Sump newbie lookig for some direction.

[decoy50]

I'm looking to upgrade my system in the next few months and I want to go with a sump. I've only used HOBs and a couple canisters in the past.

I have been reading posts & threads on here for a couple weeks now & I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around what I will need & how I will go about setup. Can someone point me in the direction of easy sump builds or somewhere the info is really dumbed down haha. I've picked up tips here & there from posts, but half the time its way over my head. Its the pipes & plumbing aspects I'm having trouble with.

 

[strollo22]

Will you be purchasing a drilled tank or drilling the one you have? or will you be using an overflow box? Same basic principles apply but in order to help with the plumbing etc. it does make a difference.

 

[Jc1119]

^^ agreed.

Sumps can be as complicated or as simple as you need really. The basic sump is just some kind of container/tote/tank to hold some sort of mechanical(socks, foam, sponges, etc.) area for bio, and a return pump. Drain sizing will start with deciding a pump for your needs and particular situation….

that's where it gets interesting, because there are lots of ways to approach it and most of them work to some degree or another. Sumps can be noisy depending on the drains you chose, so it's a good idea to think about that being an issue before you drill and or decide how to go. The drains I run on my garage tanks would NOT be acceptable in my studio setup where I need silent setups

 

[decoy50]

The plan is to purchase an already drilled tank either through Craigs List(hopefully) or have a tank made for me. Bottom drilled, with two internal weirs, one on each back corner for overflow/return sounds the best for me.

 

[rodger]

You have lots of members here with lots of opinions. All that were correct for them. Read what people tell you in your thread and continue reading other threads. Don't be in a hurry to get it set up or you will have what I had for my first sump. A PITA. Good luck.

 

[rodger]

The plan is to purchase an already drilled tank either through Craigs List(hopefully) or have a tank made for me. Bottom drilled, with two internal weirs, one on each back corner for overflow/return sounds the best for me.

Bottom drilled is all I have ever had, but if I was to build I would go with the back drilled and the overflow boxes up top. It makes for a cleaner install and a more open tank. It also is less messy to make a plumbing repair.

 

[Jc1119]

I moved the boxes on my 300 out of the corners a bit for area and ease of cleaning. My next tank is being side drilled, running side to side.

Id find a CL tank or tank you want to build first and take it from there.

 

[decoy50]

Thanks for the tips. I'm def not going to rush this after all the flood stories I've heard.

So far what I've been looking at:
180-220gal tank
dual overflows/return weirs, bottom drilled tank
75 gallon sump - I'd like to go w/o baffles & use filter socks and lots of pond matrix in bags or plastic baskets
Heard good things about Laguna pumps. Going for minimum of 7x turnover

I feel like I have the big picture down, but its basically just the plumbing I'm lost on.

 

[Jc1119]

That's exactly my sump setup on my 300. 75 gallon, socks, no baffles, pond matrix and a pair of pumps.

My drains are a little over the top, but its a silent and flood proof system. Dual Herbie setup. I've tried to force a flood and I can't unless I plug up 4 drains at once, which is really hard to do with a system using weirs.

I use siphon breaks and swing checks on all setups as well.



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[aldiaz33]

Assuming a 220G tank, 7X turnover is 1,540GPH.
Assuming a standard sump under tank setup with a 36" stand, you will have around 6' of head, so you will want a pump that can push around 1,540GPH @ 6' head.


The Laguna Max Flo 2400 pushes 1,664GPH @ 6' head on 84 watts.
Another option is one of the newer Variable Speed DC pumps, but they are newer and don't have the long track record of the Laguna.

In terms of plumbing, the easiest would be to buy barbed fittings and use reinforced (braided) clear PVC tubing.
1. Cut the tubing to size
2. Place the ends in near boiling water for a minute to soften them up to make it easier to slip them onto the barb fittings
3. Use hose clamps to secure the hose.

Research Beananimal overflow, or Herbie Overflow if the tank needs to run silent, otherwise standard Durso Standpipes are fine.

That's pretty much as easy as it gets in regards to plumbing the system. If you want you could use standard PVC fittings and pipe, but it requires a little more precise cuts and gluing.

Keep all returns at or very near the surface to avoid a backsiphon and always fill your tank with your pumps off, so that you do not overfill and have a flood the next time your pumps turn off. Or, mark the level in your sump where you can fill to, while still having enough capacity to accommodate water from a backsiphon from your display.

I like your idea of a big 75G sump...bigger is always better when it comes to sumps.

Good luck with your setup.