Sump Pumps 04/05/2008
Hello.
<<G'day, Andrew today>>
I have tried looking through the FAQ's and can not seem to get a simple answer to my question.
<<Lets see what we can do then>>
I have a 500ltr tank running about 90ltr sump. I bought the set up second hand and it has been running well for about a year. At the moment the return pump is an Ocean Runner 3500. The bloke who sold me the tank seemed to know what he was doing so I left it alone. Now I think the pumps is coming to the end of its life and hard to restart after it is turned off.
<<Agreed, sounds like its on its last legs>>
So to stop blabbing on should I get the same pump, or at least the same rated pump, or can I go for a larger pump for more flow. Ocean runner do a 6000, would this be too much for the sump and sop it working efficiently.
The main tank has quite a lot of powerheads to turn the water over but as I keep reading more is better or can you have too much of a good thing.
<<The return pump is matched to the speed of the overflow of the tank. In your case, your overflow will be a bout 3500lph. So, you would need to replace with a pump with is of this amount. Personally, i really like the OC3500, used a few over the times, reliable too, and would suggest you replace like for like>>
Many thanks in advance. Paul Brindle
<<Thanks for the questions, hope this clears it up. A Nixon>>

Sump... ReefCentral calculator inaccuracy  03/19/2008
Good morning crew. How are all of you doing today?
<<Good afternoon, Andrew today>>
I have a quick question about sumps. I am going to have a 20 gallon sump below my 55 gal show tank (not drilled). I will be using a hurricane overflow box rated at 600 gph. The sump will be about 4 feet below my tank. How do I figure out what kind of pump I will need to get water from the sump back to the tank? How many gallons per hour should I go with because it will be 4 feet below the display tank? Thanks for any help you can give me.
<<Use this link to work out the head loss you will experience with your height and pipe work. There is a drop down list of various common pumps in use, so, you can make a choice of which to use. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/hlc2.php . Ideally, you want a return pump that will provide about 600GPH after all losses..>><Ahh, a comment. This model is way off accuracy... some calculations by half... RMF>
Your services are greatly appreciated. Matt
<<hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Marine Set-Up/Sump And Skimmer Questions 3/12/08
Hello Crew,
<Hi Jeff>
Thanks for all your help in the past. Great site!
<Thank you.>
I have a plumbing question I can not figure out. I have just set up an new 72 gal bow front with a 20 gal sump. The overflow splits via a T. One side of the overflow T goes into the first (left) sump chamber where I have an Aqua C Urchin Pro with Mag 3 pump. The other side of the overflow T goes to the third (right) sump chamber where I will have a refugium set up, there is only sand in there now. The middle sump chamber is where the return pump is housed. It is a quiet one 4000. This is the smallest sump chamber. The tank has just finished cycling, well the new tank cycle, and is ready for fish and inverts.
Now for my question. The water in the middle sump chamber, with the return pump will get really low every few days, to the point if I do not catch it the pump will not be fully submerged. I assume this is from evaporation but why is only the middle chamber getting so low?
<If it happens every few days, I'd have to say evaporation. What flow rate does the manufacturer rate the sump for. The Quiet One 4000 puts out a little over 1000gph at the head. If you just have one 1" hose coming into the sump, it will not supply enough water to satisfy the pump.>
The left and right chamber are still full and flowing over the baffles into the middle chamber when the middle chamber is really low. I have tried turning the return flow down a little via a ball valve on the output side but it has not helped thus far and I don't want to have to limit the return flow any further. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
<As above.>
I have one more unrelated question. Should I be getting skim mate from my Urchin Pro since the only life in the tank is bacteria and some dying algae from the live rock I seeded the tank with?
<You should get some but not a large amount. All depends how cured the live rock was before you added it to the tank.>
As of yesterday tank parameters: ammonia 0 nitrite 0 specific gravity 1.024, ph 8.3. It has been set up for about 2 weeks now and appears to have gone through the initial cycling. My collection is filling with a light tan water. This is my first skimmer so I am not sure if this is normal.
