I believe I'll buy a sump

[~reefchik~]

So no baby yet 

Here are photos of the sump and eshopps overflow:

[lazylivin]

Nice, good job

[TechGuy]

You just gotta keep an eye on evaporation on the return pump side. Water looks a little low!

But it looks good!

[~reefchik~]

Thanks!  I'm just glad it's done 

As for evaporation, yes, I'm finding that out.  I put more water in this evening (pics this morning).  I think that pump is warming the water up.  The heater hasn't come on at all today that I could see, not even when I dumped some fresh water top off into the sump part. 

On the negative side, putting the old LS from my 20 gallon tank spiked some nitrates.  I found out how delicate a Blood Red cleaner shrimp is     I did a small water change this afternoon, and I'll retest in the morning. 

[Blown76mav]

I'd ditch the bio balls (nitrate factory), and the hose going to the tank could be shorter, its just adding head pressure to the pump making it work harder than it has to and will cause it to wear out faster.  Other than that it looks good.  How many power heads do you have?  Reason for asking Mark Melev (melevsreef.com) said in a conference that you shouldn't use the return pump as a source of major water flow, it should be throttled back which will reduce the energy used and promote longer life.  Use powerheads for water movement.  Just a thought.

[~reefchik~]

Yep, I'm going to pull the rest of the bioballs out.  Now that they are floating and I can reach them!

Ok, I'll cut some of that tubing off the return side.  There is a half-loop of extra tubing that can come off.   I put a ball valve on the return too, just in case I needed to throttle it back some. 

I've got lots of powerheads.  Right now there's a Koralia in there and one small PH in the center.  With the 3 of them I get lots of water movement, none of it laminar and my corals all seem very happy with it.  But the return flow does push sand out of the corner, and I haven't been able to adjust it so that it doesn't blow sand somewhere.  So now I'm glad I put that ball valve on there. 

Now I have to ask:  to me, adding back pressure against the pump seems counter-intuitive - and it would burn the pump out faster.  Why would that not be correct?

I guess everyone already knew that the overflow was going to sound like Niagara Falls in our TV/Family room, right? 

[jd]

Steph, using just just one valve to control your pump will wear it out faster. The better solution is to something like this


  |
  |
  |==(V)===
  |
  |
[Pump]

Where the | is the pipe the runs to your tank the |= is a tee and the (v) is a ball valve. The end of the === goes into the first chamber of your sump. This allows you to spilt the return without adding any stress to the pump.

[Blown76mav]

Now I have to ask:  to me, adding back pressure against the pump seems counter-intuitive - and it would burn the pump out faster.  Why would that not be correct?

On mine in the directions it even says I can add a slowdown valve, which will not only reduce flow but save some energy.  So far I've done it on all my pumps and haven't burned one up yet.  I was just getting at you don't want to use the return pump for your primary water flow.  Also NEVER restrict the return side of a tank, this is a good way to cause floods.  All it takes is a snail, slug algae build up etc. to plug the ball valve and wala instant flood.

[jd]

Lonnie, I'm confused... You said that you add ball valves on all your pumps, but you should never add a ball valve on your return... Did I miss something or is this a case of do as I say, not as I do? 

[slandis3]

He means the intake side of the pump or the overflow box. i have seen setups where people have put ballvlaves on there drain pipe. Not a good idea.

[jd]

D'oh. I think it's too early for me

[Blown76mav]

Lonnie, I'm confused... You said that you add ball valves on all your pumps, but you should never add a ball valve on your return... Did I miss something or is this a case of do as I say, not as I do? 

I have a ball valve on the output side of my pump, and ball valves leading to the feed side of the overflows.   they say you are not suppose to put ball valves on the return side of the system especially if you only have one return line.  Return=line going to sump, feed = line going to tank.  Hope this clears that up.

[rayviv]

I can be confusing, cant it?
Actually the directions on the tank I have here (waiting to be returned for new StarFire) calls the line coming from 'tank to sump' the drain line and the supply 'line going to tank' is called return line.

[lazylivin]

Return=line going to sump, feed = line going to tank.  Hope this clears that up.

I always thought it was the other way around. Feed the sump and return to tank

[rayviv]

I hear ya. When I started this setup I found it hard to explain which line I was talking about. The paper; which I just went and rechecked, also refers to the line going from 'tank to sump' the overflow line.

[harleyrider]

Elementary..... is your pump in your sump or in you display? your pump sends the water last time i looked , if its in your sump its sending the water to your display and the display is returning the water to the sump throught your overflow.... now on the other hand if youve got your pump in your display, and if you do you shoudnt be in this hobby, it would be supplying your sump!!!!!

[~reefchik~]

Ah...we seem to have a breakdown in communications here. 

I always thought "return" meant returning filtered (or skimmed or post-fuge sump water) to the tank.
I think of intake as the side coming down from the overflow FROM the tank.

I guess I'm not the only one who has these confused. 

But just to even the score and give some of you heartburn, don't forget - I have ball valves on both the return and intake sides! 

jd:  I think I understand what you're saying.  You have some water coming out the side of the T back to the sump area, controlled by the valve, thereby reducing total flow to the tank from the pump? 

[jd]

I've always call the line running from the pump to the tank the return and the overflow to the sump the intake.

Reefchik: Right, It allows you to throttle back the return pump without stressing it. An added benefit is you can use the tee'd line to run GFO/Carbon reactors without using another pump.

[TechGuy]

I've always call the line running from the pump to the tank the return and the overflow to the sump the intake.

Reefchik: Right, It allows you to throttle back the return pump without stressing it. An added benefit is you can use the tee'd line to run GFO/Carbon reactors without using another pump.

NO ball valves on the overflows!!! Ever! BAD! hehe.

JD: Yes you can run GFO or carbon. But remember, VERY low flow thru the GFO. Or you will have a nice orange powder.

[jd]

Todd: Of course, you'd have to tee it again for that. But it is a handy trick to save a pump.