sump conundrum

Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until some
bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of reading I
decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I couldn't figure
out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the previous owner as
the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It had been used for
freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump. I'd
like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I don't
think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though is
that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one hole
only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is blocked off on
the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have the water level at
63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I think the hole is 3cm in
diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass about 2.5cm above the water line
on the long sides. (The glass is 9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged in
there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used with
bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that have a
rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the reef
bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction pleeease. I just
can't seem to relate what I have to all the diagrams I've seen of tanks
with sumps and I keep looking at all this equipment thinking what a
waste when not in use. How should I go about using it? Is it possible to
have a sump using the current hole in the main tank and if so, how? I do
not want to try a hang on overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal

Oohps, sorry but all measurements are in centimetres.

miskairal wrote:
Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until some
bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of reading I
decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I couldn't figure
out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the previous owner as
the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It had been used for
freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump. I'd
like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I don't
think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though is
that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one hole
only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is blocked off on
the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have the water level at
63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I think the hole is 3cm in
diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass about 2.5cm above the water line
on the long sides. (The glass is 9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged in
there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used with
bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that have a
rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the reef
bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction pleeease. I just
can't seem to relate what I have to all the diagrams I've seen of tanks
with sumps and I keep looking at all this equipment thinking what a
waste when not in use. How should I go about using it? Is it possible to
have a sump using the current hole in the main tank and if so, how? I do
not want to try a hang on overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal

What you have is a wet dry filter. You might want to use a
tank instead. Go with the biggest tank that you can fit
under the aquarium. If you use the wet dry, just remove
all of the removable items. Items glued in could also give
structural support, and could compromise the integrity of
the sump if removed.

Use the hole that is drilled in the aquarium for the
overflow, and then plumb the return up over the back of
the aquarium.

Also while putting a deep sand bed in the sump will be
beneficial, a deep sand bed in the reef tank is even
better, as it is where the action is. But yes putting a
deep sand bed in your sump will be beneficial weather or
not you have a deep sand bed in your tank.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/23/2006 4:18 AM:
Oohps, sorry but all measurements are in centimetres.

miskairal wrote:
Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until some
bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of reading I
decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I couldn't
figure out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the previous
owner as the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It had been
used for freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump. I'd
like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I don't
think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though is
that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one hole
only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is blocked off
on the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have the water level
at 63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I think the hole is
3cm in diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass about 2.5cm above the
water line on the long sides. (The glass is 9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged in
there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used with
bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that have a
rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the
reef bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction pleeease.
I just can't seem to relate what I have to all the diagrams I've seen
of tanks with sumps and I keep looking at all this equipment thinking
what a waste when not in use. How should I go about using it? Is it
possible to have a sump using the current hole in the main tank and if
so, how? I do not want to try a hang on overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal

Thanks Wayne, that's what I thought about the sump but can you explain
to me how I use the drilled hole as an overflow - what do I connect to
it? I take it I can't use a weir type thing?

I was thinking of slowly adding sand to create a dsb but the sand has
been so yuck since I set this tank up 6 months ago that I'm a bit
nervous about it. I did have more sand in there (about 1.5cm thick) but
have removed a lot with hair algae and cyano.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
What you have is a wet dry filter. You might want to use a tank instead.
Go with the biggest tank that you can fit under the aquarium. If you use
the wet dry, just remove all of the removable items. Items glued in
could also give structural support, and could compromise the integrity
of the sump if removed.

Use the hole that is drilled in the aquarium for the overflow, and then
plumb the return up over the back of the aquarium.

Also while putting a deep sand bed in the sump will be beneficial, a
deep sand bed in the reef tank is even better, as it is where the action
is. But yes putting a deep sand bed in your sump will be beneficial
weather or not you have a deep sand bed in your tank.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/23/2006 4:18 AM:

Oohps, sorry but all measurements are in centimetres.

miskairal wrote:

Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until some
bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of reading I
decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I couldn't
figure out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the previous
owner as the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It had been
used for freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump. I'd
like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I don't
think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though is
that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one hole
only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is blocked off
on the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have the water level
at 63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I think the hole is
3cm in diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass about 2.5cm above the
water line on the long sides. (The glass is 9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged in
there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used with
bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that have a
rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the
reef bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction
pleeease. I just can't seem to relate what I have to all the diagrams
I've seen of tanks with sumps and I keep looking at all this
equipment thinking what a waste when not in use. How should I go
about using it? Is it possible to have a sump using the current hole
in the main tank and if so, how? I do not want to try a hang on
overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal

You will need a bulkhead in the hole. You probably already
have one in the hole. Plump your pipe to the bulkhead down
to the sump. At the inside of the tank, you will want a
prefilter to keep it from sucking up stuff.

