gravity powered return from sump

[noah2886]

OK so i know ive seen someone doing something of this nature before and since i have no clue how to build a normal under tank sump ive decided to attempt the following this is all still in the planning stage and ive decided id like some input in case im missing something I am planning to use a 20 gal rubber maid container that will be higher then the tank in the back of it useing some sort of either self constructed or premade stand if i can find one or maybe even a very strong shelf of some sort. I plan to move water into it with an aqua clear 90 (will this powerhead be able to move water upwords of the tank about 4 feet? ... if not is there a powerhead that will be able to efficently?) and some siphon tubeing zip tied and hung over the top of the container(will the siphon tubeing kink near the top of the container? what could i do to prevent this?) Im not planning on any baffels and will be bare bottom with maybe some live rock and/or cheato i will be useing whatever kind of cheap lighting i can find at home depot (any suggestions?) for the return towards the top of the container i will cut a 1" hole for a 1" curved piece of pvc to come out (sealed around the edges with silicone?)then another straight piece of 1" pvc down about another 4 feet into the tank any and all suggestions or comments welcome and greatly appreciated thanx in advance

- Noah-

[tmplge]

IMO that is a bad idea, not even considering all the things that may go wrong and that it may not look nice, your always going to get water evaporating from your display instead of the sump. put the sumpt underneath, get either and overflow box or get you tank drilled, then all you need to do is get a pipe running from your tank (overflow) to the sump underneath. Have a pump in the sump to push the water back up into your tank. the overflow will only take out as much water as the pump puts into the tank. PM me if you need help.

[noah2886]

i dont mind what it looks like much im not about what it looks like around the tank but more what it looks like inside the tank also i was just wondering what all could go wrong?

[Sheldon337]

Check out this months TOTM. He has a gravity fed refugium. It is cool because the pods dont have to be fed up to the tank with pumps, but just flow down without being killed.

I do however agree with Tmplge, that you are effectively making your tank the space that houses your return pump, and will need the auto top-off.

If you are not specifically trying to obtain this benefit i mentioned, you should probably stick with the standard sump-below method.

[noah2886]

What is the TOTM ? what do you mean by when you say i will need an auto top off? also does anyone have any suggestions on what pump or lights i should use i was also thinking about maybe putting some sand in it since i have crushed coral substrate in my display thanx for the suggestions so far and more input and suggestions would be great thanx

-Noah-

[Spuds725]

TOTM-- Topic Of The Month??

Why are you putting your "sump" 4 feet above the tank-- that should almost be at the ceiling.

If you do go this route, I would consider using a bulkhead fitting on the tote-- the caulked PVC elbow would probably work-- just might fall off it too much weight is applied.

Have you considered buying a 20 gallon glass tank and putting it beside and sligthly above the display tank and having a "display" refugium?? You can drill glass (but it is pretty touchy)-- better if you can get an acrylic tank or even build a display acrylic sump.

As long as the water level in the "sump" fuge is above the water level in the tank, it should work---this is sort of what I'm describing--

http://www.acquaportal.it/Articoli/Tecnica/refigium/images/Refugium4.jpg

[noah2886]

that is a great idea spuds!!! thanx ! i will deffinately attempt something like that though i think i will use hose to go over the top of my display and then the outtake higher then the top also higher then the display so there is no drilling involved

[Spuds725]

You might want to reconsider drilling the fuge tank-- do it up near the water line (easiest with an acrylic tank)-- for the return back to the tank-- it will gravity drain back-- don't have to mess with a siphon overflow (which can possibly malfunction).

You don't want to pump to and back from the fuge-- the two pumps will never balance--one will always be faster then the other and drain one and flood the other.

Also-- I was wrong TOTM-- TANK of the Month.

Check it out....

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/totm/index.htm