DIY side internal sump question?

[weemanno1]

Hi guys hope someone has the answer.. I’ve burn an internal sump and want to know if I need to put a bottom water intake that bypasses the fleece roller for water circulation or am I on to just have the top intake? I’m awaiting a new pump as I’ve tried to push 750 lph through it and it literally can’t keep up and empties the sump in seconds. If I need to make a 2nd intake lower in the filter I was going to put it in the return pump chamber under the outlet towards the bottom ? Just drill half a dozen 2mm holes but this will bypass the fleece roller. Has anyone built there own that can advise ?

 

[UncommonSense]

I’m not quite sure I understand your question; are you saying that you want your AIO sump compartment to have a second fill point near the bottom?

 

[Johnd651]

Do you have an ATO? With evaporation, your pump chamber is what will go dry, and without topping off, will burn out a pump.

 

[weemanno1]

I’m not quite sure I understand your question; are you saying that you want your AIO sump compartment to have a second fill point near the bottom?

Apologies I didn’t word it very well I wandered if they were nessesary or an overflow or blockage back up intake for the return pump in aio systems :)

 

[weemanno1]

Do you have an ATO? With evaporation, your pump chamber is what will go dry, and without topping off, will burn out a pump.

I have an ato yes it’s a 9ltr one with the tmc twin flow system? :) I was wandering around hating people did as I only have an inlet at the top that water falls though the fleece roller through the aio compartments then the return pump puts it back in the tank.. the pump is a dc pump with auto shut off to stop burn out. But it is emptying the return compartment in seconds u til I powered the intake strainer its ok now but it’s literally like a raging torrent at 750lph and I can imagine it will pin anything living against the opposite side of the glass.. I wanted to aim for 1000lph but I think looking at how powerful it is I might need to make a different outlet option that’s more broad an angle? My wave make pump is 2000 lph and quite gentle but a very broad angle :)

 

[UncommonSense]

Apologies I didn’t word it very well I wandered if they were nessesary or an overflow or blockage back up intake for the return pump in aio systems :)

Ah, you typically don’t want to let water pass through the bottom of your AIO divider, it’s just defeating the purpose!

If you’re having issues with the existing overflow not moving enough water, or are concerned about the tank spilling over from an overflow clog; consider taking a notch out of the top of the AIO divider, 30-100mm wide, 6-12mm deep.

This cut out notch will be above the water line during normal operation, but will serve as an emergency overflow if there is a clog, before the aquarium spills over its edges!

 

[UncommonSense]

I have an ato yes it’s a 9ltr one with the tmc twin flow system? :) I was wandering around hating people did as I only have an inlet at the top that water falls though the fleece roller through the aio compartments then the return pump puts it back in the tank.. the pump is a dc pump with auto shut off to stop burn out. But it is emptying the return compartment in seconds u til I powered the intake strainer its ok now but it’s literally like a raging torrent at 750lph and I can imagine it will pin anything living against the opposite side of the glass.. I wanted to aim for 1000lph but I think looking at how powerful it is I might need to make a different outlet option that’s more broad an angle? My wave make pump is 2000 lph and quite gentle but a very broad angle :)

Just put a T or Y plumbing fitting on your return pump’s outlet in the tank…

This will cut water velocity in half, but keep the same flow rate!

 

[Quietman]

You can have a properly designed ATO that has bottom inlet but that's usually much less than the overflow and only designed to keep things from running dry if no ATO and a forgetful owner.

Relying on the ATO return pump to provide all flow is possible but you have to be designing a "low flow' tank. Otherwise you'll need a low flow return pump to get 3x tank turnover through the 'sump' and use powerheads for sufficient flow in the display.

 

[weemanno1]

Just put a T or Y plumbing fitting on your return pump’s outlet in the tank…

This will cut water velocity in half, but keep the same flow rate!

Would you reccomend putting a 2nd outlet below my 1st one half way down? So flow to bottom and top of tank :)

 

[UncommonSense]

Would you reccomend putting a 2nd outlet below my 1st one half way down? So flow to bottom and top of tank :)

No, if the pump ever turns off, water will just rush backward through the 2nd (lower) outlet into the AIO filter compartment!

I recommend putting a Y or T fitting on the single top outlet, you can then have one nozzle at the water line, and a second nozzle aimed lower in the tank.

Consider using a Random Flow Generator (RFG) on the second, submerged return nozzle!

 

[weemanno1]

You can have a properly designed ATO that has bottom inlet but that's usually much less than the overflow and only designed to keep things from running dry if no ATO and a forgetful owner.

Relying on the ATO return pump to provide all flow is possible but you have to be designing a "low flow' tank. Otherwise you'll need a low flow return pump to get 3x tank turnover through the 'sump' and use powerheads for sufficient flow in the display.

Yeah I have a 2000lph wave maker of 70% on sine wave ramp up and down and then atm and until I can make it better I have an estimated 500lph through the filter :) so that’s 5 times the tank volume ? As mentioned above I could make a 2nd outlet option that’s about 4-5” below to split the outflow to ramp it up to 6-700 but watching the water drains through it h the aio it’s so fast ! . I think being new again to the hobby and deciding to make my own filter is a bit of a reach I massively appreciate your helps guys

 

[weemanno1]

No, if the pump ever turns off, water will just rush backward through the 2nd (lower) outlet into the AIO filter compartment!

I recommend putting a Y or T fitting on the single top outlet, you can then have one nozzle at the water line, and a second nozzle aimed lower in the tank.

Consider using a Random Flow Generator (RFG) on the second, submerged return nozzle!

I have a separator that sits about 3” below the water level for the return pump to sit in so if there’s a power cut it’s never dry :) I’ll try and post a better pic later :)