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457 Posts
ok so i am truly addicted to this hobby. i now have my 4 large tank(over10g). i just bought my second 75g. i would have gone larger but my apartment is kinda full now. i am turning my dinning room into my fish room 
:-o
so what i am planing is to make a large sump to run both 75gs. i plan on going with mbuna in one and peacocks/haps in the other. this way the water parameters are the same. so i have some questions and how to go about. i hope some of the guys who built there own sumps can help.
i already have a wet/dry but it is small and barely runs two overflow boxes off one 75g.(i had to drill 1" holes in the 1st tray to get enough flow, and it only adds 1-2g to the system)
i was thinking about a 40g to go underneath one of the tanks. but i hate having to reach under to clean out filter floss and such. so i then thought about going with a rubbermaid trashcan. a 44g. im thinking i can use milk crates as my media baskets and stack them up.
#1 how would you have the drains set to create as little splashing noise as possible?
i would leave the bottom 2 crates empty to form a stand to keep the media above the water line. then put two pumps in the bottom, one for each tank. around 1000gph per pump. with 3-4' head, so 700-800gph per tank.
#2 would i have to use eggcrate or something to keep the pumps off the rubber to prevent it from melting?
#3should i have the returns exit through the side of the can instead of the top?
#4how do i set the drain pipes into the lid, so i can still access the first layer of filter floss once a week? i want to keep the lid on to prevent evaporation but not to seal it so i can get back in.
i plan on using pvc, so what is the easiest tool to cut the pvc to the right length. i have only a power drill, and do not plan on buying a power saw or anything. i plan on fitting nozzle heads to return pipes instead of a spray bar.
#5would that give me better flow? not worried about aeration with a 4ft tall can.
#6would it be better to add control valves to the return in case the pump is to strong?
i have 2 overflow boxes now on 1 tank but plan on using 1 for each tank. @ 1" drains(600gph) would that be sufficient turn over? or should i try to make or buy larger boxes.
box#1 has a linear overflow of 13", box#2 has 10"of linear overflow. so box#1 i could get a max of 850gph, box#2 i could get 650. but is that restricted by the size of the drain pipe at all?
#7should i get the same size overflows for each tank?
#8 is it easy to build overflows with acrylic or other materials? if so i would build 2-3 to get 2 on each tank of equal size.
also i plan on using 1" pvc pipe all the way around. is that a good idea or not?
also i want the tanks to be perfectly level. what type of foam would one use to lay beneath the tank and stand? i have heard of insulation but not sure what that means.
ok i think thats all the questions for now. im sure i will have more later.
:-oso what i am planing is to make a large sump to run both 75gs. i plan on going with mbuna in one and peacocks/haps in the other. this way the water parameters are the same. so i have some questions and how to go about. i hope some of the guys who built there own sumps can help.
i already have a wet/dry but it is small and barely runs two overflow boxes off one 75g.(i had to drill 1" holes in the 1st tray to get enough flow, and it only adds 1-2g to the system)
i was thinking about a 40g to go underneath one of the tanks. but i hate having to reach under to clean out filter floss and such. so i then thought about going with a rubbermaid trashcan. a 44g. im thinking i can use milk crates as my media baskets and stack them up.
#1 how would you have the drains set to create as little splashing noise as possible?
i would leave the bottom 2 crates empty to form a stand to keep the media above the water line. then put two pumps in the bottom, one for each tank. around 1000gph per pump. with 3-4' head, so 700-800gph per tank.
#2 would i have to use eggcrate or something to keep the pumps off the rubber to prevent it from melting?
#3should i have the returns exit through the side of the can instead of the top?
#4how do i set the drain pipes into the lid, so i can still access the first layer of filter floss once a week? i want to keep the lid on to prevent evaporation but not to seal it so i can get back in.
i plan on using pvc, so what is the easiest tool to cut the pvc to the right length. i have only a power drill, and do not plan on buying a power saw or anything. i plan on fitting nozzle heads to return pipes instead of a spray bar.
#5would that give me better flow? not worried about aeration with a 4ft tall can.
#6would it be better to add control valves to the return in case the pump is to strong?
i have 2 overflow boxes now on 1 tank but plan on using 1 for each tank. @ 1" drains(600gph) would that be sufficient turn over? or should i try to make or buy larger boxes.
box#1 has a linear overflow of 13", box#2 has 10"of linear overflow. so box#1 i could get a max of 850gph, box#2 i could get 650. but is that restricted by the size of the drain pipe at all?
#7should i get the same size overflows for each tank?
#8 is it easy to build overflows with acrylic or other materials? if so i would build 2-3 to get 2 on each tank of equal size.
also i plan on using 1" pvc pipe all the way around. is that a good idea or not?
also i want the tanks to be perfectly level. what type of foam would one use to lay beneath the tank and stand? i have heard of insulation but not sure what that means.
ok i think thats all the questions for now. im sure i will have more later.
