A sump question

[Heliman]

At last I have a new home...and a new fish room that has been built in expressely for a large aquarium, looking through a wall, behind which is a dedicated fish room.

I am busily planning the layout and all the space now available for all the equipment we seem to need is a real luxury after so many years of cramming everything into a cabinet so it looked neat !!!

My question....

I dont need any more to have a small sump located underneath the main tank in the cabinet.

I plan to have a sump about the same volume as the main tank.

I also plan to have the sump at the same height as the Tank, for reasons of access, and to eliminate the "flooded floor" syndrome etc etc.

I have thought and planned the layout carefully, but I wonder if anybody can see any traps in having a sump located this way.

The only downside I can envisage is transfer of water from main tank to sump will be less because gravity wont help. But I figure that if I put the return lines in 2 inch pipe, and the pump lines to maintank in 1.25 inch, then with a big enough pump (Iwaki MD 60 or 70) I should be OK for my target 8 turn overs per hour

Got any comments ??

 

[milonedp]

I don't have any suggestions but I'm curious to see if this is working for you.

 

[hollister]

You can place it the same level. Means you dont need a larger return pump. But if u can , display the tank. They can look very cool with some macro algea and a few small frags. And make it a refugium.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I don't see how having the tanks at the same level eliminates the 'flooded floor' syndrome? You still have to pump water from one tank to another, and if the return drain clogs and the pump keeps running... flood! Maybe if you use a controller, but you don't need both tanks at the same level to use a controller? I guess maybe I'm missing something?

Having a big sump and a real room for 'the rest of the system' is very cool. Good luck and go ahead, keep making us jealous... in fact, I want photos!