I really don't understand sumps

cattlegrid_79

cattlegrid_79

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Mar 24, 2004
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Brighton, England
www.altereagles.co.uk
I'm still debating whether to build a sump into my new system or not. Everything I seem to be able to read on them is a little further down the line than what i want.

To me, it would be great to increase the volume of water and have somewhere to hide all the equipment.

Could someone start with the basice for me, and i mean basics!!!

I get that it's a further tank full of water, connected to the main tank. It has an inlet and a return. Does the pump return the water to the main tank only, or does it draw water from the main tank, through the sump and then return it.

How is the possibility of overflow handled?

Sorry, I realise this is a bit vague...but so is my knowledge on this type of system!!!
 
The water gets into the sump through gravity. An overflow box (sometimes built into the tank, sometimes a literal box that hangs on the side of the tank) has water run into it, and then siphon /gravity feed down to the sump. A pump returns the water from the sump into the main tank. The water returning to the tank raises the water level enough that is goes into the overflow box. Floods are prevented in 2 ways--first, the overflow box itself. If the water level drops below the box, no more water goes into the sump that way. Second, the return tube (connected to the pump) must be drilled with a 'siphon break'--a hole that sucks in air if the power goes off.

HTH
 
The overflow consists of 2 boxes. One sits inside the tank, usually in a corner. It hangs so the top of the box is just below the level of water in the tank. There is a second box that hangs outside the tank, directly inline with the inside box. A U-tube sits with one end in each box, and you create a siphon pulling water from the inside box to the outside box, where it drains into the sump.

marinedepot_1788_47903024


This is one variation, where the inside piece (on the right) is connected to the outside piece, and the whole contraoption hangs on the side of your tank. You can see the bulkhead fitting in the outside piece--pipe or tubing connects to this to get the water to the sump. There is a baffle in the outside piece, so the water level won't drop enough to lose your siphon.
 
With the drilled tanks, everything is inside the tank, and can be plumbed as a straight drop into the sump. So no worries about losing the siphon, no worries about a snail clogging the external water lines and flooding anything.

For big tanks, it's usually impossible to drill them yourself--the bottoms are usually tempered glass and an attempt to drill it will shatter the pane.
 
That link is awesome, Cearbhaill.

I've just been reading it for ages. Very useful information. I think i would feel a lot safer going with a drilled tank rather than a siphon based overflow. I can just picture coming back from holiday or a weekend away and finding that the siphon broke which overflowed the main tank and flooded my house, shortly follewed by a fire caused by the pump running dry for ages.

I can see the look on my missus' face now!!!

The tank i will be getting is probably going to be a 4-footer of about 70us gallons (ish) plus a 2 foot old FW tank as a sump.

Do you think i will be able to get my main tank drilled somewhere?
 
If you're buying the tank new, you can usually find or order them drilled, complete with the overflow kits installed. I did this for the 120's, and it was much cheaper than it would have been to buy them seperate.

If the tank is not already drilled, you won't be able to drill the bottom, but you can drill the holes in the sides (usually)--not as straight a shot, but quite workable.
 
I was going to ask that. Does the overflow have to be plumbed in to the bottom or could i just put a hole in the side or back and then build the overflow around that. Surely with just a bulkhead and a PVC 90 degree elbow, i could have it running like that???

Or would that be too easy.
 
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