2 Tank Sump
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40066
Printed Date: May 14 2025 at 4:11pm
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Topic: 2 Tank Sump
Posted By: Sitaga
Subject: 2 Tank Sump
Date Posted: April 06 2010 at 3:31pm
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I swear I have seen people with a two tank sump systems. How is this accomplished to remove the possibility of over-flowing? How do you control the flow in both tanks?
Thanks,
Bill
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Tons of livestock including fish, coral, and inverts currently in stock. We also have Reeflo pumps, SeaChem additives, Brine Shrimp Direct foods, and ATI lighting in stock.
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Replies:
Posted By: snoyce
Date Posted: April 06 2010 at 4:09pm
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I have a two tank sump, The fuge is a 29 gallon that houses cheato and the other is a 20 long that has the other equipment, skimmer, returnpump, reactor pump.
I handle it by having a regular overflow in the 29 gallon that flowes into the 20 long which is not as high, I left enough room in the pump chamber to handle the water volume when the pump goes out.
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Scott Noyce
90G reef ready AGA display
basment 20G sump, 29G fuge
4x54 watt T5 retro SLR
Octopus NW150
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Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: April 07 2010 at 1:20pm
I have a two tanks with a single sump. One tank is a 75g frag tank and the other is a 150g display. I did have both running off of a single return pump but due to the distance and head I had to run, I now run 2 return pumps but am planing on returning to a single return pump once I buy the correct fittings again. On my system with a single return pump, I used valves to control the amount of flow going to each tank. However, as I said I had a big distance to go, so I only slowed down the flow to the frag tank because it was closer to the pump and I needed the extra pressure to get the water up 25ft.
As far as overflowing, you just need to make sure your sump is large enough to hold all the excess water from the multiple tanks in case of a power outage or equipment failure. Even on a single tank and sump setup, you want to make sure you have enough room to accommodate the water when something bad happens.
If you're ever in the Kaysville area you can come take a look at my system...
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Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2
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Posted By: Sitaga
Date Posted: April 09 2010 at 10:21am
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Just to clarify I was referring to 2 sump tanks. I have a couple systems with multiple display tanks and a single sump. I'm just trying to do as snoyce does and split up my marcos from the equipment. Thanks for the help. I will continue research.
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Tons of livestock including fish, coral, and inverts currently in stock. We also have Reeflo pumps, SeaChem additives, Brine Shrimp Direct foods, and ATI lighting in stock.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 09 2010 at 10:30am
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Sitaga, its really simple to have a two sump system. I have plumbed many before and plumbed one just the other week. I usually will put my equipment in one to keep stuff clean in that sump then have one for the client if they want a fuge. My last two sump system was just under 200 gallons. with a 110 gallon fuge to help the tank stay clean. I have switched over to a Sulfer reactor to control No3 in fish heavy tanks as well but this still works good. I will get you some pictures sometime in the next week. But you can control them easy it all depends on what you would like to plumb. This last one I did. I had one overflow going into the fuge and the other overflow going into filter socks. If you drill both tanks and have at the same level as each other and have the same plumbing to the pump you will be fine and will find out the water is suction out of both sumps evenly. Then when power is off they will drain into each other giving you a nice big area to empty into.
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Posted By: Sitaga
Date Posted: April 09 2010 at 10:55am
Are you saying to drill the side of both tanks and connect through a single straight pipe? That makes a lot of sense to me, but as plumbing has tricked me before. What level should the straight pipe be? I would guess anywhere above the sand line, but again, I've been tricked before!
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Tons of livestock including fish, coral, and inverts currently in stock. We also have Reeflo pumps, SeaChem additives, Brine Shrimp Direct foods, and ATI lighting in stock.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 09 2010 at 10:59am
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Do you want both sumps plumbed or two tanks plumbed?
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Posted By: Sitaga
Date Posted: April 12 2010 at 7:05am
2 sumps. I have a 180g display and a 60 gallon sump currently. I would like a little more sump room so I'm trying to figure out how I can do that. It is plumbed into a fish room, so I have plenty of physical space to put an extra sump tank.
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Tons of livestock including fish, coral, and inverts currently in stock. We also have Reeflo pumps, SeaChem additives, Brine Shrimp Direct foods, and ATI lighting in stock.
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: April 12 2010 at 7:39am
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So you want to drill your sumps together. The tanks abouve will drain into them without a problem. You will need to put ball valves onto the pump to control how much flow goes into the tank so you don't have a flood. If you drill your sumps together at the same height and have a level pipe, and floor the water in the sumps will be the same. The pump will only suck out the same amount that is going in do to pressure. I have a two sump system that the majority of the water goes in one sump 80% and then the other sump is a fuge and only 20% of the water goes in there but both are the same level. You have to have your plumbing in line and make sure that you are equal in both pipes till they run to your pump. It sounds like its hard but it isn't. If you didn't live so far away I would come up and help you.
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