I just had an Idea of how to put a simple sump on my 100 gallon freshwater tank, its not drilled or anything but what I was thinking is... put a 40 gallon tank underneath with two powerheads, one I would have in the tank, taking the water out and flowing it into the sump, the second powerhead would be in the sump and return the water to the tank. Sounds easy enough but dont know if anyone has tried this, I know the two powerheads would have to be the same output and the tubing on both of them would probablly have to be the same length so that each powerhead had the same flowrate. Then I could hook up a coulple filters on the sump, maybe fill the bottom with lava rock or something, load it up with bio media bassically. I have a background on my tank so I would be running the powerhead tubing up the back attached with tape or suction cups so you wouldnt see anything really. anyway, has anyone tried this, or does anyone think this will or will not work. IM really trying to add a lot more filtration without making too much water current and thought a sump would work good.
Sump Idea, Will it work???
- Thread starter golcondorus
- Start date
You would not get the pumps to flow at the same rate. would be a disater. Get a siphon overflow kit!!Sorry forgot to state reason it won't work. Even if you have the same size pumps and the same distance and everything. The pump returning the water (since it has to pump it up a couple of feet) would pump slower. To complicated to much to go wrong = disaster!!
def get a overflow and a pump flow the tank at 900 gph and should be good will give you a good turn over rate and nylon pot scrubbers would be good cheap media just use a good pre filter so they dont clog
Get an overflow box kit. It will work the best and will be cheeper in the long run. I have seen them for $50.00, a good pump will cost at least that much.
F
FishHeadSoup
Guest
the powerhead that pumps water into the sump is also most likely to get more clogged from waste, etc. thus creating a unbalanced flow of water....
awesum said:
you still wouldent be able to compensate for gravety on the return pump. this idea never works and isnt trust worthy enough.
i wouldent like to think i was trusting it.
what about haveing a sump above the tank? then you could have a small sump predrilled and that could over flow staright to the main tank.
or haveing it next to the tank at the same level, the water would level its self out if you linked the 2 tanks with a pipe and pumped from one to the other.
The reason this will not work, would be especially if the sump is BELOW the tank your filtering. Reason being, the flow rate of the power head flowing to the lower tank will be higher then the return if useing the same flow rating. The reason being the return will have to pump harder (I dont remember the specific loss) in pumping in the vertical. The power head in the top will basically siphon off the water from the top tank and easily flow down to the bottome tank. This could work tho if you were placing the tank ether beside or behind your tank which you are filtering if the water has to be pushed equal level.