Sump? What?

[Carefree_Dude]

Will THIS overflow:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18358
PF-800 (800gph)

work with THIS return pump?
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4590
MD9.5 (does 800GPH at 3 feet)

 

[cichlid2006]

Will THIS overflow:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18358
PF-800 (800gph)

work with THIS return pump?
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4590
MD9.5 (does 800GPH at 3 feet)

You will want to give yourself a bit of a cushion so your pump doesn't flood your tank.
For example, you have matched the overflow up with a pump of relavent size. What would happen should your overflow pipe have sludge build up or the pre-filter becomes slightly clogged or there is an imperfection in the manufacture of the overflow and it can not perform at 800gph?
The tank would overflow.

It is best you either downgrade your pump, which will reduce your turnover which ultimately you probably don't want to do, or you upgrade your overflow to the 900/1000gph, which is a far better option.
I would personally go for the 1000gph, the PF-1200, as this will give you ample cushion against sludge and blockages which will reduce the flow at some time for whatever reason.

 

[wheatbackdigger]

Or you could forget about that old school design and make one like mine. All you need is an old glass tank. No dividers, no baffles, no drip trays. Filter sock at the inlet, ceramic media in the middle, and pump on the other side to return the water to the tank. Couldn't be easier!

This sump looks kind of small. How do you keep it from flooding if power is lost?. I can't understand how the water would flow through the ceramic rings and not over it. Water will take the path of least resistance. Is this fed from a drilled tank or a syphon overflow? And what size is the main tank?

Thanks
Doug

 

[cichlid2006]

The way to avoid flooding is to fill your tank to just before the tipping point, the point at which water goes over the overflow and into the sump.
Then fill your sump to the required level, remember that water chemistry is more stable in larger volumes.
I suggest filling up the sump to around 3/4 full. When filling your sump you need to take the water volume that all your pipes will have and what it will take for your tank level to topple over the overflow. If you don't you will end up running your pumps dry or with them partially submerged and taking in air which reduces the life of the pump and makes your system less efficient.
You are then ready to start the pumps, the sump level will go down initially as the pipes need to fillup and the water level in the tank needs to topple over the overflow and fill the outlet. It will find equilibrium and should run smoothly if you have done everything correctly.

This sump looks kind of small. How do you keep it from flooding if power is lost?. I can't understand how the water would flow through the ceramic rings and not over it. Water will take the path of least resistance. Is this fed from a drilled tank or a syphon overflow? And what size is the main tank?

Thanks
Doug

Please read my quote as to why a sump never floods in the event of a power cut. The size of the sump tank is irrelevant as long as it holds what you want it to hold. In Jose's case filter socks, ceramic media, heater and pump(s). Other people have huge sumps because they have lots of bio media and sponges to filter their tank.

The flow of water goes through the ceramics because of the pump pulling in gallons of water which in turn pulls along water that has come from the tank through filter socks and it is a continuous cycle, think of it like a vacuum. Put a porous barrier in the way of that flow and water will go through it as well as going around and over it. Sorry if that is not clear but I am very tired.

If you click the 57g rimmless in his signature you will see the whole build process for the set up.