tcampbell

Hi, and thanks for writing me.
Do you find any difference using a sump compared to using a cansiter on a planted tank? Usually a cansiter filters from the bottom of the tank, where as the sump is filtering from the surface. Do you notice a greater build up on debris on the bottom of the tank during water changes, etc (which would lead to higher Nitrogen levels) I realsize if the sump pump is properly sized that the water flow should move around this material and eventually bring it to the surface so it can be "filtered", but it just seems a little like more buildup would be common.

You mentioned that it works during a power failure. so what happens. Does it start to drain through the outpipe until it hits air? How about the return pipe, does that reverse siphon and drain until it reaches air as well?

When it starts up again does the water from the sump just return to the tank until it startes siphoning again (and the noise is caused by the air trapped in the siphon tube?)

From your pictures your sump does not seem to have the extra capacity to hold more water if siphons as it seems almost full to capacity when running.

You mentioned "turned into 5 times more work, cost and time then originally planned" so is there anything you would have done different from the start? Do YOU feel you would have been better off just buying an eheim 2215/2217 for the tank in the first place and avoiding the sump? Just trying to decide to sump or not for my tank..

Sorry havent been on in a while.

60 gallon is doing nice, Will upload some pics to my thread soon.

Sump works great.
I have tested overflow for power failure and it works fine
Makes a bunch of noise for about 30mins as settles into its
flow pattern but nothing flooded or over ran.

Some people insist that a 3rd overflow pipe must be installed on a setup
like this as an emergency drain so that there is absolutely no way
for it to overflow, but I think this is only needed on higher flow systems that
surge a huge amount of water at start up and for reef tanks that can clog
their intake pipes easy.

Just make sure sump has as little agitation as possible and a sealed lid
to help keep Co2 in.
and keep water drop into overflow as short as possible.