Sump/Fuge Ideas & Help..

[Vincenzo.]

so here is my deals....got the solana up and running, but now i want a sump/fuge..
i DONT want an above tank.. so u got any ideas??

i need option for NOT drilling the tank.

i was thinking ...

1. make a weir overflow, but im concerned about loosing suction, and the fact air can get into the weir. and i read lots of bummer stories. but its an option..

2. idk if this is possible, but using a canister filter with a underwater LED. take out all the trays but the first & last one (modified of coarse). in the first one make some jimmy rigged contraption or acrylic to slow the flow in it. under that tray the LED and chaeto. then another tray from acrylic with the holes so the cheato scraps dont get pumped back into the tank.

3. idk if this is possible, but again a canister filter with only carbon in it.... so it sucks water from the tank, take the return and pump it into a Rubbermaid, with bubble trap, baffles, fuge, and so on..... then take a small pump or power head and pump it back into the tank.

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any links to any DIY sump/fuge with no drilling and does not seem that it could turn into an abortion.

[Hookup]

I'm all over this in the am... flubberingly exhausted tonight... like where youre going though man.

[Vincenzo.]

word H Dubb. im having trouble with this one.

[russrass]

I have a solana as well, and have been thinking about the same thing.
I have been reading up on it on rc and there are a few good threads.
Looking forward to seeing some ideas

[Funkmotor]

If the pump or siphon taking water from the tank fails, then there will be no more water sent to the sump.  The sump will continue to pump water back into the display until it overflows the display and burns out the return pump.

If the pump sending water from the sump to the display fails, then the pump/siphon taking water from the tank to the sump will go until it runs dry and burns itself out.  The thing about an overflow is that it will only overflow so far and then it stops.

Canister filters work because their intake and outlet deal with the same amount of head pressure...the same height of water in the tank.  They don't really have to do anything but move the water through the filter.  Having the outlet of a canister lower than the inlet would just turn it into a siphon.

A canister by itself wouldn't empty your tank, but people always advise against using them on SW tanks.

[Hookup]

Hey man... You're ideas are potentials for floods... in fact they are pretty much guarantee's for floods... Funk got this nailed here...

You must, must, must use gravity to pull water from your system and use a power head to return it into your display.  (or go above tank and pump up and gravity back)

The single point of failure is what you need to achieve and work around.  If you use a pump to pull water out of the tank and another pump to push water back into your tank you have dual failure points... and wet-floors... 

You'll want to create some kind of overflow/siphon systems (weir-esk).  And IMO they do not ever fail if maintained...  If you want no-maintenance you'll have to drill (and still do some maintenance)...


What's up with the LED idea? I do not understand what you are referring to???

[Vincenzo.]

^thanks. i need some links for figure this shizzle out. i got the weir idea down, but to make it is another story.

for the led idea i was thinking just take a canister filter with no media baskets only 2 pieces of acrylic w/ some holes drilled to sandwich chaeto.. and throw in a led light for growth..

[Rybren]

Vince,

I'm not familiar with the Solana.  Can you use a HOB overflow box?  My understanding is that the U tube ones are better than the weir (CPR) type.  As an alternative, you could make a PVC pipe overflow.  There are a ton of DIY threads on RC and elsewhere on how to make one.  All you need is a bunch of 90 elbows, a T, and a length of pipe. 3/4" would probably handle your flow.  If you want redundancy in case of a siphon break, use 2 of them.

Here's a couple of quick links

http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-overflow/120.asp

http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/diy-projects/5497-diy-overflow-sump.html

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=211075

[Hookup]

I get the LED thing now... good idea... not sure LED can grow cheato... well of course enough of them can, so in theory I see no reason why your "self contained fuge" wouldn't work.

Ryben droped down some good info for how regular overflow boxes work... I'll have to look at your tank to get ideas... Is it the same as the one Pat has in his living room?.

[Vincenzo.]

^ that's the cardiff, i have the solana (the cubed version)

& thx Ry, ima peep them all out.

[Vincenzo.]

Vince,

I'm not familiar with the Solana.  Can you use a HOB overflow box?  My understanding is that the U tube ones are better than the weir (CPR) type.  As an alternative, you could make a PVC pipe overflow.  There are a ton of DIY threads on RC and elsewhere on how to make one.  All you need is a bunch of 90 elbows, a T, and a length of pipe. 3/4" would probably handle your flow.  If you want redundancy in case of a siphon break, use 2 of them.

Here's a couple of quick links

http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-overflow/120.asp

http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/diy-projects/5497-diy-overflow-sump.html

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=211075

what size pump should i use for the return? if im using 3/4'' pvc? and only have to move the water back up about 5feet MAX.

[Hookup]

what size pump should i use for the return? if im using 3/4'' pvc? and only have to move the water back up about 5feet MAX.

Good question.. and i'm not sure of the model.. but if it twas me, i'd be looking for a pump that would return around 400-500 gph at 5 or 6 feet head pressure.  I'm sure there are several options...   Off of that, I would tee-out a run for a carbon reactor and possibly another run for other options... give 200ish GPH back to the tank...  I wouldn't want too much flow going into your tank from the sump...

So... 400-500gph at 6 feet pump... that's what I'd look for.

[Rybren]

What Tim said.

[Vincenzo.]

+ thanks. i got my idea down. just need to get some pvc & a strong enough pump.