Gravity Fed Sump equipment

[jallard]

So Im thinking of changing things in my sump.... I have 2 media reactors and a chiller which I plan to feed with my drain and regulate the flow with small gate valves..... do you see any reasons this is a bad idea?

 

[scrmbld33]

as long as you adjust the feed up to the tank with the same gph you should be fine. it may be very hard to get it adjusted though. the main trouble is your limiting flow out of the tank, so if your pumping more into the tank from the sump youll have a flood.

what type of over flow? is it a reef ready tank or siphon fed overflow?

 

[jallard]

its a reef ready........... but I would be "T" ing it off so how would could that cause a flood? The excess water woiuld still be draing into the sump

 

[scrmbld33]

it should work with the t, what it seem from the first post was that you were using valve to limit the flow out of the tank, what i what i was getting at was let say your valve on the "to sump" side of your tank has limited flow with valves to 200gph. if your pump to the aquarium is at 600gph, the extra water has no where to go exept on your floor, or if your lucky your sump will go dry.

more or less the gph into the sump and out to the tank should be the same

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I think you are going to get a lot of gunk and detritus in your units because the water is "raw" and unfiltered.

IMO, a better idea would be running them off T's from your return pump.

 

[MERTZ18]

i would also watch i flow rate with the chiller. it has a hi flow and a low flow. go above or below and the chiller will run more than it needs to

 

[useskaforevil]

one problem i have with a uv sterilizer that's fed off gravity is the water has to go down, up and then down again, and when power is lost this drainline takes longer to get back up to its maximum speed. when i redesgin my tank later this year i'm going to change this.