sump size for a 6x2x2

[scott_to4]

looking at setting up a 6x2x2 for my frontosa colony. Tank will house a maximum of say 10 adult frontosa burundi. 2 males and 8 females. i want to turn the water over say 6 times every hour. what i want to know is how big should the sump be. one package ive looked at comes with a sump of size 60cmx40cmx40cm with a 3500lph pump. the pump would prob be just big enough but is the physical size of the sump perhaps too small. Im not really sure so im asking the experts. Would a bioload of an adult front colony be too much for that sump. In reality i may not have 10 adults but will have at least 7 or 8

thanks in advance for your help.

Scott

[RS2000]

In general bigger is better

Usually you aim for about 30% of the main tank size but thats not always practical.

For my 300gal tank i'm using a DIY 55gal (standard 4') tank as my sump

[rosco]

looking at setting up a 6x2x2 for my frontosa colony. Tank will house a maximum of say 10 adult frontosa burundi. 2 males and 8 females. i want to turn the water over say 6 times every hour. what i want to know is how big should the sump be. one package ive looked at comes with a sump of size 60cmx40cmx40cm with a 3500lph pump. the pump would prob be just big enough but is the physical size of the sump perhaps too small. Im not really sure so im asking the experts. Would a bioload of an adult front colony be too much for that sump. In reality i may not have 10 adults but will have at least 7 or 8

thanks in advance for your help.

Scott

I am currently doing the same thing but there are som many variables at work here I am still gtting my head around them. When it comes to sump size it will depend on your pump. Now that is probably OK as a mix but maybe not for your needs. what you should remember is the trough put at 1.5 metres (approx where the water will enter the tank) as it it will be around 2000 -2500lph. Now a 6x2x2 is around 650 litres so if you want throughput of 6 times over then you will need to be around 3900 at a head height of 1.5metres So you will then be looking at a pump of 4500 to 6000 litres per hour.

So if you jump up to those pump sizes you will need better drainage from the tank and a bigger sump to handle power out situations and faster through put from the pump otherwise it may run dry when it starts up.

I am persanlly am looking at at 6000 lph pump with a sump in the facinity of 200 litres. If I make it mayself it will a standard 4 tank (beacause i have an old scratched up lying around) or if I get one built it will be same water volume capacity but around 100x45x45.

Other things to consider keeping the tank quiet and you are using big pumps, then you will need to install a durso standpipe. If installed correctly you can use the bigger pumps you won't have any of that waterfall sound and you the silence and throughput you are after. If you go down this path then you will want a bigger outlet than inlet due to the gravity feed outlet. So you will need a 32-40mm bulkhead and a smaller inlet like 19mm or 25 mm whatever is the recommended outlet for the pump. To get these installed you will need a 45-50mm hole drilled in your tank in odrer for the bulkhead to fit.

Well that is enough for now I am sure others will add to this as you go on. here is a fiar mount of good info on my tank journal and also the one by willo(I think)

cheers

rosco