Help With My Sump

[ZBT3091]

I just went to Aqua Hut today and got everything i need to finish my euro-reef sump. I have a mag 5, overflow box, one inch tubing and half inch tubing. This is the sump http://images.google.com/imgres?img.../images?q=Euro-Reef+sump&gbv=2&hl=en&safe=off . My question is, which end is the intake and which is the return. it seems like the intake won't fit the inch long tubing, do i need to seal it with glue or should it fit in? My other question is, the plastic circles you see after the intake, do i put my equipment in there, such as my heater or phosban or whatever? Thanks for the help

Zach

 

[D1J8Z]

what model is it in the link?

do u wana email me a pic or post one?

 

[georgelc86]

Ok it looks like the top bulkheads on the right side located on the top of the sump are your intakes and the two bulkheads on the left side bottom are your returns.

 

[ZBT3091]

should the intake be fitting snug into the side, because i have 1" tubing and its not fitting. im thinking i haveto seal it with silicone, or do i need something thinner to fit in tight

 

[Solace Aquatics LLC]

That sump is made to be hard plumbed with PVC SCH40 or better. You can glue PVC nipples into the intakes(where the water enters) so that you can use flexible tubing. But rigid PVC is always the way to go. IMO

Since you are using a MAG5, which should be used internally, you will need to plug the 2 bulkheads on the left side. I would not recommend running the mag externally it will cut down on the life of the pump and they become quite noisy pretty quickly.

 

[ZBT3091]

are there plugs i can use to fill the bottom openings. I dont really need them and theyre empty, and when i filled the sump with water it poured right out before i finally realized the opening. I think im going to put the tubing so that it goes into the sump without going through the side opening...if that makes sense. the tube is just going right into the sump without the side.

 

[ZBT3091]

Im really stuck with this, between bulkheads and overflows and returns and intakes im ready to give up. is there someone that can come help me or, refer me to a reasonably priced and knowledgable aquarium service that can show me how to do this. im pulling my hair out.

 

[Solace Aquatics LLC]

Cough Cough Cough :splitspin

 

[ZBT3091]

im in LI, am i gonna get nailed with prices for the drive?

 

[KathyC]

do you have a camera? A pic of what your sump looks like would help a lot!

 

[D1J8Z]

thats what i said

From what I am "ASSUMING" he has 2 external pump holes that need to be pluged and he needs a bulkhead that matches his Overflow box

some hose or PVC pending bulkhead/s and as your a manifold as a return it depends on how eleborate?(can we ger spell check lol) you want to go

I told him just to go to lowes or speak with Leo aka NaClH2O or masterswimmer to get exactly what he needs shipped to his door

 

[ZBT3091]

Pics

Heres are some pics, hopefully this will help!!!!!

 

[ZBT3091]

in pic one and two, the two "caps" you see on the bottom were holes for a chiller or whatever. I took plugs and used aquarium silicone sealant. They seem to be pretty firm and leak proof. The hole in the middle is my first problem. I cant seem to seal it, and since lifereef decided to make the hole octogon shaped, there is no bulkhead to fit it. I cant think of anything to fill it with. The middle hole isnt below the water level, but if there is a powerouttage and the waterlevel rises the water will pour right out of it. My second problem is getting a siphon using the overflow. I tried filling the overflow box and then "sucking" on the little piece sticking out that u can see in pic 5. thats what they said to do at aqua hut.

 

[ZBT3091]

my next question is, if there is a powerouttage, there will obviously be a "reverse flow", or a suction will be created with the mag 5. I saw this when i turned the power off and the sump started filling until i realized the mag was sucking water in from the tank. how can i stop or prevent this. my last question is, the plastic "trays" you see in pic # 4 seem to be there to hold my equipment. my heater can fit in there, but neither my phosban nor my super skimmer 125 will come close to fitting. should i just have both of them out of the sump and keep the pumps in the "circles"?

