Sump

[SSalty]

Hello folks. I am thinking about buying a new drilled 55gallon. I like the idea of the sump so I don't have to stare at all of the equipment. What are your guys opinions on sumps? What are the advantages as well as the disadvantages? I want to do this before I start adding anything else to my aquarium.

Thanks:Cheers:

 

[Bifferwine]

I added a sump a couple months ago. I used a 20 gallon tank. I like it because it dilutes out waste more, all of my equipment is now away from the main tank and all in one spot, so it's much easier to access, I do all my water changes from the sump instead, I run lights on an opposite schedule than the main tank to keep macroalgae and pods, there's basically no reason to mess around in the main tank anymore, which is nice. The disadvantages, it costs money to set up, there's added worry about flooding or equipment failing, it takes up room (it doesn't fit under my tank, it's on the floor next to it)... I think that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.

 

[SSalty]

Aaahh, flooding. Not good, I live an apartment. If something were to go wrong, could it drain out all 55 gallons???

 

[bobby]

No just to were the hole are or yop of overflow.

 

[SSalty]

No just to were the hole are or yop of overflow.

??? In english please. Haha

 

[Bifferwine]

If you have an overflow box, it will only drain the water until it gets below the lip of the overflow. My tank is 55 gallons too, and my overflow box sits less than 1/4 inch below the surface of the water. So if (for some reason) my return pump fails, my tank will only drain that 1/4 inch, once the water gets below the lip of the overflow box, it can't drain through the overflow. The trick is to leave enough space in your sump to accomodate the amount of water you have above the lip of the overflow box. That way a flood won't happen if the return pump fails.

When I set up my sump, I did several "trial" power outages just to make sure the tank and sump would not flood if the electricity went out. I'm about 90% confident that things would be okay were this to happen!

EDIT: Be sure to put a one-way valve somewhere in your return line to keep a reverse siphon from ocurring if the power goes out. Now THAT will cause a flood! I left out that crucial piece the first time I plumbed my sump. For half an hour my husband and I frantically took turns bailing water from the sump and the main tank until the water level was below the lockline outputs... Not fun.

 

[bobby]

Sorry I was tired. The water will stop were the hole is on your tank, if you have a hob overflow it will stop were the lip of the overflow is.

 

[kimoy]

you also need to make sure that on your return pipe(or whatever is you are using), there is a small hole as cloe to the water suface as possible to avoin it from siphoning water in case power goes out this is in addition to a check valve or reverse siphon if you are going to use one.

 

[JellyMan]

You dont have to have a drilled tank you can use pvc piping with pipe glue to run from your tank to the sump and vise versa just a suggestion.

 

[bobby]

Ya but if its drilled then you wont lose the siphon. If you can get it drilled I would buy it like that, also if its already drilled then you will save money because you wont have to buy the overflow.

 

[Bifferwine]

Mine's not drilled. I wish it was.