http://gallery.me.com/theamish#100002/Sump Design Pic
Sorry I cant get the image to load right on the page, but if you click the link it will take you right to my gallery.
Hey everyone, as the title says I am going to attempt my first BH/Sump install, I wanted to pick everyones brain and open my design up to everybody to see if it had any major flaws or if there was anything I should do differently. If you clicked the link you will see it's a very basic design, I'm just new at this and wanted to double check.
1) What size should I make the bulkhead(BH)? I was planning on using a BH with one of those cone screens on it that you see on all the aquarium sites.
2) If the water level is 5”, where should I drill the BH thru to be safe(in case of power failure) but to also get adequate filtering. I know it has to be high enough so that the sump can handle all the water above it, if that is true as long as I have it above the middle of the water(which is 18.7g) then I should be fine using a 10g tank right?
3) I was thinking of putting control valves on both the BH & Return to control the flow of water because it will be feeding into a waterfall/stream feature, will that be a problem? Also this would allow me to close them easily in case of emergency or if I had to swap out a pump or something.
4) What types of filter media are the best/most effective to use?
5) What size should the return line be? I’ve read it should be the same as BH but no less then half, is that accurate? Or should it be the exact size of the output of the pump?
6) Lastly, I’m sure this one is simple, but how do I do a water change from the sump? Should I just use a siphon or is there a more automated way to do it, like a drilled in drainage pipe with a control valve?
Before anybody says it, I’m sure I don’t really need to go thru all this trouble for 18g of water but the design I’m incorporating into the tank makes filter placement and maintenance a real problem. Plus I want to do this for the experience so when I do a larger tank I know what I’m doing!
Thanks Everyone!!
Sorry I cant get the image to load right on the page, but if you click the link it will take you right to my gallery.
Hey everyone, as the title says I am going to attempt my first BH/Sump install, I wanted to pick everyones brain and open my design up to everybody to see if it had any major flaws or if there was anything I should do differently. If you clicked the link you will see it's a very basic design, I'm just new at this and wanted to double check.
1) What size should I make the bulkhead(BH)? I was planning on using a BH with one of those cone screens on it that you see on all the aquarium sites.
2) If the water level is 5”, where should I drill the BH thru to be safe(in case of power failure) but to also get adequate filtering. I know it has to be high enough so that the sump can handle all the water above it, if that is true as long as I have it above the middle of the water(which is 18.7g) then I should be fine using a 10g tank right?
3) I was thinking of putting control valves on both the BH & Return to control the flow of water because it will be feeding into a waterfall/stream feature, will that be a problem? Also this would allow me to close them easily in case of emergency or if I had to swap out a pump or something.
4) What types of filter media are the best/most effective to use?
5) What size should the return line be? I’ve read it should be the same as BH but no less then half, is that accurate? Or should it be the exact size of the output of the pump?
6) Lastly, I’m sure this one is simple, but how do I do a water change from the sump? Should I just use a siphon or is there a more automated way to do it, like a drilled in drainage pipe with a control valve?
Before anybody says it, I’m sure I don’t really need to go thru all this trouble for 18g of water but the design I’m incorporating into the tank makes filter placement and maintenance a real problem. Plus I want to do this for the experience so when I do a larger tank I know what I’m doing!
Thanks Everyone!!
