sump system for 240 gallon goldfish tank

[revchristinejday]

Well this enormous 240 gallon acrylic tank (used) drilled for a sump is available for my forever home for my goldies. But I don't have a clue about how to do it. I know I can use another tank for the sump and I have a 29 gallon I can use...but then? What type of pump? Do I just look for one that that has the gallons per hour I need(2000/hr ) Do I need a UV? Do I also use cannister filters? Or is a chamber of the sump filled with bio & mechanical materials..Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[revchristinejday]

Please guys this is a serious request. I don't know how to do it and would appreciate advice as to what type of pump--submersible, not, gph flow rate, etc.

 

[carey]

I'm pretty overwhelmed by such a large tank. lol

I would think you'd need like a 75gallon sump or so for that big of a tank. Have you looked at sumps online for any ideas?

Here are some links for sumps that are rated for large tanks
T-36 Trickle Filter by Precision Marine* - AquaCave

ADHI Wet-Dry BIO 60 Trickle Filter by Aquatic Design Habitats - AquaCave

They are marine wet drys but thats what i think you would be doing with a freshwater setup.

It depends on how you want to setup the sump whether you will need an external or internal pump. to me, it would be simpler to have an in sump return pump, specially if youa re doing it yourself.

A uv either is useful or useless, depends on who you ask. I don't run one on any of my tanks but I don't know how it is with goldfish and if there would be algae issues.

I know I wasnt much help, but I wanted to at least answer your post.

Good luck with this project, it seems like it'll be a doozy!

 

[5x5]

Well this enormous 240 gallon acrylic tank (used) drilled for a sump is available for my forever home for my goldies. But I don't have a clue about how to do it. I know I can use another tank for the sump and I have a 29 gallon I can use...but then? What type of pump? Do I just look for one that that has the gallons per hour I need(2000/hr ) Do I need a UV? Do I also use cannister filters? Or is a chamber of the sump filled with bio & mechanical materials..Thanks for your help in advance!

Maybe I can help get you started. I only have a 65 Gallon, so you can assume you'll need 4X larger components to scale to your tank size.

I have a 15 Gallon sump (although its a little bit of overkill for me), but you'll probably need about a 40 - 50 Gallon Sump. You'll also need a submersible pump, probably a very large one. I have the "3000" model by a company called LifeGard Aquatics. You would likely need their "14000", which does 3307 Max Gallons per hour. Especially since goldfish require good filtration.

Regarding the filter, you don't technically need a canister filter, but it depends if you are able to add the mechanical/bio media to your wet/dry sump. I have a commercial wet/dry, so on one side it has compartments on the right side for a filter pad and bio balls. Then it flows to the left side where it gets pumped back into the display tank.

I don't think you'd need to do anything with UV, but I'll let someone else maybe clarify that. I've personally never seen a UV on a freshwater tank.

I'm by now means an expert, but I think the tank equipment setup is something I got right, so I'd be happy to share any information I learned allong the way.

 

[revchristinejday]

Dear Carey and 5x5,

Thank you do much for you advice and places to start looking.

I had thought to get a 55 gallon at the $/gallon sale but right now the store is underwater in the flood we have here. I've without power and potable water since Thursday am. Luckily my neighbor borrowed a generator and he connected one of my extention cords this evening and my three tanks have filtration again! I think I'm going to have to get a generator when it's all over for the fish.

Is there a shut off valve on a sump?
Chris

 

[e_murray]

I recently put up a 280g with a sump. see my build for ideas. Hope this helps.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/diy-sump-filter-165054-2.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/280-build-161073-8.html

 

[Fishguy2727]

If it was me I would use a small pond sand filter after the pump from the sump. This is by far the best filtration IME. You can backwash the filter (which cleans it, you never have to open it up) while draining for a water change. I know many people have great success with sumps, but IME they just never match up to canisters. You can use this filter and a sump. We setup our systems at the store like this. The tanks drain into a sump with a pump in it. The pump runs to a sand filter, UV, and then back to the sales tanks.

Especially with goldfish I would have a good strong sand filter.

Pics along the way please.

 

[e_murray]

Ooo yea a sand filter would be awesome.. I would love to do that but where the heck would you put it? Won't exactly fit under the cabinet..

 

[Fishguy2727]

The small ones would. The ones we used at the shop were AquaUV's smallest Ultima II, a little larger than a Fluval FX5.