# Sump configuration?



## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I am in the process of plumbing together 4 ten gallon tanks. Right now the plan is to use one as a sump. I made three pvc overflows today and tested the system with a pump and return. I did the test outside with three tanks and everything seemed to be working fine. 

So now I need to figure out how best to configure the sump. Poret foam, filter socks, bioballs? Which should I use and what order should I put them in? Three chambers? 

Thanks. 

PS I recently got 6 10gs with glass lids for 40 bucks, that’s why.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Are you using CO2 or what's the purpose?


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## Dejlig (Jan 20, 2013)

Having a hard time picturing this, could you post a pic?


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I think I might be using co2. I will at least plan for it. I have lots of plants outside and they need to come in soon. I also have a colony of Xenotocu eiseni that need a winter quarters. I do have other tanks I can use so I am not sure at the moment what is going where. 

I will try and post a picture tomorrow but this is all being set up under a counter so the plumbing is not really very visible. 

Thanks for the help.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Poret does its thing only in the top 1 cm of the sponge. That's why the volume of the foam needs to be so big compared to the tank. I still think that the inside of the sponge harbors microorganisms that do other things (remember Yo-Han's thread about what biofiltration actually is). So maybe the entire body of a Poret sponge works as a biofilter. Meaning you can just submerge it and be done with it. But the best German website that explains how Poret works also talks a lot about the speed of flow through the sponge and how it can turn it into an Ammonia factory if it is not fast enough. Also flow that is too fast is adverse. Meaning that whatever way you chose to use the Poret always keep in mind the flow rate through it.

Two practical things to consider about using the Poret:

1. I understand that Discus Hans, one of the most famous US discus breeders, uses Poret in sumps but in a bit different way. The pieces just float on top of the water and water hits them from above. I guess that way the top 1 cm. gets oxygenated well. The mat is not cut up - it is one big piece of foam floating on the surface of the water.

2. ADA uses Poret in their canister filters for the first few weeks of the tank setup. They say it grows microorganism faster than Bio-Rio. I don't know about that - from my experience Poret gets "ready" only after 4 weeks of use (and that is in very heavily stocked tanks AND gushing air bubbles). ADA uses Poret cut up into small cubes. I guess that is to avoid channeling inside the canister filter and to get more surface area (maybe the 1 cm thing is true indeed). Also probably it makes the sponge look cuter and allows for a nicer jacked up price. ADA does not advertise it as "Poret" either.

I'd certainly use a sock in a sump.

Not sure about bioballs. Why don't you consider Kaldness instead? That's a media designed specifically for best biological filtration. You can find a lot of videos for it being used in sumps. Look at this - it does make you feel that the processing is 1,000 times better:


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I am a bit worried about flow. We shall see how that goes. Thanks for the feedback. Here is a picture of the basic overflow. These tanks are all sitting next to each other. Three of these connect the four tanks.



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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Three tanks plumbed to sump



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The basic sump. It is hard to get back there to take the picture.



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The foam itself is from a nursery. I am in a hurry and it is cheap. We will see how it works.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Bonus picture the new auto-drain plumbing.



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## Window7 (Feb 23, 2012)

You can space the pad "say" 2-4" apart and use some bio balls ^^
Thats what I did in my 20L sump


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

We have our fall auction coming up in October. Ill have to see if I can get some.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I've got this running now and I am thinking I should have made the returns out of larger pipe to help increase the flow. 
I devised some odd little chamber to dissolve the co2 but most likely I need to build a reactor of some sort.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I cant seem to get the pressure adjusted correctly on the co2. I simply used a brass connector to split the line. Now I can get co2 out of one or the other line but not both. Not sure what to do here.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Water flow management


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## ftwchopper (Apr 20, 2010)




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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

How exactly is that working ftc? Are you happy with it?


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I increased the size of the overflows and now I have a much better flow but all the fish have now migrating to the sump. I guess I need some kind of screen but I don't want to restrict the flow. Ideas?


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