 

[ZBT3091]

ahh one more Q. There seems to be no place in the tank to keep any LR or macro or whatnot. Should i put a baffle in that last section where the mag is, to keep the macro from clogging the mag? also, please post in this thread, iv gotten a couple of pages i have accidently deleted from typing and rushing. thank you for all the help

 

[ming]

in pic one and two, the two "caps" you see on the bottom were holes for a chiller or whatever. I took plugs and used aquarium silicone sealant. They seem to be pretty firm and leak proof. The hole in the middle is my first problem. I cant seem to seal it, and since lifereef decided to make the hole octogon shaped, there is no bulkhead to fit it. I cant think of anything to fill it with. The middle hole isnt below the water level, but if there is a powerouttage and the waterlevel rises the water will pour right out of it. My second problem is getting a siphon using the overflow. I tried filling the overflow box and then "sucking" on the little piece sticking out that u can see in pic 5. thats what they said to do at aqua hut.

Am I correct in assuming the octagon shape is the acrylic and not the bulkhead?
They make those bulkheads in 1/2" increments and one of them should fit, but before you do that, razor blade carefully the old silicone off. You should not need silicone for any bulkhead. It will just create a mess. You probably shouldn't have used silicone on the bottom 2 plugs, but since its already done, not leaking, and you don't want to use those holes anyways, just leave it.
As for the overflow box, its a lot easier if you can attach an airline tubing to that hole and then suck on the airline tubing. Otherwise you'll likely get saltwater in your mouth trying to get the last bit of air out. But before you start sucking, make sure there's water on the left side of that U tube (the outside of the tank), otherwise you'll just be sucking air from the left side of that U tube and no water will get in.

 

[ming]

my next question is, if there is a powerouttage, there will obviously be a "reverse flow", or a suction will be created with the mag 5. I saw this when i turned the power off and the sump started filling until i realized the mag was sucking water in from the tank. how can i stop or prevent this. my last question is, the plastic "trays" you see in pic # 4 seem to be there to hold my equipment. my heater can fit in there, but neither my phosban nor my super skimmer 125 will come close to fitting. should i just have both of them out of the sump and keep the pumps in the "circles"?

You can drill a very small hole, right about at water level where the water returns to the tank. You don't want this hole too high above water level or else it squirts out and splashes at the water, or too low or else the water has to siphon until your water level reaches that hole. You can also do 2 small holes in case a snail is over that hole during a power outage.

Those plastic trays are actually for filter socks. Your overflow water can drain into filter socks to filter any detritus entering the sump, but needed, but optional. I wouldn't put a heater there

 

[ming]

ahh one more Q. There seems to be no place in the tank to keep any LR or macro or whatnot. Should i put a baffle in that last section where the mag is, to keep the macro from clogging the mag? also, please post in this thread, iv gotten a couple of pages i have accidently deleted from typing and rushing. thank you for all the help

The LR goes in the display tank, and IMO I wouldn't add macro algae. It'll more likely become a detritus trap unless done correctly, but then there is a lot more work then its worth, unless you just like the look

 

[Solace Aquatics LLC]

From what I can remember of that sump. There are 2 tubes on the back left and right hand side. Either one of these can be used to plumb in your overflow box. As it is rigid PVC, I would stick with that over vinyl. Vinyl gets old and eventually will crimp or crack. The return pump on this sump is intended to sit in the middle.

The U-Tube on your overflow box will need to have a small piece of tubing with a ball valave attached to it so you can suck out the air and then shut the valve to keep the siphon going.

The plastic trays with the large diameter holes are actually made for lifereef media reactors.

Unfortunately this sump will not allow to keep macro algae due its design and you will need to add a remote fuge if you do want to keep a macro bed.

As far as back siphoning do as Ming said and drill a small hole just below the water line on the return tubes in your display tank.

--I do not charge for driving it is a service call-- Please pm me for service call rates.

 

[ZBT3091]

I finally realized today that the middle hole that has the leaking problem is a bulkhead. Is there a plug or something that is supposed to fill it? Also, im having trouble starting the siphon. I have airline tubing that fits in the air hole on top of the u-tube. When i pour water into the overflow box it goes right down into the sump and doesn't give me enough time to start the siphon