My Filtration Mistake is Killing ME- I need advice

[Jamie]

I couldn't sleep last night do to a bad decision in regards to my tank setup. Here is my story... I purchased a 150g with a nice hardwood stand and canopy. I opted for the wet/dry filtration system...some said that it would be fine, others said to go with a canister.....I found out that wet/dry = BIG MISTAKE..... Well, last week I installed the plumbing under my tank for the wet/dry sump. After about a week of my tank just sitting there I finally got to putting in water last night. I turned on the pump and was astonished by the excruciatingly loud noise of the overflow and sump..not to mention how much the water was being agitated (potential to gas off CO2). I was devastated. I have spent so much time planning for this tank, researching lighting req, substrate, ferts, press. CO2 injection, aquascape, plants etc. that this screw up is killing me. I ended up modifying the over flow with Durso Stand pipes which reduced the noise, but not nearly enough. The whole flitration set up seems to be a flop in terms of what I intend to use it for - a serene planted tank. On top of it all, I paid an arm and a leg to have holes drilled in the bottom of my tank and to have corner weirs installed.

Well, I've come to terms with the fact that I have to suck it up, cut my losses, and consider it an expensive lesson learned. I should be able to return the sump - it's a standard item from the tank manufacturer, but the tank is probably mine forever...since I had holes drilled and weirs installed...I created a "custom tank" designed just for me. I still have 4 days to return my sump's return pump to Big Als ($160). I figure I should exchange it for a quality canister filter...which I know nothing about and am running extremely short on time to make a decision. I guess I can still make use of the weirs to hide my heater and pH electrode (currently in the sump). I may even be able to put a CO2 reactor in one of them.(Hidden is good) I will have to cap the four holes drilled in the bottom rear corners of my tank and live with the fact that they are pointlessly there.

Pls pls pls, if anyone has any suggestions as to what I should do send them my way. I really need some emergency insight on canister filters. From what I've read Eheim is a good brand. 80Gal Joe once recommended a Filstar 4. Maybe the Eheim 2028, or is the 2200 series better. Should I get a filter that is rated over the gallon amount I need? One reminder - the tank is 150g, intended for heavy planting.

Thank You all soooooo much.

[Doublette90]

Don't give up on it yet! My hubby has a 120G overflow tank with the sump underneath and it is quiet, I am sitting about 5 or 6 feet away from it and I can barely hear it. The CO2 is at a good level. The plants have done very well. I will get him to look at your post and give you better answers. I just wanted to let you know it can be done. (He's working nights right now so it might not be till tomorrow that he answers)

[Jamie]

Thank You, I'm really stressing out here and want to make the best of a bad situation.

[carpguy]

If you decide to go with a canister, Eheims are great filters and are very nearly silent. Fluvals and Filstars both have fan bases, but I think the consensus is that Eheims are better and costlier and it becomes a question of whether or not they're worth it.

If you decide to stick with the sump, tinkering may help. Lots of folks have them and are happy with them. I'm not one of those folks (canister, Eheim), but I've looked into them and its always seemed to me that there was a certain amount of tinkering and adjusting to be done. Hopefully some of the more expert sumpers will wander along soon and help you sort things out.

A more specific description of the racket may help them when they do come by. I have, for instance, seen several ideas for correcting gurgling standpipes. You might also want to bang around in the salty section or at (the unaffiliated) ReefCentral (http://reefcentral.com/). Salty folks often have more experience with running big tanks, overflows, sumps, etc. You might also swing past the very expert crew at AquaBotanic (http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfrm&s=4006090712). They know many things…

[Tempest]

I know many of the plant experts seem to swear by sumps... So I'd sure get over to www.aquabotanic.com and look at their forum for some help. I know the moderator of one of their forums has a whole diary on there about his 100 gallon tank which is wonderful. He had the bottom drilled so presumably it's using a sump? Look in the DIY hardware section there for the diary by James Hofteizer.

[Dabbler II]

Well it took me about 6-8 months to figure out on how to keep my co2 in my tank and keep the tank nice and quite. I do have a over flow style tank. I found that I was loseing my co2 in the overflow because of the cascading effect of the over flow so I first chocked back the drain valve to raise the hight of the water in the overflow to about 1-2" from the top that quitened up the gurgle noise and wow over night mp ph was down to 6.9 from 7.6. But I didn't like the fact that my drain valve was choked back ( because if somthing got caught in the valve boom the tank would overflow. I extended my drain line up and put an elbow, a tee, and another elbow down then my sponge filters on there so in efect my sponges were pointing down ( like a big upside down u) thats when it started making lots of noise. I found that if on the tee you just place a cap with a very small hole drilled in it there is enuf air getting buy to break the suction but yet you have free flow and no chance to overflow your tank( and as fore noise I have my tank within arms reach from my computer and the cpu fan on my computer is noiser than my tank. If the water level gets to high it will cover the small hole and creat a syphon effect and suck that water down so fast and rest itself. As for a noisey sump there are a couple of things you can do
1 if it is a mechanical noise try placing the pump on a thin peice of foam and using flex PVC pipe for your discharge( or in my case I had a realy noisy pump and I chucked out the door and bought a new one:) )
2. If it a water gurgle in the sump try placing some filter floss just above your bioballs it will sofen the sound and no big water sound.
Ill try to get some pictures of my over flow up on my site I think the ones there are old now and I'll place a link here

