Sump Set up

Hello all, I hope that this is the right area to post this.

I currently have a 50g saltwater with a HOB skimmer. I would like to put a sump in. My problem is that my stand will only allow for a 10gallon sized tank.

I have a 300gph CPR overflow box.

My plan was to use two 10 gallon tanks. One to receive the water and to run through the skimmer with maybe some live rock. Then to have a pump going from that tank and transfering the water over to the other tank were it will spill over to refuguim then pumped back up to the DT.

My question is what size pumps would I want to get because I would need two. The first pump would only have a head of maybe 10-12 inches and the second pump would be approx 4 feet.

And for those that would ask, I plan on modifying my HOB skimmer to be an in sump design. I already check with Eshopps and it should work fine.

 

If i were you, i would cut holes on the ends of each 10 gal, and attach a bulkhead to each hole, and run a piece of pvc between the 2 10gal tanks. That way you only need 1 pump. and don't have to figure out what pumps you will need. Use like 1 1/2 in pvc between the tanks

 

+1 I'd do that, and I'd use 1 10g for a fuge and the other for the sump/return. When you run your overflow lines, run a small T down into the fuge with a ball valva on it that way the fuge doesn't get too much flow.

 

made the pic better

 

thanks everyone. What size return pump should I use. If I am not mistaken the rule of thumb is the pump is less than the overflow box rated gph.

 

Correct, it needs to be smaller. However, you could actually go with a 300 GPH since due to the head loss (from the height of your return line in your tank), you will be well under 300 GPH. Just look at pump curves and match how many feet above the top of the sump to the top of your DT (most likely 3-4 feet) and make sure it is less than 300.

 

Thanks to everyone for their responses. I will look for a pump that is close as possible to 300.

My last question, I hope, is in regards to the twin sump design noted above, it has the refug, dumping into the tank with the skimmer then up to a return.

Wouldn't I want it reversed so that the pods and other good stuff produced by the refug to pump directly into the return so that the skimmer doesn't take it out.

 

I would get a pump rated for a lil over 300gph, say like 450-500gph and put a ball valve on the return line and turn it down to the gph that works best for the overflow. Plus then after a while when the pump isn't so new anymore and doesn't pump as hard, you'll have enough gph left to make up for the loss.