Sump plumbing question/help

[Geebs19]

I am new to the sump filtration. I purchased a tank with a sump and equipment which I was excited about. I am looking at the plumbing and want to make sure it’s right.

Question 1: Should there be a shut off valve from tank to sump so that I can do water changes? From the photos below the plumbing used to send water to the pump has me worried, if my return pump fails won’t this just keep pushing water into the sump?

Question 2: the pvc used for the water to go into the sump just has cuts put into it with a hole drilled on the top. I just want to make sure this is ok before I reassemble it or should I do something else?

Thank in advance

 

[Crabs McJones]

I am new to the sump filtration. I purchased a tank with a sump and equipment which I was excited about. I am looking at the plumbing and want to make sure it’s right.

Question 1: Should there be a shut off valve from tank to sump so that I can do water changes? From the photos below the plumbing used to send water to the pump has me worried, if my return pump fails won’t this just keep pushing water into the sump?

Question 2: the pvc used for the water to go into the sump just has cuts put into it with a hole drilled on the top. I just want to make sure this is ok before I reassemble it or should I do something else?

Thank in advance

It looks like someone tried their hands at a durso setup. What size tank is it? A single drain with dual returns is probably overkill. What I'd do is take one of those return lines and make it another drain and set it up for a Herbie style overflow. Basically you have a primary drain with a gate valve and a secondary drain to act as an emergency backup should the primary ever get blocked. And then a single return line.

 

[Geebs19]

It looks like someone tried their hands at a durso setup. What size tank is it? A single drain with dual returns is probably overkill. What I'd do is take one of those return lines and make it another drain and set it up for a Herbie style overflow. Basically you have a primary drain with a gate valve and a secondary drain to act as an emergency backup should the primary ever get blocked. And then a single return line.

Its a 100 gallon. When I picked it up he said thats how it was setup from the factory.

 

[WVNed]

 

[Geebs19]

Thanks for that diagram. So for the return line to the tank should I split it so it still goes into the 2 outputs into the tank?

Also Should I have the primary drain going into the filter sock and the emergency just go into the sump somewhere, or should I add a T where they both drain into the filter sock?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Its a 100 gallon. When I picked it up he said thats how it was setup from the factory.

It most likely was. But those cuts in the pipe were most likely not he probably had problems with the drain being noisy.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Thanks for that diagram. So for the return line to the tank should I split it so it still goes into the 2 outputs into the tank?

Also Should I have the primary drain going into the filter sock and the emergency just go into the sump somewhere, or should I add a T where they both drain into the filter sock?

You want the emergency and primary separate all the way to the sump. If you t it and one clogs then you risk both of them clogging and flooding. So primary to a filter sock, and emergency to somewhere in the sump. I have my emergency empty into my refugium. And you can do the two outputs into the tank for better flow if youd like here is how I have milly Herbie drain. One goes to the filter sock and the other I drilled a hole and put a bulkhead to drain into the sump.

 

[Geebs19]

For the Primary drain should there be some kind of fitting on the top or should I just leave it as an open pipe? Thanks all for the great advice, this is very very helpful!

 

[Crabs McJones]

For the Primary drain should there be some kind of fitting on the top or should I just leave it as an open pipe? Thanks all for the great advice, this is very very helpful!

Open pipe is fine. It's how I have mine. But if you have fish that are prone to jumping you can get a fitting that pushes into the pipe so that fish, snails ect cant get in there.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulkhead-overflow-strainers.html

 

[Geebs19]

You guys are awesome. Thank you!

 

[Geebs19]

There are 3 holes, each have a gasket that was in pretty rough shape. Looks like 1 is 1inch and the ohter 2 are 3/8. Does that sound about right?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Some helpful diagrams on here. I would change out the PVC which is very easy to work with and install a shutoff and/or check valve and route it the way you like it