Basement Sump Planning Need Input

It will be colder though, depends where you live. You should insulate inside the duct. You do not want any condensation from the pipe. PVC is better, but it still will condense water. But heat transfer in the duct itself would be negligible.

I moved my sump to a closet that had a outside wall in a half basement. Herein Colorado, it made a big difference. I also went on a kick to use the least amount of electricity as possible. Well... I then had to have 700w of heaters in the Winter. That was still good though.

Rocketman nailed it though... evaporation is a big heat loss and you do not want it covered. Just look at your power use... if you have a external pump, make it internal. I generally do not like power hungry Beckett skimmers, but if you need the heat, that is not a bad thing. Just look at it. In the end, fish rooms/basements/closets are the bomb. Best thing I did to mine. Well worth it.

 

That does seem like a big difference, I am sure I will find a good way to make it work. Your input is wonderful.

I will try to take some pictures after work. The route I am planning to go is actually already going about 1-1/2 feet away from the tank. I cannot go down through the wall the tank sits against or through the floor below the tank because it has a large steel I beam running across under the floor. There, going through the air return is about the easiest and most direct route.

I had initially planned external, but I think I am going to go internal pump. I found a cheap lightly used one on craigslist, and the heat cant hurt since my basement is cooler.

 

What pump are you looking at and what's the room height of your basement? - looking for total head height here and to see if the pump you're looking at will be sufficient.

Frankly I'm doubtful you'll be able to find an adequate submersible pump that would be better than an external.

Consider:

- You likely have 10' or so between the floor in basement (I'm assuming that's where the sump will sit) and the floor above the basement. Then add in 5' for tank height and another couple feet for pipe resistance, bends, etc. So figure on about 17' of head height.

- You will want as much turnover as is feasible. I would shoot for about 700-900gph flow through your tank. Additionally, I always like to oversize the pump by a bit in case you want to plumb off it later for a fuge, frag tank, etc. So I'd shoot for 1000 gph minimum and more like 1200 gph if you want some flexibility.

Here are some popular submersible pumps and the rates they put out at 17':

- Aqualife 3700 "High Head" Submersible: 0 - beyond max for pump
- Danner Hy Drive 2100: ~600 gph - a little too low
- Danner Hy Drive 2600: ~ 1800 gph - enough, but overkill
- Quiet One (any size): 0 - beyond max for pump
- Sicce Syncra 5: 0 - beyond max for pump
- Danner Mag 18, 24, 36: 18 shuts off at 17', 24 provides 100gph @ 17, 350gph @ 15', 36 provides 1000gph @ 15' and 475gph @ 17'

I couldn't find any others that would do the job. The best appears to be either a Danner Hy Drive 2100 or 2600. The 2100 would be ok if you only powered your tank, the 2600 would be better because it only costs about $35 more and draws only 80 watts more (190 vs 270)

Compare that to an appropriate external:

Reeflo Blowhole 1450: ~820gph @ 17' - $149, 160 watts
Reeflo Blowhole 2700: ~1375gph @ 17' - $259, 220 watts

 

For a 90g with a regular sump and fuge, 500 gph is plenty. 4-5x turnover an hour is all that is needed to supply what is needed for a system. Especialy at that hight, any thing over what is needed is a HUGE energy loss.

I usually get a bigger pump for other things in the future... but buying a big honkin pump capable of that much flow and head is much easier accomplished with simple submersible in the sump and a return pump capable of moving what is needed to the DT.

But yes, you need one that can do the hight you have.

And most externals are still water cooled, but not as good as a submersible "IF" you ned the heat.

 

If you want to go with lower flow then the only two pumps I saw that make sense are the Danner Hy Drive 2100 (submersible) or the Reeflo 1450.

Frankly the Reeflo Blowhole 1450 looks like it would be the perfect pump:

- ~850gph
- 160 watts (lower than any other)
- Only $149 - that's a hell of a deal on a pump like that

 

I'm actually going with a quiet one 9000 which I found on craigslist. I was planning 1-1/2 pvc both ways but do you guys think that's over kill?

 

If the bulkhead for my return is only 1 inch or 1-1/4", is there any point in plumbing from the return pump to the bulkhead with 1.5" pvc?

 

Comments:

- 1.5" for a drain is good.
- 1.5" between pump and sump on the return won't do much for you.
- Make sure you don't have any elbows close to input side of pump


IMPORTANT: I just looked up the specs on the 9000. It has a max head height of 16'. I'm pretty sure it will be under powered, you will likely get a very low flow rate.

Have you bought it yet? If not I wouldn't. If so let's talk about what you can do with it (involves another pump)

 

I haven't yet, the guy is letting me try it first. The sump is going to be elevated, should only be about 11 feet, 12 max head

 

Then you should be fine. It pumps almost 1000gph @ 12' and about 500gph @ 15'