Sump Question

Hi there, stupid question that im sure there are loads of different ways of doing, but...

how do you drill the main tank (im clear about how do actually do the hole, more of a question of where to do it and how to connect it to the sump)?
Do you just drill a hole at the top of the tank and just let the water flow down a pipe to the sump once it reaches that level? How do you stop your poor little fishies from dropping down into the sump?

 

Hey Reuben. Welcome to 3reef!

The answer to your question is probably easier to observe in a real tank, than than to explain. Ever see a drilled tank in an LFS? The holes are usually drilled at a bottom corner, but that requires an overflow compartment from top to bottom in the tank. There's also a "coast to coast" overflow which involves drilling the holes at the top rear of the tank and using a partition in the tank with teeth cut into it.

In any scenario, there's a variety of places the holes can be drilled, but in just about every case--it will involve a wall between the tank's water, and the drilled hole. The wall will have teeth cut out of the top and acts as a strainer to prevent fish from ending up in the sump.

 

Thanks, i sort of get it... Sadly my closest LFS is a 1½ hour drive away and im not even sure if they use a sump system, if i remmeber correctly they just have a couple of pipes going in from the top.

Anyone got any good pictures of how they have done this? would really appriciate it so i dont screw up my first tank .

Also how do you do if the bottom is tempered?

Thanks

 

I recommend searching BRS (BulkReefSupply.com) they have some good videos on this subject and good products too!