Fish Room Sump Questions

[rpitonyak]

Good afternoon everyone!

I am building a small fish rack to breed (3) different types of African Cichlids. I figure I would start small and gradually work my way up. I will have (3) 40 gallon tanks on the bottom, (3) 29's in the middle, and a combination of (6) 29 longs and (3) 10 gallon tanks at the top level. I currently have most of the tanks and am running a heater, and sponge filter in each one. I am using separate boh filters for the larger 29 and 40 tanks. I have already ordered a piston air pump to handle up to 30 outlets....or so it says. I would like to build a sump, but some of my tanks are tempered. Is there a way to design a sump so that I do not have to drill tanks? I am only familiar with the overflow sump systems. Please let me know your thoughts so that I can centralize my heating and filtration for my tanks.

 

[chriscoli]

First of all, I'd hardly call that a small rack! Sounds like an awesome setup.

I've had bad luck with the non-drilled options (resulted in me walking downstairs in socks and stepping into a big puddle on the floor twice!), but Tony's made it work. Hopefully he'll chime in.

Many tanks aren't tempered on all sides...just the bottom or not at all. Do you know which pane(s) are tempered on your tanks?

 

[lkelly]

Throw some polarized shades on and look at the glass if you aren't sure. It's pretty easy to determine tempered glass from non-tempered. Besides breaking it of course.

 

[rpitonyak]

That is a good suggestion. I will check my tanks when I get home. Hopefully the sides are not tempered. That would solve everything!

 

[lkelly]

I'd be stunned if there was a manufacturer making tanks in those sizes with tempered sides. I can't see the cost benefit.

 

[Forester]

How are you designing the rack for that arrangement of tanks? I don't see how exactly that would work with the 29s in the middle.

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[jonclark96]

If you have air for all of the tanks, why worry about running sumps as well? Seems like a bigger air pump would be a much more time and cost effective solution if you think the pump you have is undersized. I wouldn't be concerned about filtering any of the tank sizes you have on your racks with just air. You could go with matten filters on the bigger tanks if you wanted.

 

[lkelly]

Also, a single sump for that many tanks is pretty tricky. You need to get the flow rate right and calculate the volume correctly or else you can have water on the floor. You also run the risk of disease in one tank wiping out a bunch of others.

 

[dogofwar]

+1

Or dump filters on the larger tank(s)...

Matt

If you have air for all of the tanks, why worry about running sumps as well? Seems like a bigger air pump would be a much more time and cost effective solution if you think the pump you have is undersized. I wouldn't be concerned about filtering any of the tank sizes you have on your racks with just air. You could go with matten filters on the bigger tanks if you wanted.

 

[cabinetmkr39]

A sump is awesome for water changes. As long as you quarantine in coming fish not a problem. you can also isolate each tank by shutting of the incoming water at the tank. Heating is another advantage with a sump. some people put the heaters in the sump. I found with my system my magdrive 9 has a constant temp that keeps my rack at 74 degrees I add two separate heaters in two tanks one on the top row and one on the bottom keeps my tanks at 77 to 78 . Balancing the system is really not rocket science just ask question of what others have done .The mistakes have already been made no need to repeat them. There are a lot of advantages to a sump. IMO

 

[rpitonyak]

I am building (3) levels of shelves 38" wide to accommodate the width of the 40's on the bottom. That will also accommodate the 29's in the middle as well as the 20 longs on the top. The depth of the shelves will be 31" long. This will allow for the 20 longs to be installed length wise. I will install bracing in the center of the lower level shelves to brace the rear side of those tanks. That will leave a nice space for drains, supplies, hoses, etc.

How are you designing the rack for that arrangement of tanks? I don't see how exactly that would work with the 29s in the middle.

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[Forester]

I am building (3) levels of shelves 38" wide to accommodate the width of the 40's on the bottom. That will also accommodate the 29's in the middle as well as the 20 longs on the top. The depth of the shelves will be 31" long. This will allow for the 20 longs to be installed length wise. I will install bracing in the center of the lower level shelves to brace the rear side of those tanks. That will leave a nice space for drains, supplies, hoses, etc.

Sounds good. Can't wait to see it!

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