sump descriptions

wannalearn

i was wondering if you all would post some pics of your sumps, and plumbing, and describe what you have going on inside your sump, like your water path.. i have decided i want to do a sump and i am trying to figure out how to set the sump up, where to put the baffles, and what to have inside and its locatation.. thanks alot

Reefing Madness

Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

wannalearn

thanks reef, awesome link, i will be bookmarking that one. that page answered alot of questions. i WILL be doing a sump. a question i didnt see asked tho. i understand the drill a small hole on the u shaped piece for the overflow, to stop flow in a power outage, i guess need a hole on the intake and return to be safe, but what i dont understand is,when the suction is gone form the overflow, water stops flowing, but when power is returned and the return pumps kicks back on, would it not empty the sump and then burn up..since the overflow lost it suction and can no longer supply water to the sump..

Reefing Madness

Thats why most people buy a Aqualifter pump to attach to the U tube on the overflow. The pump sucks any air that got into the line, out, and therefore re-starts the syphon. Er, most of the time. The pumps do fail from time to time. A Reef Ready tank, one with holes already drilled in it for sump purposes is the only one i will do a sump with, because of that random failure of the pump on the u tube.

wannalearn

ahh i see.. thanks

wannalearn

so that leaves me to another question(sorry) how about instead of using the u tube with siphon for the overflow, could a person some how use a pump, to pump water into the sump, instead of relying on syphon, so when you power is restored the pump WILL come on, guaranting flow to your sump, not relying on a pump so suck air out, hoping to restore syphon.

onefish2fish

when one pump clogs or fails and the other one doesnt.. well you have a flood.

wannalearn

well, just seams like there is no real safe way of doing it,,lol,

Reefing Madness

Its tough using an Overflow Box. There is another way. You will forgive me for adding a link to another site, its the only way to show.
Silent and Failsafe Overflow System - Reef Central Online Community
The Herbie Overflow Marine Engineers
These are the 2 safest and best out there. BeanAnimal being #1 for failsafe.