Ridiculous Sump+Wet Dry question

[rallysman]

And the overflow has to be situated (like for that 2nd picture you posted) low enough so that the sides of the tank don't overflow as well, I assume?

Exactly. Usually it will be lower because it's impossible to drill that high. If it's drilled to low you can add an elbow to adjust the water level.

 

[pacu mom]

Overflow boxes. I assume these are the quarter-circle things in the corner of some larger tanks. My question is how are fish stopped from "overflowing," and how is water pushed over this box? By water naturally trying to fill up crevices, so it goes over the box, down into the sump?

Here's a pic of an overflow on a tank identical to my tank (tank builder's pic). Notice the slots at the top of the box. The slots are just below the waterline..so only the water at the top of the tank flows into the box. As soon as the water level drops below the slots, water can no longer enter the overflow box. I love this feature, as the tank can never drain dry should one of the lines to the wet dry filter break. Again, the downside for mechanical filtration is that only debris floating on the top of the water or suspended in the water is going to make it into the overflow box.

 

[rallysman]

Here's a pic of an overflow on a tank identical to my tank (tank builder's pic). Notice the slots at the top of the box. The slots are just below the waterline..so only the water at the top of the tank flows into the box. As soon as the water level drops below the slots, water can no longer enter the overflow box. I love this feature, as the tank can never drain dry should one of the lines to the wet dry filter break. Again, the downside for mechanical filtration is that only debris floating on the top of the water or suspended in the water is going to make it into the overflow box.

The one you have pictured also has slots near the bottom which will aid in mechanical filtration. The standpipe inside of the overflow chamber will keep it from draining too low, while the debris near the bottom can flow into those 2 narrow slots.

Great design!

 

[Dread]

I see. I always imagined the water would flow directly into the top of the overflow, and not through the slots, so I kept wondering how it was the whole tank didn't overflow over the sides. Now that I think about the slots, it makes much more sense. You guys have been a great help, and I appreciate it!

 

[pacu mom]

Here's an ugly pic showing one of our overflow boxes. You can see the slots at the top. The pipe on the left is the return pipe from the mechanical system which my husband plumbed through one of the holes in the floor of the overflow box. The second hole in the floor has the pipe going to the wet/dry. The pipe on the right is the uptake pipe for one of the pooper scoopers. We have three uptakes for mechanical filtration.

 

[rallysman]

and here is a crappy easy to make wet/dry
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46853&highlight=wet/dry

 

[Dread]

What I was thinking about attempting as a test "rain simulater". You might have seen my thread on it. To do it, would it be a viable option to have a wet/dry system, and then have a pump pump the water back up into the tank via a bunch of spray bars over the tank, kind of simulating a 24/7 rainfall?

 

[rallysman]

What I was thinking about attempting as a test "rain simulater". You might have seen my thread on it. To do it, would it be a viable option to have a wet/dry system, and then have a pump pump the water back up into the tank via a bunch of spray bars over the tank, kind of simulating a 24/7 rainfall?

I see no reason that it wouldn't work

 

[Dread]

Sorry for all the questions, but I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me. I'm just getting the bottom line down on it. So all is that is REALLY needed for a wet/dry would be:
Some sort of overflow box/chamber.
Water pump
Bio-media in a container
Some holes in a tank

is that about right, or is there something else? Could a wet-dry be made out of one of those rubbermaid tubs you can get at walmart?

 

[Volenti]

It can be done without the holes in the tank (HOB overflow box, DIY overflow) but yea that's it, a rubbermaid tub can be made to work fine, I personally used 7gal water drums as quick'n'nasty sumps.