See
http://pentairaquatics.com/products/..._fittings.html

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/24/2006 6:07 PM:
Thanks Wayne, that's what I thought about the sump but can you explain
to me how I use the drilled hole as an overflow - what do I connect to
it? I take it I can't use a weir type thing?

I was thinking of slowly adding sand to create a dsb but the sand has
been so yuck since I set this tank up 6 months ago that I'm a bit
nervous about it. I did have more sand in there (about 1.5cm thick) but
have removed a lot with hair algae and cyano.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
What you have is a wet dry filter. You might want to use a tank
instead. Go with the biggest tank that you can fit under the aquarium.
If you use the wet dry, just remove all of the removable items. Items
glued in could also give structural support, and could compromise the
integrity of the sump if removed.

Use the hole that is drilled in the aquarium for the overflow, and
then plumb the return up over the back of the aquarium.

Also while putting a deep sand bed in the sump will be beneficial, a
deep sand bed in the reef tank is even better, as it is where the
action is. But yes putting a deep sand bed in your sump will be
beneficial weather or not you have a deep sand bed in your tank.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/23/2006 4:18 AM:

Oohps, sorry but all measurements are in centimetres.

miskairal wrote:

Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until some
bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of reading I
decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I couldn't
figure out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the previous
owner as the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It had been
used for freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump. I'd
like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I don't
think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though
is that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one
hole only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is
blocked off on the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have
the water level at 63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I
think the hole is 3cm in diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass about
2.5cm above the water line on the long sides. (The glass is 9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged in
there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used with
bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that have a
rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the
reef bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction
pleeease. I just can't seem to relate what I have to all the
diagrams I've seen of tanks with sumps and I keep looking at all
this equipment thinking what a waste when not in use. How should I
go about using it? Is it possible to have a sump using the current
hole in the main tank and if so, how? I do not want to try a hang on
overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal

Thankyou once again Wayne. I do have a bulkhead and sundry bits and
pieces but I think I'm missing the suction screen that screws into the
bulkhead on the inside. Might buy all new stuff anyway to play it safe.
Thanks.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
You will need a bulkhead in the hole. You probably already have one in
the hole. Plump your pipe to the bulkhead down to the sump. At the
inside of the tank, you will want a prefilter to keep it from sucking up
stuff.

See http://pentairaquatics.com/products/..._fittings.html

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/24/2006 6:07 PM:

Thanks Wayne, that's what I thought about the sump but can you explain
to me how I use the drilled hole as an overflow - what do I connect to
it? I take it I can't use a weir type thing?

I was thinking of slowly adding sand to create a dsb but the sand has
been so yuck since I set this tank up 6 months ago that I'm a bit
nervous about it. I did have more sand in there (about 1.5cm thick)
but have removed a lot with hair algae and cyano.

Wayne Sallee wrote:

What you have is a wet dry filter. You might want to use a tank
instead. Go with the biggest tank that you can fit under the
aquarium. If you use the wet dry, just remove all of the removable
items. Items glued in could also give structural support, and could
compromise the integrity of the sump if removed.

Use the hole that is drilled in the aquarium for the overflow, and
then plumb the return up over the back of the aquarium.

Also while putting a deep sand bed in the sump will be beneficial, a
deep sand bed in the reef tank is even better, as it is where the
action is. But yes putting a deep sand bed in your sump will be
beneficial weather or not you have a deep sand bed in your tank.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/23/2006 4:18 AM:

Oohps, sorry but all measurements are in centimetres.

miskairal wrote:

Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until
some bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of
reading I decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I
couldn't figure out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the
previous owner as the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It
had been used for freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump.
I'd like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I
don't think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though
is that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one
hole only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is
blocked off on the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have
the water level at 63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I
think the hole is 3cm in diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass
about 2.5cm above the water line on the long sides. (The glass is
9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at
drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged
in there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used
with bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that
have a rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with
the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the
reef bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction
pleeease. I just can't seem to relate what I have to all the
diagrams I've seen of tanks with sumps and I keep looking at all
this equipment thinking what a waste when not in use. How should I
go about using it? Is it possible to have a sump using the current
hole in the main tank and if so, how? I do not want to try a hang
on overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal