Basement Sump Plumbing and Equipment Questions

[E.intheC]

I have been considering a basement sump now for a while. I currently have a 90 gallon RR tank that's going to be a mixed reef.

There are a few questions I have..

1. I'm planning on having two drains and one return. (Drains are 1 inch and 3/4 inch, respectively... The 3/4 would be setup so it's like an emergency drain). As for return, I think a 1 inch return would be best, but I'm flexible with that now. The drains unfortunately are not changeable as they're what come with my RR Deep Blue tank.

2. The sump I'm planning on using will have a 35 gallon (water volume) Refugium area. This looks like it will be filled with liverock and chaeto/other macro algae. I'd like to have it lit on a reverse daylight schedule to help with temp and pH regulation. Is 35 gallons large enough? Also, will the pods and other micro life get sent back to the tank? If so, will it live through the pump and return plumbing?

3. The sump room is aprx 10ft by 10ft, and shares space with a window (lol) and a water heater. Will the water heater add too much heat to the room during the winter? It's to heat the house, as we have radiators. Forgive me if I sound clueless on the above, as I am, pretty much .

4. I'm familiar with internal return pumps, but not at all with external. What are some good quality, low maintenance, low wattage, relatively inexpensive return pumps? Noise isn't too much of a concern, but it can't sound like a jet-engine. Medium range for sound is fine as it will be in the basement. Looks like I'm going to have aprx. 16 feet of head, but I need to confirm with measurements tonight.

That's all for now. Thanks!

 

[thirty5]

Check my build thread. I have a new 75 DB Rimless with a 90 gal sump/fuge basement.

Link below for my thread.

 

[alrha]

1. try to increase to a 1.5" to help reduce the head on the way back up.

2. go with the biggest sump you can reasonably fit. pods will be fine going back up the pipes, they may get dizzy, but that will only make them more fun to catch when they are swimming around in circles.

3. if you can vent the room and exhaust the heat that will help with the heater in the room (but be sure you have an inlet vent to keep from sucking CO back into the room).

4. For the return, Reeflo pumps tend to be pretty reliable and may be an option to consider.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

We just upgraded a 400gal in the city with a remote sump room on the floor below. Pics are on our facebook here. Obviously a little bigger than you are playing with but the structure should be a good guide.

 

[thirty6]

Since in basement i would go with bigger sump if you have room to spare

 

[E.intheC]

Thanks for the help everyone. The sump is actually 75 gallons total. Plenty big enough. I have about 35 gallons of the total sump area reserved for my 'fuge. The baffles haven't been put in yet, so I can adjust that if necessary, but I want a decent sized area for my skimmer.

 

[thirty5]

Thanks for the help everyone. The sump is actually 75 gallons total. Plenty big enough. I have about 35 gallons of the total sump area reserved for my 'fuge. The baffles haven't been put in yet, so I can adjust that if necessary, but I want a decent sized area for my skimmer.

If you didn't actually build the sump yet, then get your skimmer first and make the skimmer section about an inch bigger in either direction.

 

[House of Laughter]

E, vent the room with a small fan. I took the window out of my basement room and run a dual fan to exhaust mine.

Use a Genx PCX 100 or a Panworld 200 psx for pressure and flow. You should consider 1.5" drains or 2 - 1" drains.

Pods will live, but only a few of them, consider a gravity feed to the display OR a way to draw the water out of the refuge that doesn't chop up your fuge inhabitants (although that's good food for the fish)

Hope that helps,

House

 

[E.intheC]

I would like larger drains but the tank has been up and running since march (sump is currently directly under my tank). The tank comes with a 1 inch drain and a 3/4 inch return. I was planning on using the return as a second drain line and making a new return. If those arent large enough Id have to scrap the basement sump idea, unfortunately .

I'll check out those return pumps in the meantime

 

[E.intheC]

I appreciate everyone's feedback so far. Are there additional thoughts on the drain lines/size and return pump?

These above two issues are really the only things holding me back at this point. Thanks.

 

[thirty5]

I run mine with 1 in returns to the tank where i then decrease it down to 3/4 for the correct bulk head size.

I have one drain on my tank, I am running 1 1/4 drain (bulkhead size). But in my opinion it is overkill, there is so much air in the tube it is not funny. The air actually carries down and then into my fuge, which is not the worse thing in the world, puts air into the system to keep water oxygenated.

 

[E.intheC]

thirty5, thanks. Hopefully you're right that the drains will be sufficient.
Adding air to the sump is not a bad thing. That's for sure. Oxygenation is good.

 

[thirty5]

I am able to run my blueline 55 full flow into the tank and the overflow had NO problem keeping up. Even then there was still lot of air

Sent from my Piece of crap Sprint Epic

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

My problem when i had a small sump was the micro bubbles back into the tank... Try to get filter socks installed on the drains in the sump to reduce as much back into the tank. I love the panworld pumps also for high head pressure and very quit...

 

[E.intheC]

Jarret, do you think a 75 gallon sump will be too small for a 90 gallon display? Ill definitely have to make the baffles efficient at removing air bubbles, but I think the size will be sufficient overall.

 

[thirty5]

Lol too small no way. 75 is plenty big enough. I only went with a 90 on my 75 cause it was lying in my basement

Sent from my Piece of crap Sprint Epic