setting up a new sw tank

I am looking at getting another salt tank going and it seems things have changed over the last 16 years!!! (It's been that long since my last one) Seems most people are doing a sump system with a secondary tank below the aquarium used for the skimmer and filter system. I am looking at possibly doing this but have a few questions. I have a glass tank and do not want to drill holes so I would use a syphon type system to get the water from the aquarium down to the sump tank. My first question is how do you set up the pump that returns the water to the main aquarium. It seems it would be nearly impossible to get the pump to flow at the exact same rate the water is being syphoned down to the sump. If the pump is too fast then all of the water would be pumped out of the sump tank and if too slow the sump tank would overflow. It seems a lot of people are doing this so there must be a way to do this.....

My second question is the order of equipment in the sump tank. Seems most have the water going into the sump tank going through the protein skimmer first and then into the filter system. Is this best? Also where is the best place to put the heater - in the aquarium or in the sump?

Thanks in advance to any replies....

Wayne

this may help some i hope

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That was that post I was talking about.... very good read in that thread...

dawgwe1 - for your question about the speed of the pump.... well, the speed of the pump will effect the amount of water that is overflow into the sump.... if its a slow pump, then a slow flow of water goes into the overflow and down to the sump.... Thats why a overflow is neccessary for a sump to work properly. kinda get it?

... as long as your overflow has a bigger drain size pipe ie 1" and your pump has 3/4" or 1/2" it will easily keep up with it... now if you reverse the order you have nothing but trouble

One of the great things about sumps is that all your equipment can be placed there instead of being an eyesore in your display tank(DT)

Can you explain your overflow or post a pic of it. If you do not have a drilled tank with built in overflow, the U-tube overflow is what your going to want to use.

The overflow will be rated for a specific GPH. Your return pump should not exceed that GPH or it will empty your sump and overflow your tank. I can help you figure out how to set up the tank and sump so that it will not overflow either one if the flow stops in either the overflow or the return. I need to know more about what you have. Can you post pictures.

Lilfishie - I am still doing the research and fact gathering. I plan to start purchasing and putting things together for my 75 gallon tank in early December... I belive I have found the overflow box that I will use -- Life Reef. (Unless you have a better suggestion) It states it has a flow rate up to 600 gph with a single 1" outlet. Do you feel this is enough flow for a 75 gallon tank?

I commend you on doing your research.
That is plenty for a 75. The Lifereef looks like a great overflow box.
In my opinion you want your water running thru your sump at a rate that the skimmer can clean a large percentage of it before it gets pumped back into your tank. I am running an eheim 1250 for a return pump on my 75. It pumps 317 gph and at 4ft head it pumps approx 196 gals per hour. So I am only running approx 196 gph thru my overflow and sump.
As far as flow in the tank, I have three koralia evolution 1400's moving 1400 gph each.

lol..listen to lilfishie, she is the guru.

Is a protien skimmer required or just recommended?, what problems would occur with out one?

When I added the CPR BakPak skimmer, it cleaned out a huge amount of gunky brown stuff in a few hours. My tank became crystal clear and really woke the tank up. A protein skimmer removes harmful DOC's (dissolved organic compounds) from your tank.


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lilfishie - thanks for the information.. What kind of flow should I look for regarding the skimmer for a 75 gallon tank.

Are you going to use an in sump skimmer, or a back pack skimmer? In sump is safer as some skimmers will overflow if they are overworked and you dont clean it.
Mine for example 75 gal tank w/1" drilled overflow, 30 gal sump, vertex IN-80 protein skimmer, eheim 1250 return pump.
This is a great site for learning about sumps and setting up a system. If your going to build your own sump, I can help you with that but this is were I learned to make mine.
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