Ios tank with sump

[BC82]

Hi guys! U think it's possible and feasible to install a sump for an Ios tank? Points to note, dun wish to drill hole on my tank. Hope to install a side sump rather than below. Dt size is only 1.5 ft, so size of side sump will be like max 1ft. Wondering if it's a good idea. Haha. Please comments.

[tofubox]

Tagging along for this one. I thought about it before. Problem i found is that u cant get a constant flow and return rate on the sump, Since there is an IOS.

I.e

A) Too little return, too much overflowing down to sump = Flood

B )Too strong return, too little overflowing down to sump = Sump empty + Vol of water in sump will be in main display = Flood

Need to figure a way to get both constant to work.

Unless able to monitor it strictly everyday. And top up water/ remove water from display to sump or vise versa

Anyone done this before?

[tofubox]

Ok, i just sat and thought about it! Adding a float switch to a secondary return pump in sump might do the trick. But this float switch has to work on the opposite concept. (is there even such a thing?) When water level reaches the float switch, it switches on a secondary return pump in the sump to pump the excess water back.

[BC82]

Thought can use overflow box? Will it solve the problem?

[tofubox]

It will not. Because of your already existing IOS overflow. You wont be able to control the flow going into your additional overflow box, hence resulting in the scenarios mentioned. The return from sump has to be constant with the overflow to prevent any potential flooding from happening. I'm also thinking of a way to make it viable without a potential flood happening overnight. Can be done, but both tanks need to be able to compensate for effect over time failure. The only way i see this to be possible is if you able to match up your return pump rate with your overflow rate, which is the case of a normal sump system or ios system.

i.e In your IOS there is already a return pump, say 2000l/hr. You external sump has another return, say another 2000/hr. There will be 4000l pump into your system. The overflow box u add has to be able to accurately collect 2000l/hr in order not for the sump to dry out (resulting in your display overflowing due to excess water vol from sump) or for ur sump to overflow.

On a side note, if your sump is place higher than your tank. You can utilize the concept other way which works definately. Same concept as a hang on filter system.

[BC82]

How abt putting the overflow in the dt instead of inside the Ios? In this way, water level will be constant. Possible?

[tofubox]

How abt putting the overflow in the dt instead of inside the Ios? In this way, water level will be constant. Possible?

You still need to be able to match up the return rate from sump to your overflow rate into sump. Else dry out sump or flooding sump. Both just as bad unless main display has room to compensate for vol of external sump.

Constant overflow rate into the sump may be easy to achieve, question is how to get a constant return rate back?

As mentioned, it can be done, just won't be able to sleep peacefully every night unless the change in water height in sump is super minimal over a 12 hr period and extremely certain sump return pump will not fail.

[BC82]

Haha. Sounds scary. Any better idea? Haha

[BC82]

If drill hole on dt?

[tunicate]

Perhaps can take a look at below pic. It uses a rubbish bin as sump. The pump sits in the bin to suck water from DT(via the smaller pipe). After filtration, the water overflows back into the DT(via the thicker pipe). It's effectively a huge HOB filter box, except that it's big enough to be free standing beside the DT. You can make the bin or sump as big as you want depending on the equipment you plan on deploying within it.

[flo_reeftank]

One of the best looking nano

[james72]

Can be done. As long your sump return pump flow is smaller than your gravity overflow u will be safe. You can make use of a level switch to control the cut in/cut out of your sump return pump. The key is to position the height of your overflow so only extra water from sump return pump back to main tank can overflow back to sump. Meaning if there is no extra water, there is no overflow. I do this setup for my external refugium tank tapping water via gravity from.my ios. Works great. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[tofubox]

James, u may have finally answered the question i was asking myself the past months. What level switch do u use? U mentioned u tap water via gravity from ios? So u gravity feed ur sump, with a smaller return pump, and also have an overflow higher than the display water height?

[tofubox]

Oh ok! I understand what u mean now! so ur gravity fed line is higher than normal water lvl (excluding the return pump water). So what is the level switch used for in this case? Just safe guard against sump overflowing?

[BC82]

This is getting confusing. Can simple diagram to show? so deep...

[james72]

I dont use a level switch for my setup cos my refugium sump has alot of buffer space to cater for power failure overflow. But you can incorporated a level switch to the sump return pump so only when level high it cuts in the pump. Alternatively just use a ball valve to control small flow back to tank and keep the sump return pump running all the time in recycle mode. Can arrange to see my setup if u want.

[tofubox]

Hey BC82, spoke to James about the system. Maybe i can try explaining to you. The concept of this system is basically like an DIY overflow system, just that in this case, the overflow pipe is in the IOS, and the overflow height is higher than your normal water level in the IOS. Imagine an overflow system, within an existing overflow system.

So basically, if you can't drill a hole in the bottom side panel of your IOS, u can DIY one. This video is a good guide.

Place this overflow pipe in your IOS.

So only problem I see to this is if your siphon breaks. well, theres a solution: A) Get a low level cut off switch, so if water drops below a certain level in your sump, the return pump cuts off. B ) Place ur return pump on a diy eggcrate to increase the height of the pump, such that if the siphon breaks, the return will only run for a while before the water level drops under the height of the pump, essentially running the pump dry. C ) Use a small sump in a sense if the siphon breaks, your main tank can handle the volume of the sump water without overflowing.

Now as long as ur return pump rate is lower than your overflow rate, you wont have any problems =D

[BC82]

Looks like a easy setup. Haha. Got another crazy idea. As I do not have the option to increase my tank size, I was thinking if I could add 2 sump below my tank, each on top of the other. Water will basically follow down from main tank, into refegium or filter tank. Then return pump from most bottom tank back to main tank. Size of my main tank is 1.5ft, planning to add 2 more 1.5ft tank just below my tank. Anyone seen such setup?

[dragoncube]

Looks like a easy setup. Haha. Got another crazy idea. As I do not have the option to increase my tank size, I was thinking if I could add 2 sump below my tank, each on top of the other. Water will basically follow down from main tank, into refegium or filter tank. Then return pump from most bottom tank back to main tank. Size of my main tank is 1.5ft, planning to add 2 more 1.5ft tank just below my tank. Anyone seen such setup?

I had that idea before. There are 2 issues though: 1. Support of the sump tanks, especially the middle one. When the tank is filled with water,rocks,sand it is quite heavy. Being in the middle does not give much option for support. There will be tremendous strain on the tank bottom. Unless you have a stairs setup. But that will take up considerable floor space. 2. Height of the tanks. Generally display tanks are at around the upper body height. That does not leave a lot of room below to install a 2 layer tank system. Again this can be overcome by a stair setup

[BC82]

For weight wise, should not be an issue. Going to custom make a cabinet, inside the cabinet will be installing addition steel support. Dun think weight will be an issue. My main issue, is this type of setup feasible?

[dragoncube]

Definitely feasible I think. But I would suggest you split the down flow into 2 parts as the refugium would appreciate a slower flow. Would steel last in a saltwater environment? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[BC82]

Could use stainless steel to fabricate a stand. Still reading up on which type of overflow system to use.