findingnemo2
New member
For three days now, my son and I have tried to get a new sump up and running to no avail. I am setting here with tears running down my face and have never felt more stupid and ignorant and defeated.
No one knows anything about sumps or anything, and I have have no reef club or anything where I live.
I have tried to explain to my son how and why they work and gave him all the supplies and spent a small fortune and lots of time gathering everything.
I am beginning to think I bought all the wrong stuff. I researched this saltwater hobby stuff for almost a year before doing anything, read everything I could get my hands on, and it seems all that research was for nothing. Here is what I went out and bought, and I chose the things I did because I want to be able to keep anything I want in this tank.
Up and running as we speak is a 110g. tank
Metal halide light with acentics
Rena filtar filter 3X
Magnum 350
For my new sump I bought a 30 long glass tank, put baffles in it
Octopus 150 recirculating protein skimmer
Mag 12 return pump
Eshopps double overflow box-1000
Mag 1.9 which is used to feed the skimmer
I want this plumbed inline and not in sump, saving more room for my fuge which the system will look like this http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/glass/index.html
When he went to put this all together, using pvc pipe, except for off the eshopps, its been one thing after the other.
First my son said this pump is too strong and filled my display to the brim and said he had to because the pump and overflow do not match. He used 1 and 1/2 inch pvc to plumb all of it, and its like nothing is going into my tank, which I know there is, but with those big elbows, which I wanted two simple returns made out of elbows, it really slows the flow down. Also, he said you can't cut back the flow, so he put a ball socket valve thing on the outlet and has it draining into my sump. It all has to come out and I have lost all this money and time. Him as well on the time part.
My tank is a long tank. Surely someone has the time and patience and kindness of heart to walk me thru this and tell me what I have done wrong here? What I need to rebuy?
Is there any way to match overflows and return pumps? None seem to, so how is it done if you can't power them back,(the pump) which I understood you could with a ball valve? He says it will burn my pump out and we can't do that.
Also, obviously, my tank is not drilled, that was a bad thing to start.
They say turn over around 5X tank size. I wanted to have plenty of the top skum coming off is why I got the double overflow box. Was that a mistake? Please someone, I am begging here for help to get my sump up and running. I am stupid when it comes to plumbing and still have a lot to learn about this hobby, which I love, love, love so very much. Thank you for reading this long thread and thanks for any help you will be willing to give me. Brenda
No one knows anything about sumps or anything, and I have have no reef club or anything where I live.
I have tried to explain to my son how and why they work and gave him all the supplies and spent a small fortune and lots of time gathering everything.
I am beginning to think I bought all the wrong stuff. I researched this saltwater hobby stuff for almost a year before doing anything, read everything I could get my hands on, and it seems all that research was for nothing. Here is what I went out and bought, and I chose the things I did because I want to be able to keep anything I want in this tank.
Up and running as we speak is a 110g. tank
Metal halide light with acentics
Rena filtar filter 3X
Magnum 350
For my new sump I bought a 30 long glass tank, put baffles in it
Octopus 150 recirculating protein skimmer
Mag 12 return pump
Eshopps double overflow box-1000
Mag 1.9 which is used to feed the skimmer
I want this plumbed inline and not in sump, saving more room for my fuge which the system will look like this http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/glass/index.html
When he went to put this all together, using pvc pipe, except for off the eshopps, its been one thing after the other.
First my son said this pump is too strong and filled my display to the brim and said he had to because the pump and overflow do not match. He used 1 and 1/2 inch pvc to plumb all of it, and its like nothing is going into my tank, which I know there is, but with those big elbows, which I wanted two simple returns made out of elbows, it really slows the flow down. Also, he said you can't cut back the flow, so he put a ball socket valve thing on the outlet and has it draining into my sump. It all has to come out and I have lost all this money and time. Him as well on the time part.
My tank is a long tank. Surely someone has the time and patience and kindness of heart to walk me thru this and tell me what I have done wrong here? What I need to rebuy?
Is there any way to match overflows and return pumps? None seem to, so how is it done if you can't power them back,(the pump) which I understood you could with a ball valve? He says it will burn my pump out and we can't do that.
Also, obviously, my tank is not drilled, that was a bad thing to start.
They say turn over around 5X tank size. I wanted to have plenty of the top skum coming off is why I got the double overflow box. Was that a mistake? Please someone, I am begging here for help to get my sump up and running. I am stupid when it comes to plumbing and still have a lot to learn about this hobby, which I love, love, love so very much. Thank you for reading this long thread and thanks for any help you will be willing to give me. Brenda