Pump Setup Question?

[Studdlygoof]

Hey all...had a quick pump question about my setup

Here is my current setup...



The pump is setup INSIDE the tank with the intake coming from the UGF and then pumping it out of the tank and down to the sump...my pump has a max head height of 6ft which i am well under with this setup...my question lies in here...do you think I would have enough suction power to run the pump OUTSIDE the tank and down near the sump...I would still be well under the 6 ft max and I believe that with the pump hooked up outside of the tank it would make pump maintenance if need be 10x's easier.

...any thoughts/comments/experiences appreciated...

[Rainfrog]

I would be very carefull how this is set up. With sump setups I prefer to have the sump return on a pump and the flow to the sump be an overflow/drain type flow. This way if anything hapens to the pump you dont run into problems. with a pump out set up if something hapens to the return flow clog/pump malfunction the return stops but the out flow keeps going to messy messy results, not as big a problem for turtles as for fish but still a mess for you. If the out pump fails you over flow your tank and burn out the return pump. with a drain/overflow out and pump return if the pump fails nothing hapens the system stops.

[Studdlygoof]

I see your point...so you would drill an overflow hole in the glass a little under the water line and let gravity pull the water to the sump correct?

[Studdlygoof]

You know now that i think about that some more that isnt going to work for me because that defeats the whole purpose of a UGF...an overflow is going to leave me syphoning the tank every other day...im trying to design it a little bit more maintenance free...

[Rainfrog]

Very true, it wont work with the UGF. Just watch close and keep up on pump maintenance. Have you thought about adding a canister filter? If you used the canister filter as the out pump it would colect larger particles and lessen your work load for the sump. the canister would add mechanical and chemical (carbon) filtration and would also add more bio filtration and help the sumps bio filration process. You would want to make shure though that you got something that had a managable Gallons Per Hour (GPH) so the return could keep up.

[Studdlygoof]

Yeah i think im going to have to stick with the pumps...possibly getting two flow gauges and attach them to the intake and outake of the PVC so i can keep an eye on the flow of water...my sump will have mechanical, bio and chemical all incorperated into it...took a rubbermaid miniture filing cabinet...drilled holes in the drawers...and will insert each filter media into each drawer...the water will be pumped into the top of the cabinet and exit through the bottom into the actual sump...this way i all i need to do is open a drawer to change filter material and the system can keep running...thanks for the feedback...just think with the amount of waste turtles create i need to best type of bottom filtration available and in my opinon thats the UGF...

[Jason]

Any one who is looking to add a " sump " to there VIV should hit up a Saltwater Fish forum like Reef Central Online Community . Alot of ideas on how to run and set up a sump. There DIY section is top notch, most wont apply here as skimmers and reactors wont be needed . but as how to regulate and guage flow needed for your plimbing. Least thats what i did

[Waterkeeper]

You will NEVER get 2 pumps to flow at the same rate. i have seen this attempt fail MANY MANY times by fellow reef keepers. Trust Jason's advice and Hit up the DIY forum on RC. You will find many ways that will actually work. 2 pumps will not.

Here is a cool way to do an overflow so that you do not have to drill the tank.

DIY Overflow and Sump - Reef Builders Forums

[Jason]

Built 2 for friends. no complaints yet

[Waterkeeper]

damn Jason.. that thing is massive! same idea as the one I linked to except it probably flows a higher gph.. How many GPH are you flowing through that, and how did you prime it the first time?