# Sump? question



## jaw (Nov 22, 2006)

I have been keeping fish for roughly 5 years and have recently set up 20 gallon long tank at my office. I have always used sponge filters or cannister filters and I currently have a cannister filter on the 20 gallon long at my office. It is an Eheim ecco rated at 480 litres per hour or 126 us gallons per hour.

I'd like to find a better way to hide the heaters and keep the thermometer off of the 20 gallon long and maybe a place to put an injured fish or a new fish so it can get acclimated. I guess it sounds kind of stupid but since this is an office tank, I'd like it to look the best it possibly can. I've gone through most of the posts on sumps in this forum but they all seem to be creating a filter out of the sump.

If I set up a siphon from my 20 gallon to a 5 1/2 gallon tank do you think my cannister filter would move enough water wihtout any problems?

I have 2 10 gallon heaters in the 20 gallon tank. Would I need both heaters in the 5 1/2 gallon?

Should I just give up and live with the heater wires in the tank?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Well, that would be quite a lot of effort to go to just to hide some heaters, but a sump is certainly a option.

Okay, first thing, a siphon won't do at all. If the power goes out, and it eventually will, the siphon will keep running to drain a lot of your tank out onto the floor. Even worse, when the power comes back on the pump would then dump the sump contents into the tank, again possibly making a huge spill.
Instead of a siphon, the key component of any sump is an overflow. Overflows only, er, flow over when the pump is running, which prevents the two aforementioned problems.
Overflows can be made by drilling a hole in the tank or by intalling an external overflow box commercially made for the very purpose.

Next, remember the one pump rule. Only one pump is to be used to control the flow between the two tanks. If you try to use two pumps you will only have a disaster when the two pumps don't run at the exact same speed all the time.

After that, you're all set, and it should work fine.


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

If you get one of those Hang On Back Refuge numbers it might make a quick work of your wants (but the cost). Back in the day there was a company with a can-filter with a heater hole built in (don't know if they're still around or if it was an idea only). If you have the space I don't see why you wouldn't place a 10 ballon behind the 20 and use two water pumps (one from the 20 and the other to the 20) slap a backing on the 20 and you'll never even see it unless you're looking down on the back.


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## jaw (Nov 22, 2006)

Thanks for the replies. The hang on back refuge sounds pretty good. Simple and easy. I'm not too worried about the cost since my company is footing the bill.

What company makes the hang on back refuges? Or is that something I would need to construct myself?


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## mr.dark-saint (Aug 16, 2005)

If the company's footing the bills then get a 100 gallon and a sump.

Pretty much any company who makes sumps or protien skimmers makes somesort of HOB refugium.


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## jaw (Nov 22, 2006)

If only there was room for a 100 gallon . . . 

FYI - I found this page on google for some DIY projects including a HOB Refugium.

http://jjgeisler.com/reeftank/diy_do_it_yourself_projects.htm


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## harif87 (Jun 5, 2006)

A HOB "sump" wouldnt really hide any equipment really well but would be pretty good for a sealed off place to acclimate. HOB fuges come at 2.5 US gallons max size. CPR makes a few types of HOB sumps. Check out drs F & S for some models, they have a few.


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## agfisher02 (Sep 14, 2006)

You could also try an inline heater.


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