How does a sump work?
- Thread starter nderouch
- Start date
I did a quick search on google and found this image and article:
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/wmckenzie/sumptank.htm
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/wmckenzie/sumptank.htm
Now if you chop out the anemone tank and top up tanks and their associated plumbing, you'll have a tank and sump system!
The basic operation of a sump is as follows:
Water from the main tank spills into an overflow; the overflow has a pipe leading to the sump. The sump is usually placed lower than the main tank, so the water flows through the overflow pipe and spills into the sump. In the sump is a bunch of filter media of some sort and a pump; the pump sucks water in and pushes it through a pipe back into the main tank.
The trick is getting the plumbing all set up so that your overflow pipe can keep up with the pump, and so you won't have a massive spill if the pump fails/ power goes out. I'll leave the explanation of all that to the experts!
The basic operation of a sump is as follows:
Water from the main tank spills into an overflow; the overflow has a pipe leading to the sump. The sump is usually placed lower than the main tank, so the water flows through the overflow pipe and spills into the sump. In the sump is a bunch of filter media of some sort and a pump; the pump sucks water in and pushes it through a pipe back into the main tank.
The trick is getting the plumbing all set up so that your overflow pipe can keep up with the pump, and so you won't have a massive spill if the pump fails/ power goes out. I'll leave the explanation of all that to the experts!
pretty good Notophthalmus
a FW sump would also not need a skimmer.
it is basically an external filter gravity fed.
it can get a bit tricky with the plumbing but not too bad.
you can have either a drilled overflow or a siphon overflow.
the sump will add more water volume to your tank. tho you don't want the capacity full on the sump tank.
there are baffles in the sump that control the volume of the tank.
you should be using some sort of check valve on the return side(pump) so that in the event of a power loss water is not siphoned back thru the return..this could cause an overflow of the sump.
the sump should be large enough to handle the overflow volume. in this case.
a FW sump would also not need a skimmer.
it is basically an external filter gravity fed.
it can get a bit tricky with the plumbing but not too bad.
you can have either a drilled overflow or a siphon overflow.
the sump will add more water volume to your tank. tho you don't want the capacity full on the sump tank.
there are baffles in the sump that control the volume of the tank.
you should be using some sort of check valve on the return side(pump) so that in the event of a power loss water is not siphoned back thru the return..this could cause an overflow of the sump.
the sump should be large enough to handle the overflow volume. in this case.
A check valve isn't completely necessary. I have 4 overflows running and none of the pump lines have check valves. All you need is a siphon break (hole in the pipe) right at or just below the waterline. That way, when the water level drops 1/8" or so, the hole is exposed to air and breaks the siphon, limiting the backflow through the pump.
IMO, if you are relying on a check valve, its an accident waiting to happen. If you get a snail in there, or even some algae buildup and the valve is unable to close completely, then if you lose power, you could potentially overflow the sump if you aren't there to catch it. I'd rather rely on a more robust failsafe.
IMO, if you are relying on a check valve, its an accident waiting to happen. If you get a snail in there, or even some algae buildup and the valve is unable to close completely, then if you lose power, you could potentially overflow the sump if you aren't there to catch it. I'd rather rely on a more robust failsafe.
Ok, you've described the basic set up but can you explain what the purpose/benefit of this system is?
Place to hide equipment (thermometer, heater, skimmer if SW)
Additional water volume
Different options for filtration (easily accessible mech, wet/dry...)
Possible to work in a veggie filter (fw)/refugium (sw)
Place to put equipment for auto-topoff/auto-waterchange
Additional water volume
Different options for filtration (easily accessible mech, wet/dry...)
Possible to work in a veggie filter (fw)/refugium (sw)
Place to put equipment for auto-topoff/auto-waterchange
There are two main benefits: filtration area and water volume. A sump gives you an enormous area that you can pack with mechanical, biological, and chemical filter media. It also greatly increases the volume of water in your system, which helps dilute nitrates, etc., and generally stabilize water chemistry.
A secondary benefit is that it reduces the amount of filtration-related equipment in and on your tank and puts it out of sight and out of your fish's way. You can put your heaters and other equipment in the sump too.
*EDIT* Well, nuts, Sploke is too fast!
A secondary benefit is that it reduces the amount of filtration-related equipment in and on your tank and puts it out of sight and out of your fish's way. You can put your heaters and other equipment in the sump too.
*EDIT* Well, nuts, Sploke is too fast!
