Explanation of a Sump

[PineHill]

I am setting up a big display tank in my living room and atrickle sump sounds good since I have a large stand that could house a sump under the 125 gallon.  I'm also new to the knowledge of sumps and only know a few basics ( no extra junk in the tank, heaters, filter hidden int he sump, etc.).  If someone could help explain the general idea of a sump and go into the more complicated areas that would be awesome.  Thanks.

Chris

[sniggir]

well there are many aplications for sumps one of the main is to increase water volume and the second it for hiding equipment there are others but I will stick with these. for FW aplication it means that you can hide most of your equipment and also that you are able to have a large filter, that is easy to maintain

[porcupinepuffer]

Aside from extra water volume, and place to hide ugly mechanical equipment, it can allow for a save haven for smaller critters to thrive without being eaten to extinction from livestock in the main tank. You can also do water changes, and other tasks from the sump area; without stressing your livestock in the tank with your constant tinkering.

[kennyman]

The trickle part is about having water trickle over media housing a bacterial colony that is not submerged. This is like Bruce's bucket of pot scrubbers in his diy article.

The water drains from that into the sump proper where you have all kinds of other options like a percolating sandbed, foam filtration or even live plants and algae to polish the water.

Finally it goes over a baffle into a reservoir where your pump and heater are.

Its just a box divided into two or three sections.

[fischkopp]

The trickle part is about having water trickle over media housing a bacterial colony that is not submerged. This is like Bruce's bucket of pot scrubbers in his diy article.

Dont want to threadjack, but are there any benefits of not having the bactarial colonies submerged? Ans wouldnt it be a bit stinky after a while?

[kennyman]

I guess it is a good question related to Pinehill's subject since I think this discussion came about from asking about filter methods for a large display tank.

Supposedly the trickle system is more Oxygen rich for bacteria. There is a great deal of surface area exposed to the air where O2 is in greater concentration that in water.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/filtration/a/aa090298.htm

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/wetdry.htm

[darkdep]

"BioWheels" are a commercial filter design that utilizes this principle.  The nitrifying bacteria we all know and love uses oxygen.  The average oxygen percentage of water is about 2% or so, but it's 21% in the air.  Exposing them to the air allows them to grow faster and work better.

I've never seen the raw data, but I'd love to see some scientific info regarding the size of biomedia required to sustain a control population while submerged or while trickled/biowheeled.

[PineHill]

For some reason I can't help thinking that my sump would overflow if the output ever stopped.  What are the precautions against this?

[SuperT]

A few suggestions....

battery backup to your return pump.
siphon break holes in the return to the display tank.
regular checks on the the overflow to make sure it's not clogged etc.
enough empty room in the sump to hold what the overflow will pull until the display tank water is below the overflow.

Terry

[kennyman]

For some reason I can't help thinking that my sump would overflow if the output ever stopped.  What are the precautions against this?

The level water drains out in the display is a set level. You know like when you are in the tub and the water is up to that chrome thing? Then lay down, the water goes up and drains out the hole 

The reason your sump does not overflow is because only water in the display that is above the overlow level drain into the sump. And the only place water is coming into the display to raise the level above the overflow is from the sump. Its like this. With the power off you fill the tank to the overflow and then fill the sump. When you turn the pump in the sump on water comes from the sump into the display, raises  the level of the display and the excess runs down the overflow back into  the sump. It is the same water that left the sump 

[SuperT]

With the power off you fill the tank to the overflow and then fill the sump. When you turn the pump in the sump on water comes from the sump into the display, raises  the level of the display and the excess runs down the overflow back into  the sump. It is the same water that left the sump 

That is a very good point.  After you start your flow mark the water hight with a marker in the sump.  This way when you top off with fresh water your never putting in too much (and won't change your salinity - if you have a saltwater tank).

Terry

[mdugly]

Don't regulate flow on the output - this will cause a flood.
If need to, put valve on input AFTER pump - ie. don't restrict the pumps input.
Your output should probably be twice ID of your input to account for air.
For 125g, you should probably use 2.5 inch hole to accommodates 1.5 inch bulkhead.
Depending on the flow you want, you might actually need two outputs.
(1.5 inch drain can easily handle ~500g/hr)
If u go 1 drain, consider putting in center.

I wouldn't drill hole for input - plumbing over the tank might actually loose some flow due to elbows, but allows for a siphon break hole, so less water will siphon back into your sump when the pump is turned off.

-mike

[PineHill]

This is for Mike

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