New Project

I had my old 20 gallon tall tank in my basement for a while now. i am now making a make-shift sump. Not really a filter but just going to be used for a place to put my filters, and my heater. Its basically going to be filled with 20 gallons of water, im putting my filters back there, my heater, and maybe liverock when i have the money. Right now i have to get an overflow box and a return pump and im on my feet. I did all of the tubing/electrical work and everything and cleaned out the tank. It runs into my closet, and then out into the fish tank.

BTW: i am just too lazy and i lack too much knowledge to make a REAL sump out of this thing so i just figured that hey, it will double the water and it can hide all of my equipment so why not. also, do i need an overflow box or can i just use gravity to pump the water into the sump (like when you do a water change. I tested it and it works)

And another BTW: i am EXTREMELY new to sumps so tell me if im doing something wrong

Enjoy,
Ryan

 

and some more...

 

You will need some sort of overflow box and not rely on siphon/gravity, if the power goes out the your tank will just empty its contents into the sump. See link for info on overflow box:

Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

 

Not necessarily, you can siphon the water down to the sump just don't dip the tubing too deep in your DT or you if you do - just make a hole in it at the level you want it to stop draining. Pretty simple. Same for the pump returning water from sump to DT - place it or it's in-valve high enough so if the siphon fails (very unlikely but still possible) the pump won't empty your sump and overflow the DT.
Put markings on your sump - max level (if the pump stops), mix level (if siphon stops) and optimum (something in the middle). You just need to adjust the pump output to mach the drain. And you're all set..

.. or you can buy an overflow box. Not that much different - the box takes extra space but looks better and you won't have to "calibrate" the flow in and out of the sump.

 

I agree with that completely. It would also be very difficult to get the exact flow you need, by that I mean the water being pumped into your tank would have to be at the exact rate as the water going into the sump.

 

Still not a very good way to do it. What happens when the power goes back on? Also, you need to have some form of surface skimmer box. The surface will contain the highest level of access nutrients, and that's what you want running down to the filtering equipment.
I would HIGHLY suggest an overflow box. I like Eshopps.

 

True about the surface skimmer box..
if the power goes back on - everything goes back to normal, of course there is a chance the simphon won't start again
No doubt the overflow box is the better way to go, I though he didn't want to buy one..

 

ill just get an overflow box no big deal. At my LFS, they sell return pumps and overflow boxes so its all good. Other than that, does it look good? good idea? bad idea?

Also, until i get my return pump and overflow box, should i make saltwater for the sump and fill it up and put a filter in there just to get that going?

 

Its a fine idea The only thing I would suggest from another thing you mentioned, if the display tank is already up and running, use base rock in the sump instead of live. If you add live rock, you will most likely go through a cycle.

 

Sure, make sure it's being circulated...