??? Gph

[ajwaters]

I am wanting to do a refugium/sump under my existing 90g tank.
Since it is not drilled I understand that i need the overflox box. checking out ---- i found one that i liked was a duel that does 1000gph. Does that effect the size of sump i would need. and when looking for a pump to take the water back in to the display tank is that suppose to match the gph coming from the tank?
also does the gph change what size bulk heads (right) that i need not sure if i would want to use an inch or inch in half.
And I have two tanks that I would like to change into the sump fuge haven't decided which on to use yet i have a 20g and 29g neither fit under my tank (whole other dilemma) but would one be more benifical to use then the other.
when yall make your own sump/fuge. do u use plexiglass for the dividers and do u glue them in? does it matter what size i set things up for the chambers in the fuge tank. 1 chamber would be for the sump another for the fuge (largest section) and on for the pump.
okay one more thing. most of the fuge set ups i notice had the pump being in the last chamber that would help get the water back in to the tank. but i heard once that with the pump being there it would kind of "chop up" some of the nuterients or food from the fuge. is there away to avoid this or am i understanding in wrong.
thanks alot. for anybody who is willing to give advise.

 

[irenicus]

A have the same question... I'd really like to know. :joy:

 

[ajwaters]

well then reading along and brain storming can the 29 or 20g tank be drilled on the side how do u know if it is tempered glass or not. Would i only need the one whole. from the pump to the pvc or what ever going back to the tank?

 

[ajwaters]

well i guess i'll answer a few of my own questions. For you to iren and for a bump.
I guess the inner pieces are called baffles. and the get glued on for with silcone. and i suppose you can use either arylic or glass.
Thats about it
I'm trying to look for a place in my town that sell either glass or arylic and not havig much luck the only places i know can think off would be winshield people. but im sure they wouldn't do work like this. hmmmm
any help please

 

[jag3365]

I will try to give you some info that I have learned over the past year while putting together my tank.
Yes if it's not drilled you'll need an overflow. Do research on lifereef overflows as they are supposed to one of the best. I have the dual one rated at 1400 GPH and I love it. As for a pump you need a pump that rated no greater than your overflows are. So find out the height of the head of the return line to your tank and find a pump rated under your overflow. Makes sense you don't want more water pumped into your tank than your overflow can send down to the sump.
Bulkhead size and pipe/tubing size only affects the pressure of the water being able to flow into/out of your tank. I use 1" but 1 1'2 can work too.
I used a 20 gal high tank for a fuge that is drilled at the top that flows into my 15 gal sump tank. I have 1 drain line from the tank flow directly into the sump and another one that is Teed off and flows into the sump and my fuge. The sump does have plexiglass baffles glued into the tank in the middle to divide the section for my skimmer/drain lines from my return pump/line. Hope that helps a little. I can try and post pictures of my set up when I get home and the tank clears from my recent sandstorm.
And yes the pump will chop up nutrients from the fuge, but not THAT much. Alot of the food that comes from the fuge is in the forms of pods that are so small. If you grow plants in the fuge you can always cut them and place them in your display tank for food.
ajwaters...I have a place in my town that does glasswork/plastics. I just looked in the phone directory for a glass company. There has to be one around other than windshields that does windows or something. As for drilling holes some LFS will do it for you. HTH helps guys. I did my best trying to explain. I can try and get pics of my set-up if you want.

 

[ajwaters]

Thanks a bunch for your reply Jag. I was going to buy my overflow on ----. so i don't belive it has a brand name. (need to check on that." I guess i need to get the good old paper phone book out. cause i was looking in the online yellow pages and not coming up with anything.
And since the overflow is 1000 gph the pump would need to be up to 1000 and not more. that makes sense.
So i guess now is trying to figure out how to make the fuge.
the two places i was thinking of getting the overflow boxes says i can buy the hoses seperate and it is duel overflow.. but i was thinking pvc pipe would be better. and if it is duel overflows. would that mean i would have to have two holes for the water to enter the sump.
i try to do research on this info. but alot of info gets a little more technical then my brain does. im sure after i make my hubby help me the big lightbulb will go off in my brain. but that usually doesn't happen until after the fact.

