# Sump placement question



## oyf709 (Sep 18, 2010)

I just want to see if anyon ever tried to place a sump higher than the tank. I understand most sump should be under the tank so gravity pull water from main tank to sump and pump back to the tank for more circulation. However, my current space and stand would not allow me to throw a sump in there. I am thinking about place the sump behinde the tank and on top of a shelf. It would make the sump a little bit taller than the tank itself( about 5-10 inches).

I have 2 choices and please tell me which might be better.
1) I can lower the water level of the sump so the water level is below tank's water leve and still use the traditional gravity to pull water into the sump.However, since the sump would be higher than the tank, it might require a custom make overflow.

2) Pump water to sump instead and then either pump water back down or gravity bak down to main tank.

My main concern for the 1st option is the water level might not be enough for my skimmer to work and cuz the high level of sump over the overflow, any power outage might cause flooding. It is also the same for the 2nd options if I use 2 pumps, it might flood my room once power went out if one pump fail to restart. 

Any suggestion? Anyone ever had these kinda odd situation before?

thanks in advance


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

By definition, the sump holds a reservoir of water otherwise you are building a trickling filter tower. There were a few posts on filters/sumps above tank. Search for posts by DeepRed. Forgot who the others were.

It is possible to have a sump above your tank. In fact anything, almost, is possible if time, space and money are no object.

You can keep the sump above the main tank:

1. pump water from display to sump
2. gravity feed from sump to display

You are essentially reversing the conventional display sump arrangement. You pretty well have to control the outflow from the higher tank. When power fail, no water is pumped from display to sump, so no gravity flow from sump to cause flood.

All that means is, when water evaporate, you top up the display. Whereas conventional arrangement, you top up the sump. So why keep a "sump". You may as well think trickling filter.

Just MHO, there are many other experts here


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Have done so with great success. I used a 20g sump/refugium over my 65g display. A Maxijet1200 pumped water from the reef tank up into the skimmer box section of the sump where my skimmer had a chance to skim before the water overflowed into the macroalgae refugium section and finally drained back into the tank below through the bulkhead. 

The main worry is that your drainhole/pipe does not get clogged or else the sump will overflow. Mine never did but I used strainers and an extra glass baffle to keep the algaes away from the bulkhead. A second higher drainhole could be drilled as a safety precaution.

Anthony


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## oyf709 (Sep 18, 2010)

thanks for great suggestion, but that also mean that I would need extra power head in my main tank to create circulation cuz I am using the gravity pull the water back down to the main tank then or will that create enough flow?


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Small powerhead in the back corner to pump water up into the sump. Either you pump water into sump or pump water up into display (whichever is higher). Can't have gravity feed both ways (I think).


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## oyf709 (Sep 18, 2010)

Lol,I know it can't be both ways , just thinking gravity pull down to mail tank won't create enough water flow


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## deepRED (May 22, 2010)

Unless you are looking to add water volume, doing an above tank trickle filter works best. 

Basically you're pumping water from the display into the "filter" above the tank, and then letting gravity bring the water back down to your display. 

I use this on my 300 gallon tank right now and it works like a charm. 

There are a couple things to consider though:

1) the pump that you use for supplying the water the filter should be easily accessible. No matter how careful you are, you'll have to service the pump every couple of weeks in order to maintain proper flow. If you leave it too long, it will slow down the flow and will make your filter less efficient. 

2) for the top tank, make sure you have a backup for the return line. Even though one return was more than enough to handle my flow rate, I drilled a second one in there as a back up, just in case the single one gets clogged. 

A) Your back up return line should be raised so that it does not get used under normal circumstances. 

B) Put a valve on your main line.

These two things will allow you to control the water level in your sump. 

Do it this way and you'll never have any concerns about flooding. 

To take it once step further, I used unions so I can disconnect everything for servicing.

I've seen Anthony's previous setup and it's basically the same principle. Mine is set up more as a full on trickle filter because I don't need a regulated water height like you do when running a skimmer.


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## deepRED (May 22, 2010)

oyf709 said:


> Lol,I know it can't be both ways , just thinking gravity pull down to mail tank won't create enough water flow


Correct. I run an additional three powerheads in the tank for flow. The flow from the return will be nowhere near enough.


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## oyf709 (Sep 18, 2010)

thanks guys, i will look into this and try to get all the parts ready before I starting the tank =)


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