make two 20 gal sumps for each tank

both would incorporate a DIY trickle filter made of 5gal buckets, similar to http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-filter/111.asp

anyway.... i looked at a very detailed post from this site and all the math made my head spin.... what i got was that the tanks being 48x18x20 have a volume of 72.7488 gallons and i need a turn over of 218.2464... and prolly a pump that can handle a vertical push of at least 5 feet of head....

can anyone recommend a good on for my needs that is efficient, not ridiculously expensive and any other advice would be super!
 
Check out mag drive, quite one, rio, and little giant. Each site should have flow curves to match what you need and none are priced out of range.

For what it's worth, I would suggest going with 1 sump. It'll be easier to maintain.
 
one sump for both tanks you mean? i thought the same thing, that way all the water chemestry is the same, and thats good cuz the fish in the tanks would need the same water anyway.

a tad off topic, but if i did it that way, what kinda heater would i need to be able to heat all that water lol
 
i almost always vote that each tank gets its own filter..
 
i know where your coming from on that, but as i always quarentine anything that will go in my tanks, infection and contamination is not a big issue here
 
ok good job

my advice is always get more pump than you need.. the ratings on the box are never what they say they are.. and its a lot easyer to just redirect some of the water back into the sump than it is to change out a pump....

as for heaters... depends on what the ambient temp of the area you are going to keep the tanks is/sunlight/airflow/about a million other things... several small heaters is better than one huge heater.. if the one big heater goes wonky it could cook the whole tank... if 1 of 3 smaller heaters goes nuts it wont be able to cook the whole tank
 
thats a good point on the heaters. also will postpone a shopping trip since i have a handfull of small ones laying around :P
 
Go with a single sump. Less to maintain and you'll have more consistent water parameters.
 
I'll go with rallysman and the others on a single pump. I use a Mag drive 2400 for a multiple tank setup that passes threw a planted sump
05-05-07_1214.jpg

into a 100 gal rubbermaid stock tank sump, into a 50 barrel where the pump and other equip hide.
It works well, and has been running 24 hours/day for a over 10 years feeding at least 3 cichlid tanks, except stopping the pump for standard maintanence, like cleaning the impeller or unplugging plant plugged pipes.
I do also put heaters in the sump, but my basement gets into the 50s this time of year. I must apologize for the grainy phone cam pics, but I believe they help the story.
image001-85.jpg

image001-193.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom