55 gal sump for 55 gal tank

I was looking at craigslist and I found a guy selling a 55 gal tank for 30$. And I have been planning on eventually getting a sump. However, the way my cabinet is set up, there are two individual compartments, and a middle pull out drawer. So my thought was to drill into the wall behind the tank to run the pump and return lines where there is a room for the furnace. Originally I was thinking a 30 Gal tank would work, but then I thought if I went with a 55g, then if I upgrade my tank later down the road the plumbing and tank would be already installed. Should I build a small 2x4 stand to hold the sump, or should it be on the ground.

Just wondering if anyone has done this type of set up, and will that return pump do all the work with getting the water out of the tank as well as back in? I know with 90 degree elbows and such that slows down the flow. What size tubing would be sufficient 1"? Or should I stick with flexible woven tubes?
Thanks in advance. Just in the pre-planning stages.

 

Always go bigger with piping cause you can slow the flow but you cant make it bigger down the line unless you redo the entire thing so i would do 1.5" to your sump and 3/4 for return. As for a pump you should only need a return because gravity will do the rest for feeding your sump, unless you are putting a overflow box on there then you need a small pump for a siphon pump but thats it.

 

Yes my tank is not drilled, so that's why I was wondering. So where would the pump be for the overflow box be? In the first chamber where the skimmer would be? Should both pumps be the same size to keep the flow moving at the same rate? That just makes me nervous as hell to think of one pump failing.

 

You only need one pump. An overflow box does not use a pump to move water--it relies on a siphon from the display tank. The only time a pump is used in direct relation to an overflow box is one similar to the CPR design that needs an aqualifter (very small and slow) pump to ensure air doesn't build up and break the siphon. At that point no water would be exiting the tank [to the sump] and water from the return section of the sump would continue to pump in to the display tank.

I use an Eshopps overflow box that does not use an aqualifter pump.

 

yep as you fill the aquarium with water from the return pump your overflow box should take the water back to your sump (hence the word overflow LOL).. most overflow boxes are rated for 700 gph at minimum with a 55 gallon i would use a mag 7 or eheim 1260 if you can.. (for a return pump)

im of the opinion that slower thru the sump is better than more..

if you have never used a over flow box than they can be tricky at first ...
thier is usually a u-tube that brings the water from tank to the overflow box.

i had to use a airline tube to get the siphon started.... the main problem that happens with a overflow box is this u-tube losing siphon...

if you can see one in action it will make total sense one you have had a chance to see one in person...

 

Ok I have seen one in use, and it seems as once they are running its ok, and to keep an eye on it after it starts. I am planning on running PVC pipes threw the wall into our furnace room where the the sump tank would be(maybe 5ft from tank). Would I need a more powerfull pump or would those do the trick? What skimmers are good for this set up. I have a 55 gallon, but with a 55 gal sump wouldn't i need a double rating for the water storage?