Help with Sump/Overflow etc...

[Shaun]

I've just bought a secondhand 4x2x2 tank. It has a drain weir installed with 2 drains and a fitting for the return pipe. The drainage holes are quite large (haven't measured them yet). The setup came with an Aqua-Medic 3500 l/hr return pump and a 3x18x18 sump (huge sump!). I'm going to scrap most of the plumbing and refit/customise everything according to what I want. The cabinet is ok quality, needs a clean and a touch up.
I'm not happy with the return being at the same end of the tank as the drains, I want it at the other end for a more directional current in the tank. It will be housing Loricariids so I want a decent current, good filtration etc.
So...does anyone have any suggestions, advice or pics to help me design and build this thing?
I was wondering if I could remove the 2 standpipes and use the weir as a trickle tower? I've seen this done before and it was very cool, having the weir and standpipes seems like a waste of space really. If I install some egg crate at the top and bottom I can fill the space with bio-balls and japanese filter matting, with some dacron at the top to act as mechanical filtration. Then the sump can be filled with seachem matrix or a diy denitrate coil or a plant filter...and hide all the equipment. This will be a display tank, but I also want to be able to experiment a bit - hence the secondhand tank rather then brand new. I'll be using the tank to house, display and hopefully breed L134's.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated
Shaun

[Buddy09]

Hello Shaun. Congrats on snagging what sounds like a nice tank setup. If I understand the setup correctly you could continue to use the existing wier/overflow drains to the sump and use the separate bulkhead fitting that is also at the same end of the tank as a drain to a second pump to increase your flow to whatever you and your fish think is best. You could bring the returns from both the existing sump pump and the second pump, which you don't have yet, back up over the rim at the far end of the tank for the directional flow you want. I'm planning something similar in coming months, only I don't have a drilled tank, so I will be using an overflow box to accomplish the same thing...pretty simple to do really and you can keep all the hardware in the sump, pumps, heaters, whatever, out of sight that way. PVC pipe is cheap and easy to work with, so you could try a configuration like that and see if you like it. If not or you want to modify something, just cut out whatever you don't like and glue in something else. Only costs a few bucks for the pipe and fittings. Personally I don't think I'd fill the wier with bioballs and floss. It might be difficult to clean and you would see it when viewing the tank I think. You already have a large sump to fill with as much and any kind of media that you choose, but that's just my opinion...Lots of ways to set up a tank like that, you can do whatever pleases you.

[MatsP]

Sounds like a great deal.

I agree with Buddy09 - the weir will be best off not filled with stuff. The reason you have a standpipe is to adjust the level of the water (and it will be some amount above the top of the standpipe). The weir makes it look pretty.

And yes, you can certainly put the return pump outlet at the other end of the tank - this is how all my systems work right now. Most of them ALSO have a second filter or a circulation pump [or even all three of sump, filter and circ. pump].

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Mats