Anyone Pump Water Down to Sump from tank?

[DavidG1966]

I don't have a predrilled tank. I am uncomfortable with overflow boxes. Can I sit two water pumps high enough in my tank not to overflow my sump and then pump water down to my sump? Is this not a good alternative to a overflow box? Does anyone do this? What is the downside????

[Texas Dolly]

you can never match the water flow rates. One of the two would flood. This is a bad idea.

Get a good overflow.

[DavidG1966]

cant match flow rates of what? if i get two 400gph pumps down and match that going back up how is that different then an overflow box? please explain? Pumps would sit high enough in tank never to over flow sump

[jjmg]

Are you planning to have pumps in your sump to return the water, I'm assuming you are. The chances of getting all these pumps to pump the same amount is pretty slim. A blockage on any one pump would mean a flood or burned up pumps from running dry. I don't think it will work, but I'm sure someone knows more than I do about it.

[DavidG1966]

can anyone explain this with some physics?

[Entropy]

This is very dangerous. Imagine your two pumps pump 800gph combined and the sump pump craps out. The two pumps will pump the water out of the top of the tank, and then burn out. The other disaster scenario is the sump pump pumps just a tiny bit more than the other pumps eventually flooding your display tank until there isn't enough water to pump and all three pumps burn out. you are much better off with an external overflow. Setup properly, they are pretty reliable.

[thrlride]

An overflow will only drain as much as the pump can provide the water up to a point. That range is quite large. A 1" bulkhead can move close to 600 gph. If your pump was 500 gph you'd be fine. If it was 600 you'd be fine or if it was 5 gph you'd be fine.

With what you are asking you would be taking a HUGE risk. The pump moving water from the sump to the tank could be slower than the other and then your sump would flood. The tank pump could be slower and you'd flood your tank.

[Entropy]

If you really want to try this, I suggest you set it up outside where a little water won't hurt anything. :D

[jjmg]

You can place your sump/fuge above your tank and pump water up to it and allow gravity to return it to you tank.

[shelbyville]

It is basically impossible for two pumps to match the exact same water flow because for one the pumps are always different flow rates no matter what, even the difference on 1 gallon per hour will flood one of your tanks, also if you get to of the same pumps the one pumping water back to the tank from the sump well loose lots of flow from head loss. So all in all just get an overflow box, I have one and am very happy with it.

[DavidG1966]

thank you THRIRIDE... that make sense!!! Overflow box it is! Im an idiot for getting into this so fast and not getting a predrilled tank! DOH! Homer MAAAAAD!!!

[DavidG1966]

You can place your sump/fuge above your tank and pump water up to it and allow gravity to return it to you tank.....

This is doable for me. Very interseting? Any downside??????

[jjmg]

This works well with a fuge normally. The pump/powerhead will have to be in you main tank so that limits the size. For a fuge that you want low flow in pumping it up and allowing gravity to feed back down should allow more pods to make the journey to the main tank without getting beat up by a pump.

[thrlride]

Originally posted by DavidG1966
thank you THRIRIDE... that make sense!!! Overflow box it is! Im an idiot for getting into this so fast and not getting a predrilled tank! DOH! Homer MAAAAAD!!!

I said something that made sense? :eek1:

I never looked in to the above tank sump or fuge because I couldn't imagine it looking attractive. My tank is in the breakfast area of my house so it must look furniture quality.

[DavidG1966]

what about for a wet/dry any downside here?????

[thrlride]

Wet/drys with bioballs can eventually raise your nitrates. If you use the wet/dry I would remove the bioballs now assuming your tank doesn't have water yet. You'd be better off with a regular sump under your tank with a good high quality skimmer in it.

[DavidG1966]

It is hidden in a closet so looks dont matter.... I could actually have it at the ceiling or even in the attic if i wanted (lol)... can anyone tell me a downside to pumping up to a wetdry and gravity flow back to the tank????

[jjmg]

You would have to have a large pump in you display tank and the wet/dry would either be out in the open or you would have to build something to hide it.

I agree with thrlride, that I can't imagine it looking very good. But it is a great way to run a fuge.

[DavidG1966]

ty thrride.... what about a sump above my tank with a skimmer. I will be buying a euro-reef skimmer. I desperately dont want an overflow box

[jjmg]

Make sure you have at least 2 feeds for the water to drain from your wet/dry in case one gets clogged the other will still drain. I've seen this as one slightly higher than the other. The system works well.

[DavidG1966]

the equipment is in a closet looks dont matter.... i just care about functionallity

[thrlride]

You might be able to plumb a pump over the back of your tank to feed the sump. If the sump is in above the tank you'd need a beefier pump to overcome the head loss.

Also, you'd want a chamber in your wet/dry where it drains from to be rather small so that if you have a power outage it doesn't drain your entire sump to the tank. That would be bad.

[thrlride]

Is getting your tank drilled out of the question?

[TimberTDI]

I think you better slow down and do some searching and reading.

It seems like you are going to setup a wet dry with some sort of media and water running straight through. So it won't be a sump because it won't actually be holding any water. If I am correct you might as well just get a HOB filter (hang on back)

If i am not correct, than you would have to keep the water level in your main tank a bit lower. This is to compensate in the event of a power failure that your sump won't overflood you main tank.

[DavidG1966]

yeah can't drill now.... made my bed now i need to sleep in it! I will just get the amiracle mr300 http://www.tplastech.com/amiracle/filters_maxireefseries.htm with the duel overflow boxes and get used to it. Thank you for your responses tonight!!!

[TimberTDI]

Just noticed that your almost a local

Join us here too, if you'd like

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Hudson Valley Reef Keepers (http://hvreef.org/yabb/)

[thrlride]

An overflow would be best. Good choice :)

[DavidG1966]

Monroe... Your just up the NYS Thruway from me. About 20mins. Thanks for the link!