Remote Fish Room in Basement

[Neopimp]

I am planning on setting up the sump and everything else that makes noise in the furnace room downstairs.  Anyone have any experience setting up a remote fish room?  Suggestions for a good pump to push that water back upstairs?  I plan on drilling the tank and putting in a Beananimal/Herbish type overflow system with an internal coast to coast overflow box.  Not sure if I will go 1 in or 1.5 in tube to the basement.

General specs are 120 g DT
Vertical Head roughly 10-12 ft
Horizontal run of 15 ft.
Will be putting a sump down there.. not sure on size yet
I have an extra 30 gal lieing around so may use that.
I have a couple korlias 1750gph powerheads to help out in the flow department but am wondering if I should get a bigger pump and create a kind of closed loop system.

Anyone have pictures of their setup to get some idea on how to lay it all out. ie accesory manifold... remote fuge plumbing... water change tank plumbing.  And is it an issue to just dump whatever i need to into the sump pit where it gets pumped to storm sewer?

I have never set up a sump before let alone one in another room so just lookign for whatever advice I can get.

 

[Salty1]

Sounds like a great project. I can't even convince my wife to allow me to run my two drains & one return through a wall allowing me to setup a larger sump. I'm jealous! I would recommend buying the largest sump that you could afford to allow placement of all your equipment. TSC has some large plastic feeding troughs that would be great for this. Not sure what size pump you would need for this setup. Once you determine what size pump you require to overcome the head value then you need to determine what flow you what through the sumpI would recommend low flow (this allows all your equipment to work their best ex/ skimmer, heaters, carbon, phosphate UV etc.). Search the web, lots of good info about this.

 

[marks69]

i just put mine downstairs.  i would go with the largest sump you can.  you have alot of volume in the drains, plus need alot to fill up the returns.  i went with 1 1/2" drains and returns, and also run the herbie set up but i only have 2 drains, a full syphon and an emergency one.  you need to use a gate valve on your drains, i've been trying to adjust mine all weekend but ball valves aren't the easiest to move in small amounts.  i do have to say that there's no sound but my pump though.

 

[Cal_stir]

here's mine, under the stairs, tank is on the other side of the wall

 

[pulpfiction1]

looks awsome cal

 

[Neopimp]

Ya my DT is right in front of a cold air return duct to the furnace room, will make routing a little easier.

I was thinking about having my 30gal plumbed into the side of my main sump with an isolation valve between the two.  Out of the 30 I will have a valve to go to the drain.  I was going to plumb my main siphon to dump into the 30 gal and have the secondary and emergency plumbed to  the sump.  Water change time rolls about I will isolate the 30 gal from the sump, close the main siphon causing the other two pipes to fill and move the water to the main sump. I will then dump the 30 gallon to drain, refill it with new water and then put back into service an open the main siphon again.  That is the general idea.... anyoen see any problems with it?

As far as main pump placement goes.. I am not gaining anything by mounting it up higher above the sump oppsed to beside it right?  What I mean is the pump is going to use the energy pulling (i know it doesn;t actually suck) up that couple of feet instead of using it to lift, so in the end I will end up with the same head pressure/flow at the DT in either case?

I also noticed my floor upstairs isn't quite level.  Do I level the tnak on the stand or level the stand. And the question is how do I do that without destroyign the hardwood floor.

What kind of lighting will I need for a 26inch depth?  The tnak is 5 ft long and will prob DIY a canopy to house the lighting. Can I get away with 2 metal halide lights and maybe gut my current Tek5 8 bulb lamp for use int he hood as well. What wattage shoudl I shoot for on the MH?Total? How high above the water do the lamps need to be in order to not cook the water.

I am sure I will have more for you guys later
Thanks All



sd

 

[Blob-79]

sorry to hijack..but cal..how is that tub working for you..is that for your RO water? does it leach anthing at all?

 

[Neopimp]

oh noes a hijacking ;D
If I say I am interested as well i guess it doesn't count

 

[Blob-79]

As far as main pump placement goes.. I am not gaining anything by mounting it up higher above the sump oppsed to beside it right?  What I mean is the pump is going to use the energy pulling (i know it doesn;t actually suck) up that couple of feet instead of using it to lift, so in the end I will end up with the same head pressure/flow at the DT in either case?

Im assuming your running an external pump? I dont have much experience with external pumps, but your pump will need to be self priming if you have it mounted somewhere it wont automatically be filled with water (above the sump)

I also noticed my floor upstairs isn't quite level.  Do I level the tnak on the stand or level the stand. And the question is how do I do that without destroyign the hardwood floor.

you will want to level your stand. most people use cedar shims, you can get them at most lumber or hardware stores. they shouldnt hurt your floor at all. Its much easier on hardwood then say carpet.

What kind of lighting will I need for a 26inch depth?  The tnak is 5 ft long and will prob DIY a canopy to house the lighting. Can I get away with 2 metal halide lights and maybe gut my current Tek5 8 bulb lamp for use int he hood as well. What wattage shoudl I shoot for on the MH?Total? How high above the water do the lamps need to be in order to not cook the water.

I think optimum area per metal halide is a 2x2 square, if you raise them a bit from the normal, they should cover 5ft, but will be weak coverage in the middle and on the two ends. I run my metal halides about 6-7" from the water. I dont have any heating issues with them that high

 

[Neopimp]

Would this be a suitable pump for what I plan on doing?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/pumps-and-plumbing/external-pumps/panworld-aquarium-pump/panworld-250ps-external-water-pump-1900gph.html

Here is the flow curve chart, i think.

http://www.panworldamericas.com/PS/50Hz/A3400333.pdf

pulls 390watts  :'(

Overkill?
Any other pumps that may be a better compromise?
Enough flow to not really need the powerheads in tank?

 

[marks69]

you would have to give us exact lengths of pipe to figure out head loss.  there's a good calc at reef central for this.  i like the reeflo pump for their low use of hydro, but that pump sounds like it's got a ton of power for head loss.

 

[Cal_stir]

sorry to hijack..but cal..how is that tub working for you..is that for your RO water? does it leach anthing at all?

it's a rubbermaid and is food grade, i mix my salt for the tanks, i have another that i use for my cultures

 

[Cal_stir]

Would this be a suitable pump for what I plan on doing?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/pumps-and-plumbing/external-pumps/panworld-aquarium-pump/panworld-250ps-external-water-pump-1900gph.html

Here is the flow curve chart, i think.

http://www.panworldamericas.com/PS/50Hz/A3400333.pdf

pulls 390watts  :'(

Overkill?
Any other pumps that may be a better compromise?
Enough flow to not really need the powerheads in tank?

check the sequence pumps, they draw half the power, ive had mine almost 2 yrs now, no probs and quiet