Don't give up its worth keeping the sump and keeping all your gear hidden so you can have a nice "clean looking" tank with just Fishes and plants:D

[carpguy]

I thought this guy had a useful silencer modification (http://www.livinglava.com/diy_stockman_mod.htm) of a Durso. Its included in the plans for my next setup, haven't tried it yet.

This article (http://www.thereefweb.com/Prefilter_silencer.htm) also had some good bits on quieting different aspects of the system, although I don't personally care for the ball-valve idea. If you ask "Whats the worst that could happen?" and the answer is "Very bad things" then its an idea that needs reworking IMHO.

HTH

[Dabbler II]

I hope this drawing helps a little.:D The small hole will be just enuf to break the suction and you won't have to choke back the drain line:)

[carpguy]

Dabbler,
If that's a siphon over the side, a self starting overflow box with the silencer mod linked above would be a safer bet. Very similar idea.

[Dabbler II]

All this is still in the overflow box in the tank no external over flow box just looped inside (I failed drawing and coloring in grade one:D )

[Dabbler II]

I'll have to try that mod .... but I still like having my foam on there for a pre filter before my bio balls in my sump.

[Jamie]

I have the durso pipes installed already. puttong floss on the wet/dry entry reduced the trickle noise substantially. With the stand pipes I have less echo but a very loud noise similar to that of a gallon jug turned upside down. Any suggestions?

[carpguy]

I'd take a good look at the Stockman standpipe (http://www.livinglava.com/diy_stockman_mod.htm). Stockman calls it a takeoff on Durso, Durso says its an original take (http://www.rl180reef.com/pages/standpipe/standpipe-ken_stockman.htm) on the same basic principle. Just seems to me like it would be more effective at addressing some of the gurgling issues.

Some of the details:

Drill a hole in the cap… to allow some allow air to flow down._ This equalizes pressure in the plumbing down to the sump… eliminating the dreaded "toilet gurgle" noise… I drilled a 1/8" hole in the cap._ Some people even install an air valve to control the amount of air but I didn't find this step necessary.

It might work just as well on a Durso.

On Stockman's page he also mentions
I threaded airline tubing from the overflow down to the sump._ Then I slowly pulled the airline back up and listened for the airline to begin sucking air, which equalizes the pressure in the plumbing thus eliminating noise._ This worked very well however needed regular adjustment and sometimes proved frustrating finding the "sweet spot" when the airline sucked air.

[Jamie]

Well, I've got everything under control. Thank you all for your support and advice. The problem ended up being the manufacturers fault. They built the lid of my sump with only one 1" return hole despite the fact that I have two 1" return hoses. Their response to this when I brought it up was to just T the two 1" hoses together to form one 1" that would connect to the lid. Well, it didn't work!! After much trouble shooting I ended up cutting my plumbing and let both return hoses flow freely w/o the T connector...presto...everything worked fine. I brought the lid back to the manufacturer and they drilled another hole. Now all I have to do is get my CO2 reactor to work properly and figure out why my water is so darn cloudy. I'm new to such a large tank. It has been running for about a week now (just water, gravel, decorations) and it is still very cloudy. I put some large bags of activated carbon in the sump to clear it up before I put my plants in(can't have the carbon w/ the plants). Still no joy. Hopefully once I get some bacteria growing all will be well. Though none of my smaller tanks have ever given me this problem and they ranged from 10 to 55 gallons.

[Dabbler II]

I am glad all is well with the noisy tank

If the cloudyness is a bactierial (sp) Bloom it will clear up after a while after the fish and plants get established( but if money is no object....cheat and put a UV on your tank I did, it has been clear ever since:D ).

[Jamie]

The cloudiness is just about gone after a week or so. not long at all. I'm still struggling with the effectiveness of my set up. ie maintaining CO2 levels and figuring out why my fish are kicking the bucket.

[Mouflon44]

Dabbler,
I noticed your comment about getting a UV and your water has been clear ever since. I am in the process of planning a large planted aquarium. I am trying to cover all bases to increase my chance of success and was wondering if maybe I should plan on having a UV as well. I have been out of the hobby for many years(had a 125 gal.reeftank in the early nineties) but I remember UV being discussed for saltwater reef tanks at that time. However, after researching substrate, and flitration (so far) I haven't run into any mention of UV till I read your post. I want to make sure I don't overlook anything. What role would the UV play in a freshwater planted tank?
This question possibly belongs in the newbie section, but since you seem to have great success with your tank (beautiful tank BTW), I would like to have your input. Thank you.