<Is normal.>
I assume there is no or not enough organic material in the tank to get skim mate.
<Yep, all new water.>
I have been cycling without lights as well to avoid algae growth since there are no cleaners in the tank yet.
<Great, lighting could start an algae bloom at this stage of cycling.>
Thanks for all your help.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Jeff

Sump Flow 2/9/08
I'm getting ready to put an in-wall reef tank in my basement. I purchased a 120G AGA tank (undrilled) and a 40G AGA breeder tank for the sump/fuge. I really like the horizontal overflows and I'm planning on using just that for my new tank (the glass-holes.com version). I've a read a lot on your site regarding flow but I'm a little confused and I really want this to be done right.
<OK, let’s see what we can do to clarify.>
I plan on have mostly SPS and a few reef-safe fish. I know I need lots of turbulent flow for the SPS in particular. My confusion comes in with how much flow to put through the sump/fuge. How much flow should I put through a 40G sump/fuge so that it's sufficient but not so high that it just blows away the DSB in the sump?
<Anything between 400-800 gph will serve you well in a system/sump this size. You can also put the refugium on one end with a T off one of one your drain lines to get a lower flow through the refugium and yet maintain a higher flow through the rest of the sump.>
Glass-holes offers a 1500GPH version of their horizontal overflow (dual 1.5" bulkheads) and they offer 3600GPH version (dual 2" bulkheads). The 3600GPH version is rated to run a Dart pump wide open but that seems to be a lot of flow for the sump/fuge.
<Yes, this would be way too much flow through this sump. Not only as far as blowing the DSB around, but you will also likely have micro bubble problems returning to the display. The two 1.5” bulkheads will be overkill for the flow mentioned above, but this is a good thing here.>
Everything I've read on your site says bigger is better when it comes to bulkhead size.
<Within reason.>
For the return lines I was thinking about using two 1.25" bulkheads (one at each top rear corner) which should be good for about a 1400GPH return.
<This is too large to obtain a dynamic, turbulent flow in your tank. For 1400 gph I would opt for two ¾”, one for the recommended flow above. 1400 gph will be a good deal of water to process through a sump your size, noise and bubble issues.>
Based on what you recommend I can obviously adjust the return bulkhead size.
<Yes.>
One other thing I should mention is that I'm planning on implementing a closed loop so I can get additional flow.
<Good plan.>
I saw a dual-squid closed-loop design on your site that I thought was cool.
<Keep in mind there will be significant flow loss with the use of these; you will want to account for this.>
Any guidance you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Also, thanks for having such a great site. I literally spend hours reading all the great stuff on your site. Cheers!
<Thank you, you are on the right track. Have fun drilling and setting up, Scott V.>

Overflows And Tank Flooding 1/10/08
Hello, your site is great guys <and gals>!
I have a question i <Ah, another broken shift key.> hope you can help me out with. Currently setting up a 125 gallon saltwater tank, with an overflow box sitting on the back to drain to the wet dry filter. My question is, i'm <I'm> assuming my overflow box will eventually lose suction power during a power outage, once the sump motor stops pumping, and water levels drop in the tank below the intake on the overflow box?
<With a properly designed overflow, this should not happen.>
Won't this cause flooding to occur once my power comes back on, and my pump starts dumping water back up into my main tank from the sump? How can i <I> prevent this ??
<If your sump is sized correctly to the tank, and even if you lose suction in one or more of the "U" tubes, your tank should not flood, it may be close to the top but shouldn't go over. On another note, if your sump is sized too small and you have a power outage, your sump could very well overflow before the water gets below the weirs in the overflow.