 

[ajwaters]

Okay. im going to post a pic of my thoughts and questions.
I'm not to worried about putting it together. My husband is pretty crafty witht that stuff and we have friends that have already offered to help. I just need to get all the dimesiions and supplies.
So here is my idea. PLEASE critize (sp)
Can I use plexiglass. for the dividers and my BIG question is how high do they need to be??? and do i only need the two. I have seen a few designs. Most i didn't under stand.
if you could take a look and let me know.

 

[ajwaters]

ERRRRR never had prob posting pics before

 

[jag3365]

Yes dual overflows means 2 pipes/hoses.
Are you going to put a skimmer in the sump at all? And is the middle section a fuge?
The baffles are mainly to keep bubbles that come in from the overflow and skimmers from getting back into the tank. Also they seperate fuges that are combined with sumps like in your picture.
Hope this helps, this is how I did my tank/sump/fuge. I will get pics when I get home from work tomorrow.

 

[ajwaters]

yours has alot of different directions but looks good.
okay the the overflow box will probably only have 1 pipe coming down from it right?? thats good.
The middle was going to be the fuge. and i am hoping to do this with a 29 g tank.
your design. had the three things i have the puprple arrow pointing two. Do i need the three. of those or Can I just have one piece of glass ect... dividing the chambers. I guess i thought a baffle was a fancy word for divider.
If i did it my original way the dividers would go up to half the tank.
Thank you so much for your help Jag. I'm not sure why this stumps me so bad. :nervous:

 

[ajwaters]

i just noticed two pipes and hoses.
would a hose or pvc pipe be better. Will that make it more difficult to drill the two holes so close together in the fuge tank.

 

[ajwaters]

whooppsss
sry my house can get a little distracing.
I have a skimmer. it stopped working its an hob. i will probably try to fix it. and then down the road if i can't get the one i have working get one for the sump/fuge. i guess if i think i might put more stuff in the sump in the future, i should make it a bigger size, i will get the tank out tomorrow and start getting my dimesions. for my plans and so when i try to get glass or something i know my sizes.
What did u make your fuge and sump from old tanks?

 

[jag3365]

A single overflow will have 1 pipe/tube and a dual will have 2 coming down. So it all depends on how much water you want flowing through the system.
Since you don't have a skimmer inside I don't think the 3 will be necessary. You should be fine with 1 on each side. They are made out of plexiglass for me. use silicone cement to cement it to the tank.
Hose or pvc piping is a personal choice. Some like the flexibility of tubing and others like the look of pvc. The bulkheads you will use on the tank will be the same distance no matter which one you use. You don't have to have it drilled either. I have my pvc plumbed to dump the water into the sump, not through the glass. That's another choice.
I used a 15 gal and 20 high gal aquarium for my sump and fuge. They both fit easy in my stand and the glass was easy to get drilled.

 

[sly]

Maybe these will help some:

 

[sly]

and

 

[sly]

.

 

[ajwaters]

Thats kool i was wondering if i could have the pipes go directly down in to the sump with out the drilling.
so i would just need the one hole for the side the pump it on for the pipe going back up to the display tank.
and thank you Sly how did u do that. When ever i post a pic from my camera it comes out like that. and i always resize them in the paint program.
this is starting not to sound too bad except for if i want to upgrade it down the road but i guess i will worry about that then. 1/4 in thick. off plex glass be okay.

 

[mpls man]

Sly , that is the same way i made my setup, the only thing different thing i have is a valve to adjust the flow on the line running to the fuge if you have too slow down the water, just a thought? this is for my 75.

 

[ajwaters]

I was looking at the pumps and was thinking of the Quite one 4000 gph is 1017 and if the overflow is 1000 would that not work.
Also The pump had two outlets. but it also said that it will sit horiz. or verticle. is that why there is two? do i have to use them both cause my plans really didn't call for that .
so can the other one be plugged?
should I have a switch thingy (not sure of the name) that controls the water flow coming from both the overflow and the return pump?

 

[mpls man]

For the line running to the refugium i would put a ball valve to slow the flow down if needed. the return line i would put a check valve that has a flapper in the middle of if so if you have a power outage you will not flood your sump, this will cut off the water flow. re the quiet 1 4000 the water flow i have is 980 GPH, on the pump you can either run them inside the sump or outside, i run mine inside , and just use the top fitting on the pump , the other one pulls the water in. :yes: