Everyone told me that upgrading to a larger tank would be easy; filtration, better water quality, growth and well being of the fish themselves.....well, you all lied!
Obviously I had the error part of my trial and error today in setting up my new 150 gallon. It would probably be easier to explain with pictures, but typing this all out and hitting the keyboard as hard as I can with my fingers kills two birds with one stone!! (Anger Management)
My set-up is; 150 gallon tank, with (2) 600 gph HOB overflow boxes spread apart. They each have a 1" drain- I used 2" corrugated flexi-pipe running down to the 40 gallon sump tank. They each drain into a 2" PVC tube with filter socks attached. Water runs through the baffles in the sump to the return pump chamber where a Danner Supreme 1800 gph return pump pumps the water back through a 1" clear, flexible tubing. There's 5' head height, which the manufacturer says this pump will yield 1190 gph at this height. (Should be an almost perfect match) Right now, there's no special return, I just have it coming out the 1" tubing. So I primed the U-tubes in each overflow box to start the siphon and water began running down into the sump. The sump was already about half full, so I powered up the return pump and it quickly drains the sump and overfills the tank way too fast. So, naturally, I turn off the return pump for a minute, but forget about the reverse siphon that the return pump has created and in a few seconds hear water flooding the floor. I of course think, oh ****, the main tank has a leak or has cracked somewhere. I finally figure out it's the sump and I grab an additional hose laying nearby so I siphon out a bunch of water into the yard.
Now that I've broken several keys on my keyboard, the question(s);
1) Will a ball valve on the 1" return line be able to slow down the return pump to better match the overflow boxes?
2) Would hard line plumbing be better as I need to create more drag/friction to slow water return?
3) Would putting a directional return head in the tank create enough pressure to slow the return line?
4) Would drilling bulkheads in the tank itself just be easier?
5) Is a 40 gallon sump big enough for this tank?
6) Anybody want a free tank and stand? Very few bullet holes in it!
What am I doing wrong?
Obviously I had the error part of my trial and error today in setting up my new 150 gallon. It would probably be easier to explain with pictures, but typing this all out and hitting the keyboard as hard as I can with my fingers kills two birds with one stone!! (Anger Management)
My set-up is; 150 gallon tank, with (2) 600 gph HOB overflow boxes spread apart. They each have a 1" drain- I used 2" corrugated flexi-pipe running down to the 40 gallon sump tank. They each drain into a 2" PVC tube with filter socks attached. Water runs through the baffles in the sump to the return pump chamber where a Danner Supreme 1800 gph return pump pumps the water back through a 1" clear, flexible tubing. There's 5' head height, which the manufacturer says this pump will yield 1190 gph at this height. (Should be an almost perfect match) Right now, there's no special return, I just have it coming out the 1" tubing. So I primed the U-tubes in each overflow box to start the siphon and water began running down into the sump. The sump was already about half full, so I powered up the return pump and it quickly drains the sump and overfills the tank way too fast. So, naturally, I turn off the return pump for a minute, but forget about the reverse siphon that the return pump has created and in a few seconds hear water flooding the floor. I of course think, oh ****, the main tank has a leak or has cracked somewhere. I finally figure out it's the sump and I grab an additional hose laying nearby so I siphon out a bunch of water into the yard.
Now that I've broken several keys on my keyboard, the question(s);
1) Will a ball valve on the 1" return line be able to slow down the return pump to better match the overflow boxes?
2) Would hard line plumbing be better as I need to create more drag/friction to slow water return?
3) Would putting a directional return head in the tank create enough pressure to slow the return line?
4) Would drilling bulkheads in the tank itself just be easier?
5) Is a 40 gallon sump big enough for this tank?
6) Anybody want a free tank and stand? Very few bullet holes in it!
What am I doing wrong?
