Multiple Tank Sump Setup

[Kelso]

Driling the overflow line to sump I can see, put an elbow in the tank pointing up at water level with mesh screen over it. Gravity does the rest. But what about drilling the return line so it doesn't backflow? Or do I just stick with going up and over the tank wall and drilling a little hole in the retuen line, right above water line?

Wy, sounds like quite the setup. Stacking tanks seems a bit harder, esp with that many tanks. What would you recommend for an external pump? Do they need to be oiled everyday?

 

[Wy Renegade]

Driling the overflow line to sump I can see, put an elbow in the tank pointing up at water level with mesh screen over it. Gravity does the rest. But what about drilling the return line so it doesn't backflow? Or do I just stick with going up and over the tank wall and drilling a little hole in the retuen line, right above water line?

Wy, sounds like quite the setup. Stacking tanks seems a bit harder, esp with that many tanks. What would you recommend for an external pump? Do they need to be oiled everyday?

Our return lines were all hardlined PVC brought over the top of the tank, set at about the same level as the overflow - when the overflow stops, so does the return.

I would look into the Reef Darts - I've always heard good things about them and we used one on a 125 for a closed loop. No, they don't have to be oiled daily.

 

[Kelso]

Thank you. Going over the top with the return line is what I've always done so its what I did. I downsized my display from a 55 to a 40 gal breeder. I drilled the overflow, and very happy I did. I really like the tank, works perfect with my lights and everything else. The 55 was too narrow, these breeders are nice. One day i will turn this tank into another part in the system but not until i move out. Drilling again was great, i have more room in my tank then ever before without that huge overflow box in there. My only question, is there any way to silence the overflow? I will post pics in a little bit so you can see what I'm working with.

 

[Kelso]

There are those pics I was talking about. The two overflows are quite loud, one in the middle if the 12 gal and the other in the top right of the display.

Im thinking about doing what someome said and trying a Y or T connecter on the return so one pump runs both returns. What do you think?

 

[JohnnyQ]

Wow..Have you gone completely mad? Your wife is going to throw you out

 

[Kelso]

haha, many have said that.

 

[Kelso]

But mine is nothing compared to mr.X setup, and probly a lot out there.

 

[mr_X]

lol...that was what the GF would allow. i just bought a house with a nice spare room that is going to make a wicked fish room.
*insert sinister laugh here*

 

[Wy Renegade]

Looks like you have an elbow behind the overflow heading down? If you insert a T, rather than 90, and run a short stand pipe up, cap, and drill a hole it will allow it to breath and stop the gurgle. The key (I'm told) is getting the size of the airhole just right. Personally, we drilled the elbows, glued in the red hose insert from the maxi-jet powerheads, and were then able to attach a hose and valve to control airflow. this allowed us to make the overflow itself significantly quieter.

 

[Dary421]

i had something similar, but i didn't have to go a whole floor down. mine was a 195 in wall display, and what ended up being 3 coral tanks all plumbed into a common 125 gallon tank which was set up as a sump with refugium.
here's an early shot with a 26 gallon acrylic tank suspended from the ceiling (i eventually replaced that with a 30 breeder)

here is the 125 sump. i think the refugium is about 50 gallons or so.

then i removed 2 of the breeder tanks and added a 150 gallon shallow coral tank-

please excuse the wire mess...it was a work in process, and quite functional.

i used a mag24 for the return on the 195, and assorted pumps for the returns on the other tanks. quiet one 4000 was used for that shallow 150 and smaller mag drives for the breeder tanks.
i always wanted to build a pipe system with valves so i could redirect the water whenever i wanted, and use a single pump for all. i found the multiple pumps to be a big P.I.T.A.

btw, i would never have used HOB overflows for this setup, and i suggest you drill those tanks also. if something happens, it's going to happen big. say one of those HOb overflow boxes loses siphon. that whole sump will be on the floor of the room behind it.

Mr x,....wow !!! Your whole set up looks like what you'd see on a " behind the scene" tour at Scripps institute of oceanography,..... very impressive,...kinda like your hideaway, aka " man cave ".... Also has the look of Frankenstein's lab

 

[mr_X]

Also has the look of Frankenstein's lab

lol...my friend used to say he wanted to come over and see the "science project".

 

[Kelso]

I ended up just sticking an airline tube right into the intakes, works pretty good but is nothing thats going to stay. In a few days Im taking trip to the hardware store to get more pvc. Im going to get a T for the return pump and some screne for the overflow. I will come up with some other way to get air into the line.

 

[Kelso]

I got a tee for the return pump. Everything works great, much less vibrating noise and only one plug for whole system which is much easier.

I do have a new annoying noise, its all I can hear now and it needs to go, hopefully I can get rid of it. Its a gurguling noise coming from the tee. What do you recommend to get rid of it? I'm thinking I need to replace the T with a Y. But I would rather get some other ideas first.

 

[Wy Renegade]

I got a tee for the return pump. Everything works great, much less vibrating noise and only one plug for whole system which is much easier.

I do have a new annoying noise, its all I can hear now and it needs to go, hopefully I can get rid of it. Its a gurguling noise coming from the tee. What do you recommend to get rid of it? I'm thinking I need to replace the T with a Y. But I would rather get some other ideas first.

Did you put a slight extension on the T, cap it and drill it for air? If not, try that, it should eliminate the gurgle.

 

[Kelso]

Its actually the tee right after the pump itself. The tee splits the water up and pushes it into the tanks. I haven't done anything with the overflow line yet.