Wet dry question regarding flow rates and plumbing

[Oscarum monstruoso]

I have noticed that on most of the tank builds, the builders go through a process of trial and error when it comes to filtration setup. It seems that every other aspect of tank building is pretty standardized, but the plumbing doesnt seem to be.

For example, a wet dry filter has an outflow by gravity, and the return comes back via a pump. Shouldnt there be a formula giving us the optimum flow rate, pipe diameter and placement, sump size, pump placement etc? So often I see builders doing trial and error that it makes me wonder. Also there are different ways to deal with power outages and controlling potential spills. Is this information standardized yet?

 

[GEO QUEEN]

they go through trials and errors, cause they dont stop to think about what they are doing. look in the sticky's for all the info you need. basic things: build overflow to be able to flow more water than the pump can put back, dont skimp on the size of your sump ( more water means more tank stability) and last, ALWAYS do a couple test runs of power loss to see what happens.
after you build your first one youll always know what do to there after.

 

[nfored]

they go through trials and errors, cause they dont stop to think about what they are doing. look in the sticky's for all the info you need. basic things: build overflow to be able to flow more water than the pump can put back, dont skimp on the size of your sump ( more water means more tank stability) and last, ALWAYS do a couple test runs of power loss to see what happens.
after you build your first one youll always know what do to there after.

I kinfa disagree, sure to a point there is the nit knowing what your doing. However even with the basic know how there are other things to think about. I built my first sump and have never had a flood do to power going out, that not to say there was not floods but they where not due to sump design. I think a lot of trial and error comes from getting things customized the way you want.

The way the water drains from the tank, horzontial or vertical overflow?

How the water drains into the sump, above water "wet/dry" or below "Submerged sump"

The noise level and how to deal with it. Durso or other methods.

Space verse efficency, for example I could have a 200 gallon sump on a 200g or even 55g tank. If the filtration is setup to handle the bio load then the water is no more or less stable. if your filter can handle the load and you do your normal weekly or bi weekly water changes then you water should always be stable.

Then there is the return plumbing, do you want a spay bar or jets, or maybe just a single jet.

Building a filtration setup is much like building a house, you can follow the stands and it will work, but you will find you wanted something other then the standard. So you make changes, then you see something or get another Idea and you make changes again. Its not until you have tried multiple things that you truly know what you like and don't like.

How can one say they only like stake if thats all they have ever had, and just because they try other things doesn't mean they don't know what they are doing.

 

[dawnmarie]

Is this information standardized yet?

The simple answer is, NO, and not likely to be any time soon.

Some of the system components can be predicted with some accuracy such as pipe sizing and flows and pump output, but, system design is all over the map.

There are a lot of people reinventing the wheel and/or genuinely attempting to build a better mouse trap and sometimes this leads to true innovation, but, optimum is a subjective term and quite elusive.
$.02

 

[epond83]

Basically already mentioned, sumps are always going to be custum some how if they are not store bought. With different pumps and different pipe route you are going to have different flow rates (head pressure).

Also BB can't be quanitified very well so turn over rate and amount of bio media will constantly be tweaked to what the user thinks is best which gets back to the custum think.

 

[nfored]

My overall goal in sump design is the max potential in the smallest space. I am on version 3.0 now, which works really well for me; I already have version 4.0 planned out.