about to build my sump, got ???'s

okay, this is for my 75gal. i have my tubaware bin, smaller bucket to hold filter media.

this is the set up im going for as far as the tubaware bin and smaller filter bucket.


im not gonna use pvc pipes, maybe one day, for now it will just be hoses.

im going later on today to get this pump, the 1017gph model
and im also gonna pick up the filter media, filter pads, bio balls so on....

i need help figuring out an overflow box. one that will stop if the water gets to low, and start back up when the level gets high enough. pretty much like this.



any help, tips, guidance will be appreciated!!

 

ha i ment the plastic 20gal buckets. i cant think what its called.

 

yea, rubbermaid!!! ha.

is there ways that i will get a faster overflow than other ways??

 

nice man!!!!!!

okay i have a few questions. sorry if they were clearly answered in the write up :/ im still a little lost...

1. how does it start flowing??? once you prime that little air house it will just start going???

2. if it stops flowing (water level gets to low) once the water level gets back up there, will it start flowing again or will i need to reprime it???

3. the secound (red tube) is in the water but not sucking water??? or does it not go into the water???

 

gotcha, thanks!!!

the pump was not at the store so now i have to wait about a week for them to deliver it :/

what kind of filter media do yall recemend??? i forgot to pick up bio balls so i was thinking about just using the dish scruber pads, what do you think?? also gonna use foam pads on top of that.

should i put gravel (crushed coral for my african cichlids) in the sump??? later on i would like to put some plants in there with a little light overhead.

any other things i should maybe put in there?? its not crazy big so i dont have a whole lot of room.

 

aight, enlighten me. kH and gH, kH is the alkaline buffer, so i read. is that like the active carbon?? what do they do??

im gonna stop there. because im highly confussed on what they do.

basically could someone break all this down to a dummies guide. basically what each one does, why you need it, and how you get it.

i test amonium and ph. i do my frequent water changes, i do not run active carbon, i do add the aquarium salt every water change. i use a water decloriniser for my faucet water (which comes out a very high ph i must add. i need better test kits :/ all i know is its easily 7.8)

is there menerials i should add to my tank for fish health??

haha if that dident open a can of worms......

 

all african cichlids. with the exception of my crabs, catfish, algae eaters.

the crushed coral i put in there the first time said it maintains 7.5 ph. the crushed coral that i just bought did not mention anything. just that its good for africans.

the water that comes out of my faucet is a pretty high ph, maxes out my chart, 7.6-7.8 and the water in the tank stays atleast 7.6-7.8. i dont know tho, i gotta get a higher range ph reader.

 

well, ups was supposed to be here today with my pump but were getting snow, yea were getting snow in GEORGIA. you northern guys must be snowed out.

i wanna get this thing built :/

you guys have any tips/tricks on where to put the filter inlet to get this best filtration, maybe up top in the water, maybe down low??? also what about the return line, should i face it into a corner to try and create a wurlpool effect??

im going to contine to run my hang on the back 300gph filter. if anything i might extend its pick up to the bottom to try and get the dirt down there.

the pleco sure does leave a mess everywhere.

 

also, with the bio balls/dish scrubbers (which ever i finally go with) will they hold enough of the good bacteria??? im gonna put gravel in the bottom of my sump thinking that will also hold some of the good bacteria then when i vacume out my tank i dont have to worry about sucking up/cleaning the good bacteria.

what do yall think??

 

yea ph is easily 7.6+ ill probably stick with the crushed coral in the sump.

 

i built the 3/4 pipe over flow and it was not near enough. so right now i have 1 1/2 sittin in the floor ready to get built. then im gonna run both of them. then depending on which part flows the best, the overflows or the pump, ill put a gang valve on it and try and even out the flow.

the pvc pipe is a little loud with the gurgle. and when yours starts to flow again, does it pick right back up where it left off?? mine starts to flow but not as good as it was, i usally have to reprime it to get it flowing good again. but i might not be giving it enough time, i gotta play with it more.

and dang scrubbies are 1.50$ for 2 of them and im thinking im gonna need about 20. when ever i go in somewhere they never have enough for me to get all at once so i just hold off thinking i will find a better deal.

 

hopefully this will get the job done. 3/4 pipe compared to 1.5in pipe. both will be ran also.