sump

burch2006

Member
Anyone else give up when they were setting up their sump? I cannot get the GPHs even from the pump to the tank and from the overflow to the sump. I keep adjusting the valves and I cannot get it even. Im assuming it has to be even. Eventually ones going to get so far ahead and you have a flood. I also got my protein skimmer in the mail today. Of course its too big for my 20 gallon sump
. Lol I'm just so done
 

jackri

Active Member
Your pump in the sump just has to move less water than the overflow can handle, that's all.
 

calbert0

Member
Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/3170406
Your pump in the sump just has to move less water than the overflow can handle, that's all.
precisely. Leave the valve on the drain line completely open, then reduce the output of your pump.
The next problem you will run into is a loud and annoying gurgling noise coming from where the water enters the drain line in your DT.
google search the stockman, durso, and livingston standpipe designs to get some ideas for how to solve that.
 

burch2006

Member
finally got everything up and running (stuff kept leaking). Can I add a clean up crew, macroalgae, and live rock to this right away or do I need to let this sit and cycle?
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
why is there a valve on your overflow line?
if there is keep it fully open. what is the GPH of your overflow and your return pump
 

mkroher

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3179467
if there is keep it fully open. what is the GPH of your overflow and your return pump
but the inside diameter of a valve is smaller than the pipe it's fitting with. if he has a 1-1/2" drain, the valve reduces it, thus providing a restriction of flow. a bad idea in my opinion. what happens if a snail goes down for a ride?
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by mkroher
http:///forum/post/3179481
but the inside diameter of a valve is smaller than the pipe it's fitting with. if he has a 1-1/2" drain, the valve reduces it, thus providing a restriction of flow. a bad idea in my opinion. what happens if a snail goes down for a ride?
I realize I am assuming but i would assume that the hobbyist is gong to use a full bore valve. Which will not reduce the ID of the valve compared to the ID of the pipe. I feel valves are a definite necessity in maintaining ones tank. (isolating an area)Again I must stress that IMO they need to be left fully opened and in an overflow application not used to restrict flow
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
am i missing something here ? you are adding this sump to an existing tank right and the existing tank can cycle organics
 
i was just wondering when you could add your CUC... is it befor or after your first fish and do you wait intill the cycle is over or just toward the end
and when do you add the macroalgae, Burch brought that to my attention
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
ok just my limited mental capacity opinion. I would add a clean up crew after you have competed a cycle of organics. My reasoning is that most people are now going to the cocktail shrimp method of starting a cycle. The CUC will then eat any reminisce of the shrimp. I would not add any micro algae until I was able to introduce enough nitrates for them to survive
Note this is posted Sunday afternoon and back from a day of boating so i may have to revise later
 
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