Returning to hobby, need some help

[Pinehurst]

I would like to say hello from Pennsylvania, trying to stay warm up here.. Anyways, I'm returning to the hobby after about 6 years and having sold off all my aquarium stuff. In the past, I had a successful 110g reef tank until a hitchhiker mantis destroyed my tank and dreams having said that, I've recently decided to pursue this again, however, I'm still in the planning stages. I'm going about this totally different, I plan to plumb from this tank which will be considerably smalled than a 110g.. it'll be a 40g breeder, hence the need for a fuge/sump to increase my water volume - couple ideas i've been tossing around and would like some response.

For a 40g breeder:

- i was going to make a custom stand big enough to fit a fuge/sump of equal size or just slightly smaller and plumb to the main display... dont really have any concerns just figured this is the easiest choice.

- my 2nd idea was to plumb to my basement which will give me more room and i could buy a rather large and cheap tank for a fuge/sump, which would be directly under my tank but i'm thinking i'll need a monster return pump to pump up about 15 feet..leads me to a few questions, how much do you guys think water will cool down from that height and will it create too much water movement in my main tank? appreciate the responses and thoughts

 

[Pinehurst]

Oh wanted to also add if anyone has ever heard of having a bigger fuge/sump tank than an actual main display? if so, what type of problems can arise?

 

[mr_X]

you can put a ball valve on the pump and adjust it to exactly what you would like to come back to the DT.
you will need to purchase a pressure rated pump. something with high head.
it doesn't necessarily have to be large, but it will have to be strong.

you don't need to make a custom stand if you are going with option 1. you can find a piece of furniture that will work fine, and probably be more attractive.

there aren't any problems that can arise from a much larger sump, except for- running out of room in the DT and being pissed at yourself for not swapping the two in the beginning!

 

[Pinehurst]

thanks for the reply

I'm guessing I'll probly need a few ball valves for both the drain to the sump and the return. Any problems you can foresee with my distance from DT to sump area? I'm estimating 15 feet or so, I was thinking 1" piping but maybe 1.5" would be better. Thinking ahead, and hoping to raise copepods and such in the fuge..you think the pressure need to pump from the fuge to DT would be too harsh on the pods? i guess worst comes to worst, i could manually transfer them.

Doug- when you say high head, you mean high output? or high gph? or they the same thing?
And I'm sure i'll run out of room in the DT but I'm limited for space upstairs

 

[mr_X]

"high head" is a term used to describe a pump that can push water further at a lower pressure. i would choose pvc size according to the pump i ended up using.
no, the pressure you are going to need won't hurt the pods IMO.

something like this pump for instance-
Little Giant 4MDQ-SC Inline pump
will only give you 850 gph, but will push water almost 25 feet.

remember, head is how far up you are going, not how far, period. in other words, if you have to go 8 feet up then make a turn and go 5 feet across, you need something that will handle a head loss of 8 feet.