Would this work?

[illbethejudge]

Maybe I'm just not seeing it, but
I was looking at your sketch, and don't quite get how you plan to get water from tank to sump
With overflow boxes (weirs), and drilled tanks (where its drilled near the top of the tank) gravity is used to drain water to the sump, so the sump doesn't overflow unless the pump over powers either the weir, or the plumbing of the drilled opening.
Many times if the plumbing to sump, begins low in the tank, gravity will push all water out faster than the pump can keep up, and this overflows the sump.
You'll notice my overflow boxes have weirs, to prevent this. If I just ran Utubes , they suck water too fast until either tank was drained completly, or siphon broke, and water is pumped until sump was dry, but overflowed tank on the floor.
If you realize this, no prob, but just checking if the concept is understood.

I should've drawn a pump on the intake as well but i don't think that desing would work. It would be a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[illbethejudge]

Even is the sump is only slight lower, it will work.
I have used both barrels and tanks, and as long as there is a slight bit of gravity going , once you start the sumps water will be pulled from the main tank.
Here are a couple examples that will work with either overflows or drilled.

on this one you'll see the overflow box is sitting on the edge of the sump, only 6-8" below the tank.

next a barrel on the floor, where the rim is only a couple feet below the tank.


and it doesn't;t matter if the sump is off to the side.
Below is a sump off to the side, ao access to equipment is easy for maintenance, and water entry to the sump, is only inches lower than the tank surface.

Basically i am thinking that the pump would draw water to the bottom of the barrel where water will go through the filter floss and then through the lava rock and after it goes to the output.

 

[duanes]

For me the Pump on the bottom of sump always works best (but always needs to be easily lifted out, and accessible for maintenance, never covered so you'd need to dig it out).
I also always put threaded union connectors on the pump so plumbing can be detached, without having to twist the plumbing.
There is a threaded union on the pump below.

And I also use lava rock, after mechanical media

 

[illbethejudge]

For me the Pump on the bottom of sump always works best (but always needs to be easily lifted out, and accessible for maintenance, never covered so you'd need to dig it out).
I also always put threaded union connectors on the pump so plumbing can be detached, without having to twist the plumbing.
There is a threaded union on the pump below.

And I also use lava rock, after mechanical media

The only thing i can think that i would need is a check valve in the intake line so in case of power loss the

For me the Pump on the bottom of sump always works best (but always needs to be easily lifted out, and accessible for maintenance, never covered so you'd need to dig it out).
I also always put threaded union connectors on the pump so plumbing can be detached, without having to twist the plumbing.
There is a threaded union on the pump below.

And I also use lava rock, after mechanical media

what do you think it would happen in case of power outage? because the barrel will have around 35 gallons of water ( is a 55 gallon but after filter floss and lava rock i calculate 35 gallons) do i need some kind of check valve on the intake? Also how many GPH the pump should be?
the barrel and the tank will almost be at the same height since the tank is sitting on 6 inch base. sorry to ask so much stuff but i wanna get it right the first time and thank you very much for your help and also to the other people that commented.

 

[illbethejudge]

Cool I'll be watchin

 

[PYRU]

I don't think your design would be feasible. I believe your trying to turn a barrel into a canister which is going to be very expensive and a total pain. Your also fighting gravity.

A sump is a way better way to go. I personally like wet/dry trickle k.I.S.S. style. You want your tank higher than the top of the barrel or just a slight slope for gravity. I run diy overflows like kingofdiy does which puts the drain about at the bottom of the tank so this would require a higher stand. I would stack buckets with holes drilled in the bottom filled with bio balls etc. Use a short bucket on top with filter floss. Something along those lines. Put a valve on your intake & discharge throttle it to get the flow you want. Float switches like for auto top off systems work great for flooding prevention.

You could also make a pretty sweet fluidized bed filter with a little bit of extra work. Clothes baskets, trash cans with holes drilled in them to contain your media. There's a lot of possibilities, but I think a trickle will be your best bet if you haven't done this before.

Here's some video ideas.

 

[illbethejudge]

I don't think your design would be feasible. I believe your trying to turn a barrel into a canister which is going to be very expensive and a total pain. Your also fighting gravity.

A sump is a way better way to go. I personally like wet/dry trickle k.I.S.S. style. You want your tank higher than the top of the barrel or just a slight slope for gravity. I run diy overflows like kingofdiy does which puts the drain about at the bottom of the tank so this would require a higher stand. I would stack buckets with holes drilled in the bottom filled with bio balls etc. Use a short bucket on top with filter floss. Something along those lines. Put a valve on your intake & discharge throttle it to get the flow you want. Float switches like for auto top off systems work great for flooding prevention.

You could also make a pretty sweet fluidized bed filter with a little bit of extra work. Clothes baskets, trash cans with holes drilled in them to contain your media. There's a lot of possibilities, but I think a trickle will be your best bet if you haven't done this before.

Here's some video ideas.

the first video is exactly what i am trying to do.

 

[Oughtsix]

NO NO NO!!!!



A million fish keepers have been through this before you. You will be MUCH happier if you drill your tank and put in a conventional overflow... drilling a tank is really easy, it is just nerve wracking if you have never done it before.

With your design of pumping from the main tank into the sump your sump will maintain a constant water level. Your main tank will require top offs daily to keep the water line at the top of the tank. This is backwards! The tank should overflow into the sump so the tank stays at a constant level and your sump water level is always getting lower due to evaporation. You can top off your sump once a week and it won't be an eye soar when the water level is constantly dropping.

The overflow in the tank sets the water level for the tank. When there is a power outage there is some "in system" water that will settle into the sump... figure maybe 5 gallons for your setup. Leave the water level in the sump a foot from the top and you will be fine.

With your design the "in system" water will settle in the main tank! You will have to leave your main tank water level 6"+ below the top to keep from flooding when there is a power outage! Do you understand why your design is backwards?


There is a reason everyone does it this way... it works VERY WELL!

I started with a siphon overflow, then I got the guts to drill my aquarium, I will NEVER go back to a siphon overflow. Keep is simple and there is much less to go wrong!

 

[illbethejudge]

NO NO NO!!!!



A million fish keepers have been through this before you. You will be MUCH happier if you drill your tank and put in a conventional overflow... drilling a tank is really easy, it is just nerve wracking if you have never done it before.

With your design of pumping from the main tank into the sump your sump will maintain a constant water level. Your main tank will require top offs daily to keep the water line at the top of the tank. This is backwards! The tank should overflow into the sump so the tank stays at a constant level and your sump water level is always getting lower due to evaporation. You can top off your sump once a week and it won't be an eye soar when the water level is constantly dropping.

The overflow in the tank sets the water level for the tank. When there is a power outage there is some "in system" water that will settle into the sump... figure maybe 5 gallons for your setup. Leave the water level in the sump a foot from the top and you will be fine.

With your design the "in system" water will settle in the main tank! You will have to leave your main tank water level 6"+ below the top to keep from flooding when there is a power outage! Do you understand why your design is backwards?


There is a reason everyone does it this way... it works VERY WELL!

I started with a siphon overflow, then I got the guts to drill my aquarium, I will NEVER go back to a siphon overflow. Keep is simple and there is much less to go wrong!

I can drill the tank no problem. I am handy with tools but you have to take in consideration that my tank is almost on the floor. there is no space for a sump underneath.

 

[illbethejudge]