ASTROBOY Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 This is my first DIY sump build and turns out, not as easy as i thought haha. The tank is round 1100 litres i built a sump to hold round 300, installed 3 40mm bulkheads (2out and 1 in) with an 8thousand lt an hour return pump! (140L,min). Problem is pump is way too strong, and the water is not flowing through the 2 40's quik enough. So i have two options, try and exchange a used pump (less than 1 min run time) for a smaller one. Or drill more holes to compensate!!!!!!!!!!! I am a little torn here and would like to know wat others would do given this current situation. CHEERS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garman Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 put in a "t" junction in your pump return line and then add a valve off the T piece and then bleed off some water back into the sump, therefore reducing the amount of water going back into your tank, basically like getting a smaller pump in effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASTROBOY Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 should it return to stage one to filter again or straight to last stage?? thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garman Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 hi astro I would return it to the sump chamber........BUT......... you need to make sure there is no air bubbles drawn into the water as it's returned into that chamber otherwise the pump will pick up the air bubbles. I don't believe a pump should have no air bubbles being drawn through it, as it's like running your pump with a low water level. I only have a low flow pump so i don't have that effect in my tank BUT there will be plenty of people who return water back to the sump because of a large pump who will have the exact answer for you, what I mentioned is only my opinion. The best part is that you have used a sump for your filtration (thumbs up) Sumps need little maintenance which is a massive bonus. Sit back and enjoy your fish ............... cheers garry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tech Den Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 Think it is a 50-50 one here. You could get a smaller pump, less wattage and better for your power bill. You could bleed it back to the sump which the water might be better with the extra treatment but you also have to take into consideration that if you only have about 300l sump, will the water get treated as good as what it should. Some media might handle it while others may not. Me, I would get a smaller pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve6610 Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 i don't have a lot of experiance with sumps, but what garry has said sounds about right, i have 1 pipe going back to my media sump, this also gives me the option to divert all water into the sump if i'm doing something with my tanks, i put the return into the media sump because i have 2 seperate sumps, (2 x 200lt blue plastic drums) one with media and one with the sump pump, joined with 90mm pvc pipe, so unless it means to much water flow i'd go with garrys option, to be honest, any where in the sump would work, but you will be the best judge, if as garry said you can do it back into where the pump is without making to many bubbles, then go for it, the main thing to look at is keeping a steady flow of water going through your sump into your tank, the advantage of putting it back into the first chamber would be the water gets extra cleaning, but thats not important if your sumps working right, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIIK Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 do you have to have the inlet through the tank ?? You can always use the 3rd return hole (currently your inlet) as another outlet. Then just use pvc/clear hose/poly pipe and make a inlet feed from that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky124578 Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 I think the best out come would be to install a 3rd tank and divert the extra flow through it Could use this tank for so many things. Live feeders Breeders. Grow out. Different fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syndicate Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 are you sure there 40 mm bulk heads? i used to have 7500lph with 70cms of head that wouldnt even fill above the overflows. 2 x 40mmcan handle a maxium of 10000lph where as 2 x 32mm can only handle 7000lph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damon_24 Posted December 24, 2011 Report Share Posted December 24, 2011 Well you have a sump pump with too much power - therefor you need another tank or two. Wife may disagree but your get a new tank!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASTROBOY Posted December 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2011 Thanx for all feed bak will drill 4th hole tomorro after try out new bait caster will keep posted on progress CHEERS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pmarshall Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 Go for a bean animal overflow, this uses a full siphon with two back up/security overflows. Run your return over the edge of the tank. Using a full siphon will allow water to travel faster, the BA is silent and fail safe. If this return is still too fast put a gate valve in the return line (not a ball valve) this will help regulate the flow. Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
