Sump tank ideas

[techo]

Hey guys,

So I have bought a 20 gallon sump tank for my 55 gallon FW tank. It is going to be three chambered and I was hoping to get some filtration ideas from you guys on what to fill it with.

My tank currently has:

4 rosy barbs
4 coreys
2 tiny plecos
6 bloodfin tetra
4 serpae tetra

Bio load is pretty small. So I was hoping to hear everyone's opinions on how I should fill my sump, or design Ideas on setting up the baffles. Success stories would really help!

THANKS!

 

[techo]

Anybody?

I know a sump tank is not the norm for freshwater, but my tank kind of hit its limit on fish stocking and I wanted to keep exploring different add ons

 

[blert]

How much flow do you plan to have running through it?

IMO, the best bet for freshwater is to make it a refugium with some fast growing stem plants and maybe some lava rock rubble. Make a large 'fuge section (maybe 2/3s of the tank) that empties into mechanical filtration and then into a large return area. A 'fuge needs pretty slow flow though, about 2-4x 'fuge volume, I think, and you need to light it. Search the web for designs and just leave out the parts where a skimmer would normally go.

 

[techo]

Great answer. I have a mag 9.5 return that is T'eed off so I can adjust and an adjustable overflow box so flow rate can be controlled

 

[blert]

Hmmmm....
Your flow rate is determined by the return pump. You never want to restrict flow coming into the pump, it can cause damage to the pump. If you need to restrict flow do it on the output. If you restrict at the overflow you will end up with an empty overflow and a very wet floor.

T off the input pipe to the sump and run a small line from it to the refugium to get your low flow for the 'fuge. Make your baffles so the main goes from input to mechanical/chemical to return. Then on the secondary input T, go to the refugium to mechanical/chemical to return.

I can draw up what I mean later tonight if you like.

 

[techo]

Yeah I would like to see that drawing.

And yes I did mean my return is teed it basically goes up six inches and then there is a T with a check valve

 

[techo]

And I dont have a separate fuge it would have to be inside of the sump

 

[blert]

All right, no problem. I'll sketch something up this evening.

 

[blert]

Had some time.
Dirty water in, clean water out. Use a ball valve on the input to the 'fuge to control the flow and run the pump full-tilt-boogie.
Something like this...

 

[blert]

Forgot to mention... I would paint the baffles separating the 'fuge and the return sections. Light spilling over will promote algae growth in those sections and you don't want that. Krylon Fusion is a good paint for this, or you could use black acrylic for the baffles.

 

[techo]

Awesome! Thank you so much