Sump Plumbing Question

[dallaskerley]

Hello, I have been looking everywhere, but I can't find a clear explanation or diagram for plumbing my 59 gal Reef ready oceanic tank to a sump in the stand below. Where do I put the various valves? I want to have a skimmer in the sump so do I just put in the sump and let the output overflow into the other chambers? Is an external pump better than submersible? Should I use 2 pumps with a y adapter to one pipe back to the tank? I know this is a lot of questions but I have tried to solve them through research on the sight and it just gets mor confusing.

thanks Dallas

[The Aquarist]

It would help to have a specific diagram or picture of the sump. That way I could give more specific answers, but for the purpose of moving things along, lets just say your sump is an empty tank that is split into 2 or 3 compartments.

There may be a valve on the skimmer. This depends on which sprotein skimmer you use. The open bottom sump skimmers do not use a valve. The protein Skimmer should be located in the first section of the sump. Some people have their skimmer output stay in section one and overflow to section 2. Others have the output going directly into section 2. It's a matter of sump design, skimmer design and personal preference. The skimmer would have a dedicated pump.

The only other valves that may be used are placed here:

Option 1. If you have a bulkhead coming out of the last compartment. ..... You can place a valve on either side of the pump to close off the water from both sides. That's helpful when you need to do pump maintenance.

Option 2. If you don't have a bulkhead and you use a submersible sump pump (Quiet submersible/Mag Drive Submersible etc.), then you don't need a valve in the line to do pump maintenance. Just shut the pump and when the pipe or tube empties, you are free to disconnect the pump without getting water all over the place.

*** Always leave enough space in the sump (ALWAYS!) so that any water that comes back to the sump during a power outage will fit and not overflow the sump! Also .. you can place a check valve and/or don't submerse the end of the return pipe (In the main tank) to keep water from syphoning off the top of your tank and overflowing the sump! ***

Option 3. Some people need a valve above the sump pump because their pump moves more water than their overflow can return, so they have to use a valve to restrict the flow out of the pump. The worst thing about this is that the pump needs to work with that restriction and it can run hotter and raise tank water temperature. I usually work around that (If the pump is too powerful) by putting a PVC "T" fitting in the line above the pump and I send a faucet arrangement back over the sump. I just use one valve in the pipe that returns to the sump and no valve in the line that goes higher to the tank. I can allow all water to return immediately to the sump or I can restrict the amount that returns to the sump and the remaining water goes to the main tank. I can keep adjusting it this way until I am happy with how much water goes to the main tank.

I run an external Iwaki as a sump pump on one tank that has a bulkead fitted sump, but my other tank has a glass tank as a sump and there are no bulkhead fittings, so I use a submersible Quiet One there. They are both great. Just get a quality pump. Don't skimp.

I've had the Iwaki running for many years. I don't even remember what model it is. I'd have to see if it is actually listed on the pump. As for the Quiet One Submersibles, I have a 3000, 4000 and 6000. Those are all great. .... Quiet and no heat issues. I run Eheims too. Also very dependable.

I like to keep every pumps plumbing separate. I never hook up 2 on the same line and most people follow that rule.

Did I answer everything? Post any remaining questions.


Good luck.

[mikeo1210]

I found this diagram extremely helpful when setting up my sump:

http://inlandreef.com/Images/DIY/Plumbing/plumbing.gif

This one's a little more complex involving a refugium setup:

http://inlandreef.com/Images/DIY/Plu...gium_plumb.gif

I had these diagrams in hand when I made my first of several trips to the hardware store.

[dallaskerley]

Thanks for the replies, Mikeo120 the diagrams really helped. Aquarist, Thank you for the detailed reply. My protein skimmer is a euroreef es5-3. I was thinking of using a 15 gal tank so no bulkheads. I need a quiet sump so do you recomend a submersible or a external as being more quite? I like the idea of your t to regulate the flow. Any idea what type of flow I will need for the 58 gal with the sump below the tank??

Thanks Dallas

[The Aquarist]

I think life would be simpler with a submersible. The Quiet One 3000 is 780 gph, which may seem a little strong for a 58 gallon, but after you figure in the head loss from pumping 3 or 4 feet to the tank, you'd be getting about 580 actual gph. That's a 10 times turn over rate, which has actually been recomended by some aquarium professionals. Every elbow in your plumbing will also reduce the flow rate.

You also have the option of splitting the return line with another "T" fitting and you can have the water return in 2 places. I would put the line split near the top if you do that though. If you do it close to the pump, then you would be adding alot more pipe or tubing that the water would have to be pumped upwards in and that would slow your flow down even more ... it would also be additional water that returns to your sump in a power outage. The best place to put the split would be up near the top of the tank and actually make a "T" there. .... just some ideas ...

I love the Quiet Ones. Some people have said the 4000HH is a little loud, but I hear the water moving more than I hear the Quiet Ones I have. It must just the HH (High Head) model that is a little louder. I don't have that one. The Quiet ones have a nice thick cord too, which just makes me feel better about using them.

For more info, go to this page:
http://www.thatpetplace.com/intro/main.html
and in the search box, type

quiet one aquarium pump

... then click search.


My second choice on a submersible would be Eheim. Also very quiet in my experience, but considerably more expensive.