wet sump or wet/dry sump

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
yup this is my first sump, i've done alot of reading and searching around on the forums :) thanx alot guys
 
im still im trying to make a lid for it, its just going to be 2 sheets of plexiglass with a hinge for easy access
 
Depending on the thickness of plexiglass, you might think of ways to reinforce it. Plexiglass has a tendency to droop.
 
Nice sump! I'm having trouble seeing where your waterline is. If it's too high, the sump might overflow if the pump shuts off during a power outage or something. Regarding your question about wet/dry vs. wet only: As far as I've been told, the fully submerged bioballs aren't quite as effective as wet/dry bioballs. This means that to achieve the same effectiveness as a wet/dry, you just need more media (or media with more surface area like biomax). The reason wet/dry is more effective is because it gets more oxygen and since you're putting airstones underneath your media there's probably not that much difference between your filter and a wet/dry filter. The only thing is that you will be using more equipment and more electricity to replicate a wet/dry. It might be more reliable and more cost effective to just go wet/dry. Your media will be just as, or more effective and you won't need to use extra air stones.
 
Pharaoh;2209840; said:
Depending on the thickness of plexiglass, you might think of ways to reinforce it. Plexiglass has a tendency to droop.
Click to expand...

1/4 inch plexiglass i think it should pry be ok over a 11inch span(width of the tank) we'll see though :)


Tommydeal;2210075; said:
Nice sump! I'm having trouble seeing where your waterline is. If it's too high, the sump might overflow if the pump shuts off during a power outage or something. Regarding your question about wet/dry vs. wet only: As far as I've been told, the fully submerged bioballs aren't quite as effective as wet/dry bioballs. This means that to achieve the same effectiveness as a wet/dry, you just need more media (or media with more surface area like biomax). The reason wet/dry is more effective is because it gets more oxygen and since you're putting airstones underneath your media there's probably not that much difference between your filter and a wet/dry filter. The only thing is that you will be using more equipment and more electricity to replicate a wet/dry. It might be more reliable and more cost effective to just go wet/dry. Your media will be just as, or more effective and you won't need to use extra air stones.
Click to expand...

as for the waterline, its just at the level of the top white grate, which is 5 inchs from the top of the tank(enough room for 6-8gal of water to overflow in the event of a power outage)
and for the airpump i actually have a large airpump pumping 2 stones in my tank at the moment and i am going to be moving those 2 lines into my sump as well as my heaters to unclutter the tank, so i really wont be useing anymore power than i am now other than the .3 amp return pump which i would have to be useing with any kind of sump anyways :)

thanks for the input though, really appreciated :)
 
ronin_man;2207502; said:
the main tank is 150g filtration on it right now is a AQ500 and a Rena XP4 and now adding the sump
and ya i was going to put the air stones under the media as i have a 2.5inch space under the media, i used the eggcrate light covers from home depot above and below the media to hold it all in place.
i'll post a pic in a bit showing what i meen
Click to expand...


Can you post full tank shots of your 150?

thanks!
 
1/4" plexi will eventually droop inward. You would be surprised how weak it is. I would glue a extra plexi strip on top to reinforce it over the span. Stand the brace piece up on top of the other and glue it should hold perfectly.
 
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