# Botias 15 tall (sump equiped)journal..56k beware!



## fedge (Mar 4, 2004)

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<quazzy>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


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## Creedog (Dec 17, 2004)

Can we see IN the tank?


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## igotworms (Dec 1, 2004)

I like the sump. looks good!! Lets see some pics of the inside of the tank.


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## audiotaylor (Apr 2, 2004)

Looks pretty fancy-schmancy. Im a big fan of sumps because they keep your in-tank water level constant and make water changes very easy. I incorporated a sump into my discus tank that I will post a journal of soon. I would also like to see a few pics of the inside of the tank, and also a pic of it with the moon lights on. Im very curious how they would make a planted tank look, as I have only seen them over reefs. Thanks for sharing!
-David


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## rwong2k (Dec 24, 2004)

I'm really interested in your sump and design of it,

could you post some pictures of the intake side?

thx
Raymond


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## BOTIA (Dec 23, 2003)

Hi raymond
here is my sump design












rwong2k said:


> I'm really interested in your sump and design of it,
> 
> could you post some pictures of the intake side?
> 
> ...


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## Badcopnofishtank (Jan 20, 2004)

*sumps*

Nice sump! I have been building my own sumps for years and love the control they give you over what goes in / out of your tank. 

I am in the process of designing a custom sump for my 240 that will include a UV sterilizer element (DIY type) that anyone with minor mechanical ability should be able to build.


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## cprroy73 (Nov 10, 2004)

I like the idea of a sump, maybe cheap than a canister. Will it have some kind of bio media? What did it cost total to make?

I would like to see a pic of the tank lit at night and the day.

I am interested in seeing the moonlights. I was thinking of make some for my 55.


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## rwong2k (Dec 24, 2004)

thx for the picture,

acutally I'm more interested in the other part of the degsign getting the water down to the sump, did you make your own outlflow box or a store bought one?

few reasons I want to make a sump is 1) have these 15 and 10 gallon tanks left over and a mag drive pump also, 2) I can kinda hide all the heater pH probes temp prob stuff like that in the sump for a semi neater look (or so i think)

is it hard to get the right amount of flow in and out of your tank? or did you just add valves to adjust the inflow and outflow until it matched? or am i looking at it the wrong way?

thx
Raymond


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

rwong2k said:


> is it hard to get the right amount of flow in and out of your tank? or did you just add valves to adjust the inflow and outflow until it matched? or am i looking at it the wrong way?


I will let Botia answer but I would say NEVER put a valve on the outflow side. You will have a snail or a leaf plug it and pump the contents of the sump onto the floor. Just build a durso if you are having noise problems. The out should be 150% the diameter of the in with flow rate dependent on the pump.


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## BOTIA (Dec 23, 2003)

*re sump*

Thanks guys it's working really well. 
No pic of the actual tank right now as the it is going through a mini cycle and looks like crap (Rather embarrasing looking)

For bio media it has the ac500 foam that all the water must pass through to get to the heater cavity. The overflow is a diy
pvc 3/4 pipe one that I found on the net. I added an extra bend however to make it a skimmer overflow to stop the surface film from building up.
Ray for setting the water level, you put a ball valve on the pumps output then adjust it until the water settles at the level you want. Also VERY important to drill a 1/16 hole 1/4 inch below the water line on the spray bar in the tank so if the power goes off the siphon will break when air hits the hole and you sump will not overflow. I was warned check valves are not reliable in planted tanks so this is safer.


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## rwong2k (Dec 24, 2004)

oh ok figured it out, sonds like a good summer DIY project for myself to work on =)

ok back to the sump,

how important is the plexiglass baffle? (opps lots of questions...)
is it just for holding the foam or there's more to it?

I'm considering making the sump system to store all the heaters and stuff but not as a wetdry system, so does the plexiglass baffle make a difference?

thx
Raymond




BOTIA said:


> Thanks guys it's working really well.
> No pic of the actual tank right now as the it is going through a mini cycle and looks like crap (Rather embarrasing looking)
> 
> For bio media it has the ac500 foam that all the water must pass through to get to the heater cavity. The overflow is a diy
> ...


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## BOTIA (Dec 23, 2003)

ray the plexi glass baffles keep the foam sponge in place and for directing the water flow through the sponge to the heater cavity filled with floss. The baffle should be just a bit higher than the pump input so if input to the sump stops for any reason it will not empty the whole sump into the tank instead it will just empty the pump cavity.
Botia



> ok back to the sump,
> 
> how important is the plexiglass baffle? (opps lots of questions...)
> is it just for holding the foam or there's more to it?
> ...


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## rwong2k (Dec 24, 2004)

ahh,
thx for your patient and explaniation, i think i understand how the overflow and the sump works now =)

Raymond


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