What size PVC to use??

[Linemanbrad]

What size PVC pipe should I use if i am using chompers design on a DIY overflow???

Also, i am making my 20G into a sump, so what size return pump do I need??

The 20G sump is going to filter a 55G tank =)

 

[Noto]

You need to know the flow rate of the return pump first, then you can decide on the pipe diameter. The best flow rate depends on what kind of sump setup you have. High flow rates are better for mechanical filtration and providing current in the tank, low flow rates are better for biological filtration.

There's a thread somewhere here about appropriate pipe size for a given flow rate.

*EDIT* Here it is!

 

[dragonfish18]

you probly need about 3/4 of an inch if u have a sump box the water in your tank should over turn 4 times and hour anything faster dosent let the bio media work its magic and probly a pump that runs 200 gph

i use a 20-25long on my 180 with a 760gph pump and ive had probly the best water clarity with out weekly WC

 

[Linemanbrad]

well, could somebody please help me on the whole sump idea????

What are the first steps I should take to setting it up??

should I get all of the supplies I need??

what are the supplies i need????

 

[Cashlaw]

It's a glass 20G?

For either glass or acrylic . . . need bio-media, like bio-balls, pond filter sponges, scrubbies, ceramic rings, etc. Might be cheapest to buy these online from a place like Big Al's. And there's a classifieds posting here at MFK for scrubbies, too. For some reason, scrubbies can be hard to find in the stores.

Need some plastic egg crate to hold the media above the floor of the 20G. Home Depot / Lowe's / etc. have it for ~ $10 per big sheet.

For glass, need some glass to make partitions, glass cutter, silicone to seal the pieces to the 20G. The home supply stores would have these, or a larger craft store. Somebody should confirm, but I think GE Silicone I (not II) is the version of GE silicone that does not have anti-mildew chemicals in it, and is safe for aquariums. Or just get a tube of aquarium silicone (same thing).

For acrylic, need some acrylic (1/4" or 0.22" would work well), Weld-On #4 or #16 to seal it to the 20G. A craft store might have some Weld-On, might have to order it online from a place like TAP Plastics. Home Depot usually has sheets of acrylic.

For the PVC . . . I would use 1.25" or 1.5" PVC for the siphon out of the tank, going to the sump. Then 3/4" from the pump back into the tank. Mileage may vary, depends on the design, but I think it's safest to have way more water flow out of the tank, to the sump, so that the pump isn't draining the sump dry and possibly overflowing the aquarium.

It's easy to use Christy's Red Hot Blue Glue to seal the PVC pieces together, actually, if you push the pieces in tightly, might not even need to seal them. And you could paint the PVC with Krylon Fusion or Rustoleum Plastic spray paint. For cutting the PVC to length, a PVC cutter for $6 or $7 is worth buying. PVC can be a real pain to saw.

Umm . . . what am I missing?

I made my own sump (different from the one I'm selling in the classifieds), just drawing from memory on what I bought and from where I got the parts. But I'm by no stretch an expert!

 

[Linemanbrad]

ty, could you give me a diagram to look into the design of the actual sump??

and should I DIY my own overflow or just buy one?

 

[Cashlaw]

A basic sump design . . . bigger sumps sometimes add more compartments.

The pieces are:

1. Drip plate - a flat piece of material with a lot of 1/8" holes drilled in it, maybe one drill every half inch, for water to spray through.

2. Egg crate - holds the media above the floor of the sump, for water to drain through.

A. The media - bio balls, scrubbies, pond filter sponges, anything like that.

B. A big piece of sponge to filter little bits of debris before the water gets to the pump.

C. The pump back to the aquarium.

The long black line shows how the water flows through the media, then through the big sponge, then into the pump.

For the PVC overflow . . . I'd just build one! It's pretty easy, and PVC is really cheap at home supply stores. I don't know what a commercial one would cost, maybe $40 or more, but you could build one for less than $20 and have it fit your aquarium perfectly. Making the sump will be a lot more work and expense than making the PVC overflow.

 

[aeri]

depending on the power of your return pump, you would likely need 3/4" or at most a 1" PVC overflow to compensate. i doubt you'd need a strong pump to match any larger sized overflow as it would blow your fish out of your 55G tank.

follow the sticky that Noto has posted to estimate what size you will need. if the overflow is too large it will never take in water at its full capacity, meaning that the intake will be really noisy (gargling), and will intake a lot of air. too much air for a period will eventually break the siphon and flood your tank...unless you suck on the check valve on a daily basis or buy yourself a TOM aqualifter pump (should buy this anyways).

your return pump power depends on what kind of turnover you want in your tank. i'd say for a 55G, 5x turnover is enough, meaning 250GPH pump should be decent.

for a small 20G wet/dry, cashlaw's design would probably be the most efficient. if possible, disregarding cosmetics, you can attempt to place some plastic cabinet drawers that extend above the tank (http://thetentacleparadox.com/images/150Tank/WetDry.jpg) to maximize biomedia space. keep in mind that evaporation is an issue with wet/dry over canisters, so you will need to monitor the water level to make sure the pump is not running dry.

the return pipe should also have a hole drilled right below the water line in the main tank. this will be your siphon break from backflow. as in, when your return pump is turned off, the water will siphon water backwards and you'd want the hole to take in air and break the siphon, otherwise it may backflow until it floods your sump.