Sump Help

[jacobraven]

I have bought an ex lfs 6'x18''x18'' Tank and have a spare 2ft at home I'm thinking its normal size at a guess 60cmX20cm(w)x40cm(h) it looks not sure what stock is.

Now the 6ft will hold 360ish L is the sump to small ?

It has a 40mm hole in the back right bottom drilled. I think an inch hole drains 500gph so it might drain 800gph?

I'm planning on extending the hole with PVC to with in an inch of the top of the tank so if power is out it will drain roughly 21 ltrs before stopping?

And what is a good sized return 2000lph?

Edit: Hell if i can get 2 on there ill go back an buy another 6ftr?

Regards

JR

[Kremit]

The sump shouldnt be too small, the biggest thing i think you will find is evaporation. Being a sumped setup the water level should only change in the return section of your sump (where the pump is) with a larger surface area the evaporation will be greater, you may find you will have to top it up every few days as to not let the pump become exposed. Having lids on the sump and the tank will help greatly with this. Myself, i use a float valve(connected to a 250lt barrel of aged water), in my sump to keep the water at a constant level.

As for the pump, it will depend on the live stock, but as a general rule approx 5 times of the total water in the system, so 370lt tank, plus the 80 odd liters in the sump x 5 = 2250lt/hour, but then you will have to take head hight into consideration, where is the sump gonna sit, how high is the outlet into your main tank in comparison to the pump (or more importantly the water level in the pump section of your sump), if its under a meter then my guess is a 3200lt/hour pump should do it. if its over a meter boost it up a little, maybe a 4000lph. Use this a a minimum, you can never have too much filtration. You just dont want the fish to blown half way across the tank.

as for your drainage, http://www.qldaf.com/forums/product-diy-technical-discussion-11/pipe-sizing-charts-flow-rates-55887/

40mm hole is little over 1.5 inches, 1350 GPH, or just over 5000LPH, Ideally having 2 returns is best, so you can skim from the surface, and slide a bit of pvc over the second to suck from the bottom, having a second drain also acts as a backup incase the first blocks up.

Hope this helps

Tim

Edited February 15, 2012 by Kremit

[jacobraven]

That helps heaps thanks.

Sorry to be a pain, i think I get what you mean like use a 40mm pipe at an inch below surface n say a 20mm pipe at the surface to have both? cause if its below the surface at 5000LPH i need a massive return to keep it at that height or above. Livestock unknown but it wont be an oscar etc likely angels, rams, smaller plecos. I could split the pump to tank returns too of need be? like at the left end wall in each corner? and a float valve wld idealy send a small current to a another pump allowing it to refill the 2ft?