My custom sump arrived - Aquarium Advice

fijiwigi · 02-20-2008, 09:50 PM

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I finally got my sump/refugium I had custom made from Glass-holes.com. It was custom built to fit under my 46gbow cabinet(any of the standard sizes dont fit a 46gbow cabinet) The flow is right-left the first section is decent size as the Aquamedic turboflotor multi will still be hang on style hanging on the sump out of the back of the cabinet.The refugium zone is about 12"long x 10"wide and about10" high with teeth cut in the acrylic to prevent any snails from cruising. The light is a 65wflood light. Manufacturer states its the equivilant of a 500w light very bright. The return section is about 5" or so. Sump with light was 350.00 the overflow and return pump about 120.00 I am excited to get it up and running.
First I need to put it in the tub and fill with water to check for leaks(guy who built did already but want to double check)

Then I have to slide my aquarium onto the extra stand I have and partly disassemble my stand to fit my sump inside the cabinet and then slide it back onto the stand. will probably need to empty at least 50% of water to be able to slide it around.

And then I will just need to put all the plumbing together and test it out. Still a little curious about the whole drilling the hole in return to prevent overflow thing. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Buy some sand and macroalgae and I should be ready to rock N roll.

**roka64** · 02-21-2008, 11:11 AM

Yummie, pizza... You drill the hole to break the siphon, if your pump stops or during a power outage.

**austinsdad** · 02-21-2008, 11:20 AM

The hole is drilled in the return pipes. In mine, at the gooseneck or loclines just below the water line.

fijiwigi · 02-21-2008, 11:28 AM

I just mixed up about 25gallons of RO/DI saltwater this morining at 8:00am I was hoping to move the tank and disassemble the stand to fit my sump this evening after work around 7:00pm hopefully I will be able to slide the tank without removing too much water. Everyone always states to wait 24hours before using saltwater for it to dissolve but isn't 11hours really enough time for this to happen? Then after I get the sump inside the stand I will mix up some more saltwater so I will have enough to fill the sump the next day and test it out. sump holds about 15gallons If I have to remove more than 10gallons of water from the tank I will need to mix up some more.

fijiwigi · 02-21-2008, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by austinsdad

The hole is drilled in the return pipes. In mine, at the gooseneck or loclines just below the water line.

So that would prevent the main tank from overflowing right? but wouldn't the pump continue to pump the water up the line even if the hole is there doesn't the pressure from the pump force the water through the plumbing. Do I need to drill a hole just below the water line on the return line and the overflow line??

**austinsdad** · 02-21-2008, 11:41 AM

What I'm describing is a scenario where the main pump stops pumping. This can create a siphon issue that can remove/suck water from the main and overflow the sump. The hole stops the water from being sucked back.

If you're using an overflow instead of a drilled tank, then maybe I can't help with my description. Describe your set up again pls. Overflow box?

**ccCapt** · 02-21-2008, 12:28 PM

The overflows will stop draining at a certain point, regardless if it's a HOB or drilled so you don't have to worry about that. What you need to do is drill a small hole just below the water line on your return pump line. If the pump stops and there is no hole to break the siphon, water will continue to drain from the tank and into the sump until something breaks the siphon. How deep into the tank is the output? If the output is only an inch or so deep, that will break the siphon when the water drops 1". If it goes deeper, the tank will drain till it hits that. Just make sure the sump can hadle whatever comes from the tank with the pump off.

**cmor1701d** · 02-21-2008, 12:59 PM

I have my return lines about an inch under the surface. No need to drill them. The siphon breaks way before it overflows.

Are you really going to try and move the tank when it is somewhat full?
I would be afraid of breaking the seals and flooding. NSW weighs around 10 pounds/gallon, plus the LR and substrate.

The 24 hours on newly mixed water is to allow it to aerate properly. Freshly mixed NSW is somewat caustic from what I have heard. I do not know why that is, it's just what I've heard.

fijiwigi · 02-21-2008, 10:13 PM

Its a 46gallon tank I did move it onto my new stand when I got it not easy but possible. It is an overflow into the sump and a mag7return. The overflow box has a height adjustment. There is a tube that goes from the inside the tank part of the overflow box into the outside the tank part of the overflow box(pic above) this tube I am assuming will flow based on a siphon if this siphon somehow breaks wouldnt the return pump overflow my main display? New Acrylic Overflow Box and Skimmer Box for Saltwater Aquariums

Ok i just moved my tank and put my sump inside my cabinet and moved it back took about 30min or so only had to remove about 17gallons of water or so. I am filling my trashcan now with some more RO/DI water to mix in the morning tommorrow. The guy who built my sump is sending all my return line plumbing to me for free since I had to wait a while for the sump(nice guy). The plumbing arrives tommorrow its funny pipe and locline I think. I preferred to have him send me the plumbing since I really was unsure of what to buy anyway. So when my plumbing arrives I will probably spend about 2 hours just putting the plumbing and equipment together on sump stare at it to think about it for a while and actually start it up on Saturday. I am very nervous about the whole deal I really don't want this to go bad.

fijiwigi · 02-24-2008, 11:15 PM

Ok I started it up today. And it works great no problems or leaks as of yet. I am extremely excited. It was nice to get the rock rubble and heater and skimmer down below the tank.I decided to just do my own plumbing very happy with it on the return line I have 2 shut off valves and 1 shut off valve on the overflow line to control flow in the fuge And I now have the right amount of flow for my tank. mag7 and 2 hydor koralia2's on a 46g I believe is like 1000gph. Next thing I need to do is add some Macro to the refugium and Get some clean-up crew. Feels good to make some progress.........