Eclipse 12 with a Sump

[pdmedic]

Hi all,

 

Looking for some ideas, I have a eclipse system 12 and am thinking about using a 10 gallon tank for a sump/fuge has anyone else done this? If so How? Did it work? If not any ideas from people who use them. I am looking at doing it as a DIY project so any help would be greatly appreciated. I am figuring that I will use a siphon to get water to the sump and a Power head to get it back into the tank.

 

Thanks in Advance

Travis

[MrConclusion]

You can't use a simple siphon to feed water to the refugium, because there's no way to regulate the flow rate. You need an overflow device, which often incorporate siphons but the important part is the overflow.

 

If you try to siphon into your refugium, it WILL either:

 

(a) drain the tank faster than the return pump. This may flood your refugium, and eventually the siphon will draw air and stop siphoning. Now the return pump will flood the tank because the tank isn't draining anymore.

 

( Not siphon fast enough to keep up with the return pump. Now the return pump eventually drains the refugium and floods the tank.

 

Overflows which use a siphon are using the siphon to move water into an external box, which is going to maintain the same surface level as the tank itself. Then, that external box is allowed to spill over into a tube which leads to the sump. That way, the tank is overflowing into the sump as it's being fed by the return pump... no more, no less.

 

The idea of matching the theoretical flow rates of the overflow and siphon is a joke. No GPH ratings are exact, and they are purely theoretical once you have tubes, uphill runs, and elbows in the system. All you need is an overflow box that can handle at least as much as the pump can deliver.

 

With an eclipse tank, there's not really much space for a standard overflow box unless you start removing material from the hood. I would recommend that you drill the tank for a 1 inch bulkhead fitting as close to the top as possible. Use a fitting like this

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pCatId=4013

 

You can get a little screened intake for it here

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pCatId=4080

 

now the water will overflow into the bulkhead and drain into the refugium as fast as your return pump can supply it. If the pump slows down, speeds up, or fails completely the tank will not drain itself into the refugium, and it can't overflow unless you experience major blockage or use an absurdly powerful return pump.

[MrConclusion]

Actually, check out the 3/4" or 1" bulkhead "kit" on this page:

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pCatId=4036

 

All you need to install it is:

1. the correct size hole saw.

2. some 3/4" or 1" poly hose (to drain into the refugium.)

3. a cheap 5-10 gallon tank (refugium.)

4. a clamp-on fluorescent light (algae light for refugium.)

5. a decent return pump with whatever tube fits it.

 

Galaxy Lights are cheap and effective small refugium lights:

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pcatid=8154

 

If you make it, post pictures! Have Fun!