When using hang on overflows, it's best to use a pump that is designed to run dry without burning up should you lose siphon in the overflow, one of the reasons I much prefer a drilled tank. Might want to read the FAQ's here on the subject. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ovrflosel.htm>
Thank you very much for your time,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Kurt Schultz

Thoughts and Suggestions on a Combined Refugium/Sump…and Pumps – 01/07/07
Hi Crew!
<<Hiya Doug!>>
I've been in the hobby just a few months now, and am excited to step up from my 20G to a 120G!
<<Neat! Bigger “is” better>>
I'm planning for mostly FOWLR, but may add more inverts/corals as I slowly gain experience.
<<Mmm, then do keep this in mind when making your stocking selections…you will want to collect “reef friendly” specimens>>
Here are my current plans:
- 120G tank, 48x24x24", acrylic.
- Stand 40" tall, 9" canopy.
- 2 corner overflows – each with 2" inner diameter bulkhead at 20" height.
<<Ahh, very good…I see you’ve been reading!>>
- 2x 1" inner diameter bulkheads for return from sump.
For a sump/refugium below, I'm thinking of a standard 55G tank following your diagrams.
<<”Standard” glass tanks work quite well as sump and/or refugium vessels…and are a whole-lot cheaper than the purpose-built retail alternatives. Add a few baffles, drill and install a couple bulkheads (when/if necessary), and you’re “golden”…with money saved/ready to spend on other areas. My own system incorporates a modified 55g tank for a refugium, and a modified 75g tank for a sump>>
- Skimmer: AquaC EV180 w Mag 7 pump.
- Aiming for 15x water flow gives 1800gph.
<<Indeed…but I expect you will find that trying to process this much water volume through a 55g sump will be problematic>>
- Two sump return pumps, internal Eheim 1262s (want it to be quiet),should be about 1600gph at 5" head.
<<Very good pumps…and the “redundancy” of two pumps for your return can be a lifesaver, literally. About a year ago a faulty GFCI tripped and shut down the return pump on my heavily stocked 500g reef system (was off more than nine hours before discovery). The ensuing anoxic condition resulted in the loss of more than $1200.00 worth of livestock (fish and corals). Let’s just say “lesson learned”… I now have two return pumps on separate circuits for this system>>
Questions:
1. Is that too much flow through the refugium?
<<Yes… A couple to a few hundred gallons per hour is generally sufficient for a refugium. Obviously, utilizing “separate” vessels for sump and refugium make plumbing for the differing flow rates a bit easier>>
2. If so, would it work well to use just a single Eheim for the sump return, ~800gph, with an internal powerhead like a Tunze Stream in the tank?
<<800gph through the sump would be easier to accommodate (and a LOT less noisy), and some creative work with the baffles could provide a “raceway” to allow the full force of the flow to circumvent the refugium section on its way from the skimmer chamber to the pump chamber, while allowing you to divert a few hundred gph to the ‘fuge…if you choose to keep with a single combined vessel. I still like the idea of two return pumps…perhaps a couple Eheim pumps of lesser size…>>
Then maybe reduce the drains to 2x 1.5"ID?
<<A pair of 1.5” drains would handle a flow of 800gph quite well, with a healthy safety margin>>
Your thoughts and suggestions are very welcome!
Thanks,
Doug
<<Is my pleasure to assist. EricR>>

Sump and Tank Flow 1/2/08
Hi Bob and Crew,
<Hello Steve.>
Like so many others I am in your debt for the advice you have given me so far.
<Happy to help.>
My new tank is still to hold water as I continue with my quest to finalise the last few (I hope) details of the setup.
Current (Dry) setup. Cleair 150gal bow fronted aquarium 3'H x 6'L x 22"D (I know this is a very tall aquarium but the fantastic look is breathtaking).
Drilled 1.5" with a weir. Limited under tank height so a max sump size of 1'H x 3'L x 1'D (This gives me the head room I need to lift the skimmer cup (Tunze 9010) out), Unfortunately I am yet to see what the transit volume is so may yet find the max running depth in my sump only covers my heaters and pump :-( so no room for the mud and algae I am hoping for. As a plus I intend to run a 6" DSB in the main Tank and Live rock running the full length and height of the tank.
