Setting up a basement sump questions

TheHellforger · Mar 13, 2018

Alright everyone I'm new on the forum but not new to the saltwater trade. Right now I'm in the process of trying to set up a basement sump for my 250 g display tank. I have these 3 barrels, a 55 g tank with a hole drilled in the side, and a Rubbermaid stock tank. My plan is to have the tank drain into the 55 g tank with a bunch of filter socks to keep as many particles out of the water as possible then drain into the blue 55 g drums which will be plumbed together with the off color container when my uniseals arrive. Input on the bottom with the outputs at top. Then have the off color tank drain into the stock tank which will house my chaeto and mangrove trees and stuff before hitting the return pump and going back to the display.

This is where I have my question, I plan to pack all the rock from my display and then some into the blue drums for bacteria growth. To get maximum circulation around the rock do I need to build a rack to raise the rock above the input or would I be fine to stack the rock straight on the bottom of the barrels?

Also what would be a good return pump setup for about a 14' head on 1.5" pipe?

Tanglover11 · Mar 13, 2018

I have a basement sump and went with a Jebao DCP 18000, it is virtually silent and I am running it at its lowest setting. It has plenty of power. Before this, I was running a Danner Mag drive 24. It was loud and wasn’t powerful enough. Before that I had a Deepwater dc15 and it would shut off for no reason. So far for the price it has performed flawlessly.

TheHellforger · Mar 13, 2018

Wa

Tanglover11 said:
I have a basement sump and went with a Jebao DCP 18000, it is virtually silent and I am running it at its lowest setting. It has plenty of power. Before this, I was running a Danner Mag drive 24. It was loud and wasn’t powerful enough. Before that I had a Deepwater dc15 and it would shut off for no reason. So far for the price it has performed flawlessly.

Is that pump really powerful enough? I already have an I believe dct 12000. What kind of head height do you have and what diameter pipe are you returning?

cracker · Mar 13, 2018

what temps do Yu guys have in your basement during winter ?Just curious Thanks.

Tanglover11 · Mar 13, 2018

It really is! Head height is around 14’ . The pipe is 1” I.D pvc. This pump flat out pumps large amounts of water to the point that I had to dial back the power to its lowest setting. Mostly because of noise in the overflow drain upstairs. It is nearly silent when it is in operation. I have had it in operation for 6 months now and probably need to clean it. The controller ballast doesn’t produce a-lot of heat like other DC pumps I have had in the past leading me to believe the new ones are better suited for the wattage used by these pumps

Tanglover11 · Mar 13, 2018

cracker said:
what temps do Yu guys have in your basement during winter ?Just curious Thanks.

Around 65 degrees

Shad Quill · Mar 13, 2018

Look into a reeflo yellowtail. It's what I went with but have yet to bring it online. Still building this dang room.

ca1ore · Mar 13, 2018

As reference, I'm running a panworld 200 through 1 1/2" flex PVC against 14' of calculated head pressure and netting 1,375 gph.

Triggreef · Mar 13, 2018

TheHellforger said:
Alright everyone I'm new on the forum but not new to the saltwater trade. Right now I'm in the process of trying to set up a basement sump for my 250 g display tank. I have these 3 barrels, a 55 g tank with a hole drilled in the side, and a Rubbermaid stock tank. My plan is to have the tank drain into the 55 g tank with a bunch of filter socks to keep as many particles out of the water as possible then drain into the blue 55 g drums which will be plumbed together with the off color container when my uniseals arrive. Input on the bottom with the outputs at top. Then have the off color tank drain into the stock tank which will house my chaeto and mangrove trees and stuff before hitting the return pump and going back to the display.

This is where I have my question, I plan to pack all the rock from my display and then some into the blue drums for bacteria growth. To get maximum circulation around the rock do I need to build a rack to raise the rock above the input or would I be fine to stack the rock straight on the bottom of the barrels?

Also what would be a good return pump setup for about a 14' head on 1.5" pipe?

I don't think you'd need a rack under the live rock.

