Squidd.......Teach me.....DYI:Plumbing 101 on a SW Tank
- Thread starter leona
- Start date
grovey
Member
question mr. squid
Do you need a pump to bring water to the sump or can you just let gravity do it's thing
or do you need to speed up the water flow for flow thru out the rest of the cycle the only reason i ask this is if you go with a syphon effect it wouldn't make sense to use the syphon why not just put the pump taking the water out of the tank and work it so you have the same flow return?
squidd
Active Member
Originally posted by grovey
question mr. squid
Do you need a pump to bring water to the sump or can you just let gravity do it's thing
or do you need to speed up the water flow for flow thru out the rest of the cycle
No need to pump water "to" the sump (as long as it's below the Main tank) Gravity will bring the water down as fast as it "becomes available" (as long as overflow can handle flow rate)...
Here's a "Visual Aid"...You can do this in your head (clear the smoke
), Draw it on Paper , or Go Out and actually "build this".....Take a 5 gallon bucket...Drill a 3/4" hole in the side...
(that should do 300gph) Represents "overflow" ....
Take a 1 gallon bucket and start filling the 5 gallon bucket at a rate of 1 gallon every 15 seconds...(4 gallons /minute or 240 GPH) ...(represents "pump)
How "Full" will the bucket get...??? Only up to the level of the hole...and then Gravity "drains" it out...No need to "pump" it out...
The pump (you) is "sized" less than overflow capacity (3/4" hole) and tank level remains steady...
Now take the 1 gallon bucket and start filling the 5 gallon bucket at a rate of 1 gallon every 10 seconds...(6 gpm or 360 gph)...
How full will the bucket get...??
First it will fill to the level of the overflow and "MOST" of the water will "drain" out...(300gph) but as long as your putting more water "in" (360 gph vs. 300gph) the water will continue to rise and eventually overflow the bucket (your tank) because...
The pump (you - 360 gph) is "sized" greater than the overflow capacity (300gph) and the tank will continue to rise and flooding wil result
Gravity can not keep up...but we don't want to deal with "pumping out" of the tank..So It's important to Size the pump to fill the tank at a rate Less Than the overflow can take out (drain)...
The "second" part of your question is a different aspect ...
the only reason i ask this is if you go with a syphon effect it wouldn't make sense to use the syphon why not just put the pump taking the water out of the tank and work it so you have the same flow return? [/B]
A "siphon" is different than a "drain" in that...A drain will start and stop when the water reaches it's level ..the "level" is set "mechanicaly" by the height of the standpipe or the "placement" of the hole...
A "Siphon" is dependant on two water levels and is always trying to "equalize" them as long as the siphon is "functional" (there is water in the tube) ...
The "ends" of the tube can be at "any" depth or level (as long as they're submerged) and the water will always flow from high to low...
So at "this point" a siphon will bring water from upper tank to lower sump...(functioning)
But what sets the "depth" or level in the tank...??
The water will continue to flow from higher to lower level until the siphon tube "sucks air" and the siphon is broken...and once "broken" cannot "restart" itself...
So what happens when the power goes out...?
The siphon wil continue to drain the upper tank (till it "sucks air and stops) and if the end is too low will... A. Drain your tank..B. Flood your sump...
And what happens when the power goes back on...??
The tank will fill, the siphon can not "restart" itself if it has air in it, the tank will overflow and flood the room...
So...a "siphon" is a "functioning PART" of an overflow, but cannot be used on it's own...
Visual discription of "siphon" and "drain"....
steveoutla
Member
Leona - I would recommend against getting the coralife timer. It's only got 4 plugs on the timer; 2 blue and 2 yellow. When the blue are on the yellow are off and vise-versa. I put mine in the corner and bought 3 digital timers. This has allowed me to put my daylights, actinics and moonlights all on different timers so they overlap some. Just my humble opinion.
squidd
Active Member
Yep..that's why I like the individual Grasslin timers on a larger "power strip" ....
However the Coralife unit has 4 additional "constant on" outlets that a "third" timer could be put on to "split" or overlap the D/D/D lighting schedual ...
Or it could do RDP (reverse daylight photoperiod) for the fuge on the coralife and a third for Dawn and Dusk lighting...
