How can I run a sump and a separate fuge?

[djxtc21]

so for my tank I have a sump with a small fuge, but I wanted to add a 10 or 20g with a DSB and tons of macro algae and pods

I do not want to drill the tanks, but how could I make this work easily?

I was thinking just buy 2 small identical pumps (so I have the same rate of flow) and have one taking water from the sump into the fuge and the other taking the water from teh fuge back to the sump at the same rate its coming in

 

[albano]

I was thinking just buy 2 small identical pumps (so I have the same rate of flow)

Don't bet on it!, the odds of the pumps being the same flow and/or remaining the same flow, are against you, you WILL have a flood!

 

[Master Shake]

get a pvc pipe, cut it into 3 pieces and then take 2 elbows and make a siphon between the 2 sumps kinda like a u-tube between the 2 parts of a overflow box

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

get a pvc pipe, cut it into 3 pieces and then take 2 elbows and make a siphon between the 2 sumps kinda like a u-tube between the 2 parts of a overflow box

I was going to say the same

 

[djxtc21]

really that simple? I was thinking of that, but it just seemed too easy.

That is what I will do then, thanks

 

[masterswimmer]

This is repetitive floods waiting to happen.

Why don't you want to drill the tanks?

swimmer

 

[richardhmc]

This is repetitive floods waiting to happen.

Why don't you want to drill the tanks?

swimmer

I think that's the easiest way.. drill holes in the ends of both tanks and connect with a really wide pipe so that theres alot of water going in between

 

[Imbarrie]

I have two tanks for a sump connected with a U tube from an overflow box. It works but it is a weak link in my system. Going to drill them as soon as I can.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[Master Shake]

with the way i posted above, i work in the store on here-total aquariums and before we stitched around the store our salt fish selection filter was 3 home made 90 wet drys and a 55 with the return pumps. all the wet drys were daisy chained with the way that i said to do it.

 

[Imbarrie]

It is possible to run like that. You just have to watch for air bubbles getting trapped.


Sent from my iPhone using Reefs

 

[djxtc21]

I think that's the easiest way.. drill holes in the ends of both tanks and connect with a really wide pipe so that theres alot of water going in between

cant drill because the glass on the 55g is tempered

 

[beerfish]

Use a good overflow box on the 55g which drains to the 20g. Drill the side of the 20g and put a drain pipe on it so that it drains into the 10g fuge with a section in the 10g to put the return pump.

 

[richardhmc]

cant drill because the glass on the 55g is tempered

oh really? I thought it was only tempered on the bottom..

 

[djxtc21]

Use a good overflow box on the 55g which drains to the 20g. Drill the side of the 20g and put a drain pipe on it so that it drains into the 10g fuge with a section in the 10g to put the return pump.

When I said I had a 20g existing fuge, I meant that it is a chamber within my 55g sump

 

[beerfish]

When I said I had a 20g existing fuge, I meant that it is a chamber within my 55g sump

Ummm... ok... Can you explain your whole setup then?

 

[djxtc21]

ok the DT is a 125g reef ready tank and the sump is a 55g AGA tank

+ the two overflows from the DT flow into the far left side of the 55g sump
+ the first chamber on the far left is the skimmer chamber
+ then there is a glass divider that is raised about 5 inches (sponges are here to trap detritus) and this flows into the current fuge area
+ after the fuge area there is a bubble trap with 3 baffles, and then finally a return chamber that houses the in sump return pump going back to the main tank

the overflows go into the sump at about a total of 1200gph, and leaves the sump at about 950gph (flow is lost due to all the chambers in the sump, so i did not need a return pump going at 1200gph)

 

[beerfish]

So drill the new tank and let it drain back into the sump. Feed it with a Maxijet. It would basically work the same way as a reactor. Feed into the far side of the additional tank, let it run over the fuge area and drain back into the sump area.

 

[NL146]

the overflows go into the sump at about a total of 1200gph, and leaves the sump at about 950gph (flow is lost due to all the chambers in the sump, so i did not need a return pump going at 1200gph)

Not sure that I get this. At equilibrium your overflow rate is the same as your return rate, which would make it 950gph.

 

[djxtc21]

Not sure that I get this. At equilibrium your overflow rate is the same as your return rate, which would make it 950gph.

what I meant to say is that the overflows on my tank are rated at 600gph each (1200 total) but through all the piping to get to the sump it slows down

Also it slows down in the pump, originally I tried a 1200gph return pump, but I was returning water to the DT fast than my sump was filling up (disaster waiting to happen)

Through the use of a ball-valve I saw that I did not need to adjust too much, I had a spare 950gph pump from my old tank so I gave it a shot and it worked perfect. If there is every an issue I can switch back to my basically new 1200gph pump and just dial it down

 

[djxtc21]

So drill the new tank and let it drain back into the sump. Feed it with a Maxijet. It would basically work the same way as a reactor. Feed into the far side of the additional tank, let it run over the fuge area and drain back into the sump area.

I know I am being a pansy, I just do not want to drill a tank unless it is really needed and if someone can help me

but would this concept work with an overflow box instead of the hole in the 10g?

also I am assuming the 10g would have to be positioned higher than the 55g