Pond on the ground...DIY Overflows/Sump Distance ??

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montyblue

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 23, 2012
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For a DIY overflow to work well, how far below the tank would you think the sump needs to be to allow gravity to do it's thing? I'd like to set one up on our ray pond, but it's sitting directly on the floor. My backup plan if I absolutely can't get this idea to work is going with a Laguna Pressure Flo pond filter, but it's got that ugly Max Flo sphere that would need to be in the aquarium, and I'm just not sure I want to go that route. It'll be a pain to cover up! I originally wanted to run FX5's on it, but they need to be 7.8" below the water level since it's a gravity fed filter, and they would be sitting right at the water level. I've run into a filter conondrum :P

If you've got a pond on the ground, what's your preferred filtration method? My rays are growing quickly, and I'd like to get them out of quarantine now...but my filter problem has me stumped!!
 
My suggestion would be to have an overhead sump and simply pump the water up from the tank into the sump and let gravity drain the water from the sump back down into the tank. No need to worry about a DIY over flow at all this way. Its much easier than having the sump below and also eliminates the potential failure of an overflow from loss of prime.

Let me know if you have additional questions I would be glad to help.

-Reed
 
I like that idea, especially that it would drain back into the tank in event of a problem! What kind of sump 'box' would you recommend using for this? I'm a visual person, and while it sounds perfect, I'm having a hard time seeing how this would look! I'll have to search the threads this morning....

I really appreciate the help!!!
 
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?157356-Result-of-a-small-glass-tank that was my first pond filter. Worked ok, but hated power washing the pads. Much easier to wash socks in the washer.

Overhead filters are great, but if it was my pond I'd just stick a big tank next to the pond, install bulkheads and elbows so the water drops right through the filter socks in that tank, use a big return pump after some submerged rings, and use a smaller auxilart pump to drive a bio reactor.

Problem here is the surface area of the pond makes that sump fill up so fast that you'll need a big sump. IF a huge sump is a pain then overhead is the only way to go.
 
Awesome, thank you SO much for the links and info! I'm going to check them out now. I really appreciate the info from your experience!! It's been hard to target old threads on here on overhead sumps!
 
Why not put the pond on blocks to lift it off the ground

I was thinking about a pond when I set up my tank but after going and looking at other peoples ponds with front viewing panels I hated having to go down on my knees to get close look at the rays

So I built a base out of concrete foundation blocks very cheap and raised it up to normal tank height

My tank is 3ft tall and the total height of my tank is 6.6ft

You can do a very classy looking tank for pocket money if you have mates that are up to the job


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This was way back during the building of my pond, but just like this... pump water up, gravity takes it down. : ) Works like a charm.

IMG_5521.JPG
 
For ponds I prefer large pressurized filters like the Aquabead line and some sponge filters. I also build tables that sit on top of the pond to hold tanks and trash cans for filters. Easy way to do a sump without bulkheads is to use a tank with an overflow for your sump and set it on top of your pond on a custom table with wholes for the overflow. Trash cans can be used for bioball trickle filters in the same way. You can see an example in this video, at the time I wasn't using the 2 tanks on top of the pond yet, one is now used for plant filtration and the other for pups.

[video=youtube;Iy8JPV904t4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy8JPV904t4[/video]
 
Guys, I can't thank you enough for the help! I really appreciate the pictures....it's very helpful. Do you all just use bioballs? I've thought about doing lava rock - anyone using that at all?

T1Karmann, do you have photos of your concrete pond/build? I'm not very handy with concrete (lol....must be a girlie limitation;) but I'd be up for trying if it worked out so well!

Steveo and JohnG, love the setups, and thanks again for the helpful pics! Hopefully I'll have this pond setup and running now in no time! Thank goodness I've got a few extra days off work this week - I'm going to need them!
 
montyblue said:
Guys, I can't thank you enough for the help! I really appreciate the pictures....it's very helpful. Do you all just use bioballs? I've thought about doing lava rock - anyone using that at all?

T1Karmann, do you have photos of your concrete pond/build? I'm not very handy with concrete (lol....must be a girlie limitation;) but I'd be up for trying if it worked out so well!

Steveo and JohnG, love the setups, and thanks again for the helpful pics! Hopefully I'll have this pond setup and running now in no time! Thank goodness I've got a few extra days off work this week - I'm going to need them!
Click to expand...

Not a problem! My sump has lava rock. About 4 bags from lowes. Seems to get the job done!
 
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