Extra sump for large system to back flow into

Camaro Show Corals · Mar 30, 2021

So as many of you know I have been working on building my 550g system which includes the AGE 210g which has been planned to go into our TV room which is a flow above and probably 30-40 feet away which is why I got a Abyzz A400 return pump. The grow out system and sump and majority of equipment is in our finished game room/rec room( our house is a ranch). I had a friend over Friday to look at everything and to make sure we can make it work and he brought up a good point, there’s gonna be a ton of water back flowing when I turn that system off obviously I’ll have check valves on the returns but that’s not gonna help the drains. I’ll also have 12 gallons or so coming back from my big skimmer, I have my large custom bashsea sump but even a 72x18x18 It may not hold all that. Thoughts? A idea was I have a extra sump that’s not as nice or fancy as my bashsea but it’s also large 72x24x? And thought of using it as a extra drain back flow sump somehow. I thought someone with a large system was using some type of tank to back flow into maybe it was @therman?
Anyone doing something similar with their systems?

therman · Mar 30, 2021

I have an overflow on my sump than runs to a 40B to catch any excess. Isn’t ideal but it saves a mess in the case of a major failure.

ca1ore · Mar 30, 2021

Good luck with the check valves LOL. There's a reason all of mine got tossed ..... want to guess what it is! I don't bother with commercial sumps, so unfamiliar with the model you mention, but have you calculated how much back flow the sump can hold. You can certainly add a second vessel to the sump system with an equalization tube. Pretty simple if you have the space.

Dkmoo · Mar 30, 2021

Sry maybe I'm not understanding the set up but why not a simple syphon break?

Camaro Show Corals · Mar 30, 2021

therman said:
I have an overflow on my sump than runs to a 40B to catch any excess. Isn’t ideal but it saves a mess in the case of a major failure.

Thank you Tim

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 30, 2021

Ive seen people make refugiums from the big brute trofts. I have one in my garage.
D

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Mar 30, 2021

Would hold excess water too.
D

JeremyKnight · Mar 30, 2021

For maintenance work I have valves on all of my return lines that I close once the pumps are off. For power outages I have solenoid valves that are normally closed, that way when power fails the valves will be de-energized closing the supply and return lines. Those valves are also actuated once every 12 hours to make sure they do not freeze up from salt creep by the reef pi controller. The whole sump system is in a 220 gallon tank.