As for a pump I have similar head height and use a deepwater aquatics dc8 which is one click down from full blast. I would think a dc10 would be more than enough. Cheap enough you can even have a spare on hand for if you ever have an issue. But mines been going a couple years now with zero issues, zero cleanings. Only time it ever stopped is with a power failure which has happened a couple times due to gfci. Very efficient pumps IMO and I'm phasing out old pumps with nothing but these on all my tanks. Very slowly.

Some other things to think about with your setup, is your basement temp and how much power you will draw to heat your tank. I gave up heating my tank with the basement sump, and converted to a cool water (not cold water) tank. Temp stays at about 69 degrees with no heaters. Probably because my furnace is wasting a lot of heat into the basement.

Plumb everything you need for water changes. Spend some time adding switches to your electrical items so you don't have to unplug things and plug other things in etc. Make it so water changes (and water mixing) can be done by hitting a few switches. IMO those barrels would be better used as a mixing station.

Just some things to think about.

Tanglover11 · Mar 14, 2018

Triggreef said:
I don't think you'd need a rack under the live rock.

As for a pump I have similar head height and use a deepwater aquatics dc8 which is one click down from full blast. I would think a dc10 would be more than enough. Cheap enough you can even have a spare on hand for if you ever have an issue. But mines been going a couple years now with zero issues, zero cleanings. Only time it ever stopped is with a power failure which has happened a couple times due to gfci. Very efficient pumps IMO and I'm phasing out old pumps with nothing but these on all my tanks. Very slowly.

Some other things to think about with your setup, is your basement temp and how much power you will draw to heat your tank. I gave up heating my tank with the basement sump, and converted to a cool water (not cold water) tank. Temp stays at about 69 degrees with no heaters. Probably because my furnace is wasting a lot of heat into the basement.

Plumb everything you need for water changes. Spend some time adding switches to your electrical items so you don't have to unplug things and plug other things in etc. Make it so water changes (and water mixing) can be done by hitting a few switches. IMO those barrels would be better used as a mixing station.

Just some things to think about.

Agreed on putting everything on switches, and plumbing for water changes. It now takes me less than 5 min to change out 40 gallons

TheHellforger · Mar 14, 2018

Thanks for all the input everyone.

I'll do some research on the pumps everyone has suggested and see what will work for me in this scenario.

My idea for right now is to put all of my rock in these barrels so I maintain high biological filtration while I slowly convert my display tank over tho heavy weather mariculture reef bonsais for Coral displays and to open up circulation for water flow. I've been weighing trying to get a shark egg and my extremely heavy rock setup as is would give it no room to swim.

As far as water changes go, I can drain that system straight to the floor and then I'd just need a mixing barrel to replenish but I can get more of those blue barrels for like 15 bucks a piece. That's all I paid for those so if I deem it necessary I'll add a water change component in the future.

On the issue of heat, I'm not sure what my basement temp averages year round but it is comfortable due to heat radiating off my central air system. If a good heater set up isn't cost effective then I think maybe i could run a water to water heater exchanger off my recirculation line from the hot water heater to keep tank temps suitable for Coral?

Triggreef · Mar 14, 2018

I've heard of people who have done that successfully but the list is small. There are some really good write ups on it and initial cost may be a thought but certainly makes sense to me. If i were handier I would probly try it. #heatisexpensive

Joshua Kerstetter · Mar 15, 2018

I used 1" SCH 40 PVC, and used the mid level Sunpole, and have about 10 foot of head pressure getting me around 1000 gallons an hour into a 220 display tank. I should have gone bigger and probably used a Jebo instead.

BOWHUNTER4250 · Mar 19, 2018

this is my basement sump on a 180 display , i run a hammerhead return pump up about 12' i recently removed almost all of the live rock and went with 2 large marine pure blocks , i dont run a chiller and my tank never gets above 82 deg. in the summer , i run all 4 holes in my overflow boxes as drains and have a 1-1/2" main return up the back with 4 double lok lines ( 8 lines ) with the hammerhead i cant open the valve all the way as it will fill too fast .

the tank in thew lower left is my top off tank ( 55 gallons ) and the tank in the lower right is a 75 gallon that i use for automatic water changes , every Sunday morning at 9:00 i do a 25 gallon water change and i don't even have to be home !