How did you set up your basement sump?

dela · 08/24/2007, 08:01 AM

Do you have a basement / remote sump? How did you set it up? Any pictures/comments/lessons learned? I'm re-doing my basement sump (display on 1st floor) since there are a bunch of things I didn't like about the way I had it set up before.

Things I didn't like about my old system..
1- Poor splash control and salt build-up problems from both a crappy skimmer and the main return line.
2 - Mechanical filtration ahead of macro algae tank... Leading to poor macro growth.
3 - Main tank overflow is only rated for 600 gph, so I was having to throttle down the return pump.. wasting pumping potential.

Any comments would be appreciated. I will try and draw up some of what I am planning.

Mark

marino420td · 08/24/2007, 10:08 PM

Here are some pictures of my equipment room that supports my 120

dela · 08/25/2007, 09:35 AM

marino420td, is your tank on the other side of the wall?

Mishap · 08/25/2007, 09:44 AM

I'm still in the process of setting mine up but I just cut a hole in the floor and ran some PVC down.

Roy G. Biv · 08/25/2007, 09:57 AM

What type of house do you have? Bi-level, ranch, split level? Is the basement directly beneath the tank? The reason is that my pvc pipes travel 20' across and 8' down. I have to rip out some ceiling to do it.

Mishap · 08/25/2007, 10:07 AM

Here's a link to my build thread it has some pics of how I did it. Luckily my sump is directly below the tank.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1156066

marino420td · 08/25/2007, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dela
marino420td, is your tank on the other side of the wall?

Yes. My tank is drilled throught the back instead of the bottom. The pipe coming through on the right is the drain. The one on the right is my closed loop.

dela · 08/26/2007, 01:54 PM

Mishap, did you use sketch up for that?

I was thinking of doing a detailed 3D model but time is short, I skipped that step and have just been doing lots of hand sketches.

A picture is worth 1000 words.. but yeah, the tank is directly over a stand that holds three small tanks vertically stacked. It's about a 9'-10' floor to floor. First a 10, then a 20, then a 30 gallon tank. The 10 was a frag tank, the 20 was the mechanical filtration tank, and the 30 was a cheato tank. I'm trying to keep it all very compact, very simple. (Simple being a relative term).

Now I'm making the 10g tank into a 20g tank and switching the mechanical and biological filtration around so that the cheato sees the dirty water, and the main tank sees the freshly polished water.

08/24/2007, 08:01 AM	#1
dela Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: St Louis Posts: 1,526	How did you set up your basement sump? Do you have a basement / remote sump? How did you set it up? Any pictures/comments/lessons learned? I'm re-doing my basement sump (display on 1st floor) since there are a bunch of things I didn't like about the way I had it set up before. Things I didn't like about my old system.. 1- Poor splash control and salt build-up problems from both a crappy skimmer and the main return line. 2 - Mechanical filtration ahead of macro algae tank... Leading to poor macro growth. 3 - Main tank overflow is only rated for 600 gph, so I was having to throttle down the return pump.. wasting pumping potential. Any comments would be appreciated. I will try and draw up some of what I am planning. Mark

08/24/2007, 10:08 PM	#2
marino420td Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Cape Girardeau, MO Posts: 2,529	Here are some pictures of my equipment room that supports my 120

08/25/2007, 09:35 AM	#3
dela Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: St Louis Posts: 1,526	marino420td, is your tank on the other side of the wall?

08/25/2007, 09:44 AM	#4
Mishap Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 977	I'm still in the process of setting mine up but I just cut a hole in the floor and ran some PVC down.

08/25/2007, 09:57 AM	#5
Roy G. Biv Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3,646	What type of house do you have? Bi-level, ranch, split level? Is the basement directly beneath the tank? The reason is that my pvc pipes travel 20' across and 8' down. I have to rip out some ceiling to do it.

08/25/2007, 10:07 AM	#6
Mishap Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Eastern PA Posts: 977	Here's a link to my build thread it has some pics of how I did it. Luckily my sump is directly below the tank. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1156066

08/26/2007, 01:54 PM	#8
dela Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: St Louis Posts: 1,526	Mishap, did you use sketch up for that? I was thinking of doing a detailed 3D model but time is short, I skipped that step and have just been doing lots of hand sketches. A picture is worth 1000 words.. but yeah, the tank is directly over a stand that holds three small tanks vertically stacked. It's about a 9'-10' floor to floor. First a 10, then a 20, then a 30 gallon tank. The 10 was a frag tank, the 20 was the mechanical filtration tank, and the 30 was a cheato tank. I'm trying to keep it all very compact, very simple. (Simple being a relative term). Now I'm making the 10g tank into a 20g tank and switching the mechanical and biological filtration around so that the cheato sees the dirty water, and the main tank sees the freshly polished water.