<Be sure to leave enough room for aquascaping and the addition of corals.>
I would like to house inverts a few easy to keep corals and a few small fish (certainly no overstocking here, small fish in a big tank is my aim ) but will raise questions on stocking once I get the tank filled as I plan to let the whole thing settle in for many weeks before adding livestock.
<Sounds good.>
I would like the sump return water to re-enter the main tank with the use of Hydor Flo rotating water deflectors so as to mix up the circulation in the tank.
I have two questions. If I am able to run mud and algae in the sump what throughput should I look for in the return pump? I have read many articles but can't settle on the correct figure either for a 1.5" hole or most suitable for a refugium sump throughput, (Of course if the transit volume is to great for the sump I can't keep algae or but maybe Mud so I guess this is less important?
<A 1.5” bulkhead will drain about 750 gph gravity fed with a good safety margin, so your return pump can be sized in this range with your head height accounted for. As for a throughput size for the pump it depends on which pump you pick for your return. Most in this range will likely be a ¾”-1”.>
Secondly I am working on running a 10 x tank volume per hour movement in the tank i.e. 1500 UK Gal PH (as I feel is recommended in "the natural marine aquarist" " Reef Invertebrates" (a fantastic book that makes me feel gutted I have so little sump room), can I assume that I simply deduct the throughput from the return pump and add the remaining through power heads?
<Yes, your total tank circulation will be the sum of your sump return to the tank itself, plus the powerhead flow.>
(I would aim to use 4-6 heads to get adequate coverage and not
"jet blast" any life)?
<Exactly.>
The Hydor Koralia range looks nice and discreet.
<They are nice.>
Thanks once again for your help.
Steve H
<Welcome, good luck, Scott V.>

Re: Sump and Tank Flow 1/3/08
Hi Scott,
<Hello again Steve!>
Thanks so much for your reply, I feel that I am starting to get somewhere with this now.
<Good, happy to help.>
Could you reiterate or advise on one of my points. I understand that a 750 GPH return pump will match my 1.5" bulk head but should I govern this down for the mud and algae (If it works out that I have room for these) ?
<If you can have the refugium set up in its own compartment you can split the flow from your overflow line to have only part of it flowing through the refugium.>
I believe that refugium should have a much slower flow ?
<Yes and no. You can run the full flow through your refugium if need be. Your sump is large enough for 750 gph. This is only 5 times your display’s volume. With the mud it will just be a matter of making sure the flow is diffuse enough to not stir anything up.>
Thanks again.
Steve
<You’re welcome, I hope this helps you with your setup, Scott V.>

Drilling overflows in AGA 12/16/07
Crew,
<Hello David.>
I just ordered an Aquarium Glass Diamond Hole Saw Kit from Diamond Tool King who advertises as one of your sponsors. I already paid for the purchase through PayPal. Do you know if Steve @ Diamond Tool King is legitimate? His prices are excellent, which sort of scares me. I hope his being one of your sponsors, or his advertising on your pages shows he is legitimate.
<No worries, the bits will work fine.>
Here is why I am ordering from him. I am setting up a reef tank starting with a 120 gallon AGA tank. I keep collecting pieces and parts, and reading and continually Reading and rereading. Sorry to say I did not find out about your site until a few weeks ago. I have now repeatedly read that the bulkheads holes are to small too begin to consider the tank a "reef ready Tank".
<Unfortunately the case.>
Yes I will, after tank aging, use the tank principally as a SPS tank, with a small scattering of LPS and even less soft corals. To date I have obtained two Iwaki 40RLXT's, Turboflotor 1000 with Ocean Runner 2700 pump for skimming, Aqualight Pro with two 250-Watt 10,000 K and two 96-Watt PC's. I also have a Megaflow Model 4 Sump, which had to be trimmed to even allow for the TurboFlotor. If I had known that drilling bulkhead holes was not such a great task I would have never gotten the MegaFlow sump. I might still replace it with a glass aquarium and place the baffles where they will work best.
