Sump issue

So I recently implemented what I like to call the redneck version of a reverse durso to quiet my sump and its help but I was sitting staring into my sump closet with a beer and got to thinking...
( oh no, right!)

I plumbed everything in 3/4" pipe. I want to make it bigger incase something crazy happens as well as make my sump a little neater ( you'll see what I mean when I post the pics )

Should I cut the pipe after my over flow and put some reducers on to say, 1 1/2" pipe? Also my sump is split where one drains into the skimmer side and the other to the return pump side. I want to plumb to return pump side so the drain pipe drops down into a 5 gal refugium that sits on top of the 20long sump and ill drill it and put a drain from that that goes into the return pump side of the sump?

Sound ok?

Also I noticed by the water level in my shady carpentry the front left side of the tank sits low, can I shim this up MAYBE, 1/8"?


Current sump :




Refuge idea :



Thought/input?

 

Anyone?

 

I'll chime in with my two cents--

What's done is done; I see no need to change the pipe at all. If anything were to go awry with the drain, a clogged outlet would most likely be the culprit.

The 5g fuge idea sounds good as planned. Should have no issues there.

The one thing that concerns me most is your return; With the line in the middle of your tank, if you have a power failure or the pump dies on you, 50% of your DT will drain out, overflowing the sump. I'd suggest adding an internal pipe to raise the outlet, topped with a 90 to direct it across the surface, or cap that bulkhead and go over the top with your return.

 

I have a check valve installed on the pump line and have tested a simulated power outage.

Your not concerned with the 3/4" lines getting gunked up? The pump is a mag 7

 

Don't rely on a check valve. It does not take much to have the ball not fully seal. I don't mind them being used in conjunction with other fail-safes (like Bill is talking about where your DT will only drain so much), but never rely on it.

For the pump and piping, 3/4"should be fine using a Mag 7 IMO.

 

Check valves are a false sense of security and will get you in trouble. Bring the return up close to the surface and only a very small, easily calculated amount of wate rwill backsiphon before it breaks suction and the siphon quits.An air gap is the best for form of backflow prevention known to man, cannot be defeated and requires no investment or maintenance.

 

Hmmm

If I remember right that location completely filled my sump and no more.

I believe I have it set up like your talking about.

That said, tonight ill drill the fuge and get it ready for when the bulkheads get here

 

Thinking back it maybe have filled my sump down with just a few inches , its been so long I can't remember

 

By having your return close to the surface you also get the added benefit of oxygenating the water when the surface ripples and it helps in removing the surface scum when it pushes it towards the overflow. It also helps in cooling by evaporation when the surface is rippling or being agitated. Lots of benefit.

 

Yes

I'm aware of that. I have a 90 pointed up inside the tank and it gives lots of surface agitation