DIY Sump Overflow help?

[christinaja]

So I have a 55gal, and I wanted to make a DIY sump for it with one of the 10gals laying around, but guess what, it wont fit in my stand -__- So I decieded to kick the goldfish out of my 30gal (and into the pond out bakc) and use that for my sump, I would just move the 30gal w/its stand over next to the 55gal, and figure out the plumbing and stuff
But, I have a problem getting water from my tank to the sump
The 30gal is a 30gal tall, it's like 10gal on top of a reg. 20gal. But this makes it taller than my 55. Since it's not a drilled tank, I was planning to do a hang-on overflow, but ovibously, a siphon cant go up. So I was thinking I would have to buy two pumps, one in the 55 to pump water into the sump, and one in the sump to pump water back into the 55. But I'm worried about power outages, or if one of the pumps dies, I'll get water all over our floor (my dad would kill me) or one of the pumps will end up running dry.
:O I just got an idea! (sorry, Im thinking out loud)
I could make a DIY overflow, like what would be in a drilled tank, then just stick one of the pumps at the bottom. Would i still get the "overflow/surface skimming" effect?
Hmm, i have no idea how I could glue it in there though, without taking down the tank
Well, my rant is over, any suggestions?
Actually, one more thing, I thought about putting the 30gal on the floor, so it would be plenty lower than the 55, (then I could just use a hong-on overflow) put I think that would look really weird..I dont think I want anyone to see a random tank sitting on the floor when my friends come over (remember, I'm 15, so my friends are really into the fish stuff)
ok, I'm done now

 

[gio28]

i cant answer your question..sorry. but wouldn't using a high tank for the sump make it more difficult to access cause its so tall? you would probably be better off using a 20 long or something thats not as tall but longer in length. what would you use the sump for? if you want to do a full out sump i think a 20 long or another long tank vs a high one would be the way to go. this way you have plenty of room for your skimmer+heater, baffles, a fuge w/ DSB+algae, and it would all be easy to access. just a thought. i was gonna do a diy sump too on my 36 bow and i was gonna get a 20 long for $25 at petsmart.

 

[scsinet]

It won't work. Sorry to say, but what you are trying to do is basically impossible.
Two pumps, one pumping from the tank to the sump and one going from the sump to the tank is an impossible scenario. The two pumps can never be perfectly balanced, no matter how hard you try. Even if you got them perfectly balanced, they wouldn's stay that way as many variables such as line voltage fluctuation, evaporation, and debris buildup in the pumps and plumbing would throw them out of balance and cause a flood.
One side MUST be gravity fed.
On a personal note... I think what you were tryingt to say is that because you are 15, you don't want your friends to see a "random tank" sitting on the floor because NOT all your friends are into the fish stuff... two thoughts come to mind...
It's your house... since when do you care what your friends think? What are they gonna do... say "I'm not coming over anymore because you have a random tank on your floor."

Second, if you are setting up a saltwater tank, the thought occurs to me that your friends will be so impressed with it that they won't even notice the sump on the floor. I still haven't gotten around to making doors for the stand on my reef tank, so there's tons of wires pumps and plumbing showing, but nobody cares... they just look at the tank.

 

[zelfin]

Si why then if the 30g tall is higher than ther 55, dont you run your overflow from the 30g to the 55 with the pump in the 55?
I just set up a tank similiar to what your asking. I do have a refugium on mine though.
My tank goes from my 75g, overflows to a 30g (same level) and then overflows to the refugium and pumps back to the 75. Been running it for a few weeks now and no problems yet. (Hopefully there will be none)
Anyway created a simple PVC overflow. I made sure the one from the 75g to the 30g was 1.5" to ensure proper flow while the overflow from the 30g to the refugium is only 1" with a pump that supports the 1" flow. The 2nd tank in the chain has a lower level of water than the first. So in my case my 75g water level is slightly higher than my 30g. For you with the 30g being higher you will just have to make sure your overflow is below the level of the other tank. The gravity flow will flood out your main tank otherwise.
I will take pictures of it later and post them in the next few days if you need. Basically look at how a normal overflow works, look at the PVC overflows on these forums. Throw some brain power at it and you will figure it out.
Maybe one of the pros here can help you with a better method.

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by Zelfin
http:///forum/post/3082915
Si why then if the 30g tall is higher than ther 55, dont you run your overflow from the 30g to the 55 with the pump in the 55?
Because if he does that, the evaporation variance will occur in his DT instead of in his sump where it should.

 

[zelfin]

Yes Christinaja will get evaporation but that is going to happen anyway. Also if this setup was not using a sump before there was evaporation then, and assuming proper tank care, the water levels were being touched up as needed. Nothing would really change.

 

[i<3reefs]

Plus, his refuge would dump pods directly into his DT. It wouldn't be any different than a hang on tank refugium.

 

[fishkid13]

The simplest thing I can think of is and in-tank sump/refugium.