Or it could be used for Daylight/ Moonlight and the third for D/D lighting....
Or....:thinking:
However the Coralife unit has 4 additional "constant on" outlets that a "third" timer could be put on to "split" or overlap the D/D/D lighting schedual ...
Or it could do RDP (reverse daylight photoperiod) for the fuge on the coralife and a third for Dawn and Dusk lighting...
Or it could be used for Daylight/ Moonlight and the third for D/D lighting....
Or....:thinking:
leona
Member
Originally posted by steveoutla
Leona - I would recommend against getting the coralife timer. It's only got 4 plugs on the timer; 2 blue and 2 yellow. When the blue are on the yellow are off and vise-versa. I put mine in the corner and bought 3 digital timers. This has allowed me to put my daylights, actinics and moonlights all on different timers so they overlap some. Just my humble opinion.
Hey steve were did you get your and how much?
Leona
leona
Member
Squidd,
36 x 18 x 17 tall aquarium (Hopefully it will be big enough) What's the difference between breeder tank or a regular tank?
This will be the size of the sump/fuge.
Also he asked me if I wanted the sch 80 bulkheads (heavy duty) for $15.00 each.?
Back to the lighting I need find out if I can build it myself for cheaper or just get it from him or somewere else.
Leona
36 x 18 x 17 tall aquarium (Hopefully it will be big enough) What's the difference between breeder tank or a regular tank?
This will be the size of the sump/fuge.
Also he asked me if I wanted the sch 80 bulkheads (heavy duty) for $15.00 each.?
Back to the lighting I need find out if I can build it myself for cheaper or just get it from him or somewere else.
Leona
squidd
Active Member
Breeder, Long and Standard are just different "lables" for describing the H/W/L layout of a particular gallon tank...(tall and skinny, short and long, etc..)
What we ae looking for is the largest tank we can fit under your stand...Length and depth (front to back) are more important than height...BUT...It must fit...
Heavier bulkheads are better, but at what cost difference to standard (schd 40) ...I use standard on my stuff...
He wants what $615 and someone showed you a system for ~$500 add in shipping and don't forget to compare "quality" and spectrum as well as price...
They're both in the ballpark...your not going to find it for $300 and you don't want to pay $800..
What we ae looking for is the largest tank we can fit under your stand...Length and depth (front to back) are more important than height...BUT...It must fit...
Heavier bulkheads are better, but at what cost difference to standard (schd 40) ...I use standard on my stuff...
He wants what $615 and someone showed you a system for ~$500 add in shipping and don't forget to compare "quality" and spectrum as well as price...
They're both in the ballpark...your not going to find it for $300 and you don't want to pay $800..
edwar050
Member
well, as far as my budget is concerned the mag 7 is the best bet for my 55 although the 9.5 would be a better pump I believe. I am still in question about using a quiet one at 700 gph becauase it is alot cheaper. I just got my 55 this weekend and am enjoying it alot, my old 30's just sitting around. I am having a problem with aptasia in the 55 though but have 4 peppermints. I am running coralife 260's and two maxi jets but am def in need of the sump within the next two/four months. I will also be looking for a good skimmer at a reasonable price "100$-200$ max.
brad
brad
snailheave
Active Member
fill me in, leo~
help! email me. i am in the process of designing a tank/fuge/sump system myself, but not building it :thinking:
squidd's fuge/sump diagram (or was it steve's?) on page two is the exact thing i am looking for.
help! email me. i am in the process of designing a tank/fuge/sump system myself, but not building it :thinking:
squidd's fuge/sump diagram (or was it steve's?) on page two is the exact thing i am looking for.
leona
Member
Originally posted by snailheave
fill me in, leo~
help! email me. i am in the process of designing a tank/fuge/sump system myself, but not building it :thinking:
squidd's fuge/sump diagram (or was it steve's?) on page two is the exact thing i am looking for.
I'm not sure what you want me to tell you. Were I ordered it? measurments? Help me out here snailheave. Everything you want to know is here. Squidd is about to go over the sump/fuge set-up. We really didn't get that far yet. So in my book your just in time.
Leona