Fx5 to feed tank and sump

[billberet]

Hey
Has anyone used a canister intake to feed a sump and a tank at the same time?
I am trying to eliminate my overflow because my intake already pulls water from the tank. I am going to add a diverter to my plumbing to feed my sump. I will be able to regulate the flow to the sump at the diverter.

This will then eliminate my overflow.
My fx5 will be on a cutoff switch to protect against overflow.
I'll post pics when I am set up.

 

[lksdrinker]

Why dont you want to use the overflow? If your suggesting what I think you are it kind of defeats the purpose of the sump. Splitting the return from the canister is not as straightforward as it seems if you're not intending on both returns going into the same tank. Even more difficult if the two "tanks" you're sending the return to are at different heights. The canister is always going to want to push the same amount of water through both lines. Even if you can fiddle with it by adding valves and controlling the flow; if anything ever changes (even as simple as detritus building up in any line and slightly slowing the flow) you may be faced with a disaster.

If you're dead set on making this work I would keep the filter intake in the display tank and have the canister return into the sump. Then use a separate pump to have a flow going from the sump back into the display.

Or just use an overflow and the sump the way its intended!

Or just use the canister and eliminate the sump?

 

[billberet]

yea i came to my senses before starting this project, I put the overflow back on. I was just trying to eliminate some pieces in my puzzle.
I could never match the flow in with the flow out, you need to displace water to keep it in sync.

the reason I'm doing this is I am adding a drip system to my sump, water comes from my cold source, thru a carbon block and drips 40 gal a day into my sump, overflow from the sump then goes to the drain. so I have 2 overflows on my system, one on the display tank feeding the sump, and one in the sump feeding the drain.

I'm trying to see where to put the overflow feeding the drain.
should I add it to the display tank, so there are 2 overflows on that tank, or leave it on the sump. Or I can remove my sump completely, it is there now just for added filtration, and it's where I keep my equipment.

I have to do some more research....
I think I will end up eliminating my sump and turning my sump into the drain line.
just have the overflow go to my sump, and pump the water to the drain from there. so it's just a one way trip, instead of returning the water back to tank, i'll send it down the drain.

 

[lksdrinker]

I think I'd add the drip system into the main tank. Have that overflow into the sump and the sump can overflow into the drain. If you do it right, you can have the overflow in the sump in a section prior to some mechanical filtration. Have some of the dirty water exit the sump before the section with the return pump to the main tank.

If you're having trouble matching the overflow rate and the return rate then you're probably not using the right pump (or need to adjust it somehow). Any idea how many GPH your overflow can handle? How about the GPH rating of the pump you're using?

 

[billberet]

I think I'd add the drip system into the main tank. Have that overflow into the sump and the sump can overflow into the drain. If you do it right, you can have the overflow in the sump in a section prior to some mechanical filtration. Have some of the dirty water exit the sump before the section with the return pump to the main tank.

If you're having trouble matching the overflow rate and the return rate then you're probably not using the right pump (or need to adjust it somehow). Any idea how many GPH your overflow can handle? How about the GPH rating of the pump you're using?

I'm fine with the overflow, as long as the amount pushed to the display tank can be drained by the overflow, it's good. which I don't have an issue with.
I'm thinking I will have an issue with the overflow on my sump. during power outage, or any maintenance the sump fills up with the backflow until it hits the syphon break, I dont' want that amount going down the drain.
but I think I can eliminate that issue by having the return from the sump be above my water line in my DT, then nothing flows back into the sump except from the overflow. I just realized I don't need to have the sump return line submerged in the DT.

 

[billberet]

here is a better idea, quick sketch.
the auto drip will be on the main DT. it's not in the image.

 

[lksdrinker]

I suppose it'll work; but still seems unnecessarily complicated. If I'm understanding you correctly your goal here is to add in an auto drip system and have a way for the extra water to overflow out of the system and down a drain? So you'll be using your "sump" as nothing more than a holding bin for the extra water that overflows out of the display tank and then a pump will take that water and run it to a drain?

So why bother having a pump from the "sump" back into the display? All thats doing is taking the old/dirty water you just removed from the display and putting it right back into the display without ever being filtered (unless you are leaving some mechanical filtration int he sump?) Could you just eliminate the sump and have the overflow lead to a drain?

I'm personally a fan of K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid!) and often have to repeat that to myself when I get to this point on any project!

 

[billberet]

I agree with the kiss method.
but the sump was going to be used to keep my heater in, and have a spong filter going so I have a way to set up a medical tank on the fly fully established. and I'm going to grow algae there, so it will starve the algae in the display tank. and it will aerate the water. I will also overflow from the display thank thru some filter floss to add additional mechanical filtration.

I was originally just going to overflow to a drain, but I figured I can get some beneficial additions by adding a sump.