<Whatever it takes to suit your setup, drilling the glass is fairly straightforward.>
I do not plan on using the Bio-balls that came with the sump so it might workout OK. I plan on about 100-150 lbs Live Rock some thing from at least three different areas. Probably large Fiji rock, Tonga shelf and branch rock and some other exotic rock. Now for questions and suggestions. I plan on cutting out the AGA overflow boxes and plugging the small bulkhead holes with plugged bulkheads. Yes I even footed the stupidly high price for two Megaflow overflow kits. Learning can be expensive!
<Learning generally costs something, whether it be time or money!!>
Anyway I plan on two 3 inch holes for 2 inch overflow bulkheads on the tank's back wall, giving a space of at least 3-3.5 inches between hole edge and tank inner wall. Top of 3 inch holes about 2 inches below tanks glass cover ledge.
<Sounds good, perhaps a little bit lower. General rule of thumb is one hole diameter away from any edge. Two inches down should be fine, but three will give you that much more strength in the end. Good choice on overflow size, plenty of capacity here.>
The return locations I am not sure of. With the tanks present setting viewing will be almost entirely through front wall of tank allowing me free rein to drill return holes in side wall which I believe would create better turbulent flow
possibilities due to the opposing flow from returns at both ends of tank. What do you think?
<I am not a fan of drilling for sump returns, at least not too far down due to siphoning issues.>
What with live rock, crushed coral, and live sand/gravel (from GARF) displacement eating up probably 20 gallons of space I figured targeting 2000-2100 gph for flow would probably be acceptable. Shouldn't be able to get around there with my two pumps returning through 1 inch PVC pipe and 1 inch bulkheads.
<Yes.>
I really don't know what would be optimum location for return bulkheads, ie. where on side walls. Middle of front to back? How far from top edge. How did I prevent back siphoning if pump power is loss.
<Yes, this is the problem. Some rely on check valves, but these are not to be trusted to work 100% of the time.>
I also have two Pan World pumps with 1 inch inputs and outputs that I could use for running circulation loop(s) or possibly throttling down one for use with a AquaC EV series skimmer if the TurboFlotor does not work out.
<A closed loop is the way to go here. You will be able to put the intake/return(s) where you would like to optimize flow (perhaps even use the predrilled holes for the intake). This will also allow you to run whatever flow through your sump you desire rather than running the tanks full circulation through.>
I also have a 1/4 HP chiller, lots of Maxi-Jets (900'sand 1200's) and two Wave Masters. Think I need to sale some circulation heads and wavemasters.
<It always seems like you can never have too many extra utility pumps!>
Is there any reason I should even consider putting return bulkhead holes in the tank backwall?
<Over the top will be fine. If you want to drill consider putting it fairly close to the top (again, at least one hole diameter from any edge) and use some Loc-Line for adjustability to minimize siphoning.>
Opinions and suggestions please, before I start drilling, that is if the diamond hole saws show up. Sorry this is so long, but I only have three weeks before school starts up again and I am really antsy to get started on this tank when I am not working.
<Nice project to work on with time off.>
Its been over six years since I last had a reef tank and things seem to keep getting better as time goes on. My last tank was a 125 gallon with a "high" turnover rate of 4 times per hour, 2 Maxi Jet 900's, a 20 gallon sump, 3 250-Watt 650 K halide shop lights, and a Kalkwasser drip. No skimmer, auto top off, CO2 calc reactor, hood with double ended halide bulbs, Actinic Power Compacts, LED moonlights. Things do change!!!
<Wow! They sure do.>
Thanks,
David E. Harris
<Welcome, have fun with your project, Scott V.>