What is a fish tank sump pump?

A sump pump is an alternate tank that is almost always placed below the display fish tank. By using the force of gravity, water flows from the display tank into the sump tank. Then, a sump pump returns the water by pumping it back up into the display fish tank. Sump pumps

Advantages of using a sump pump

A sump pump has many advantages. First off, it helps increase aeration in your fish tank and therefore increases the level of oxygen in your tank. It also helps to filter out a lot of dirt and gunk that can get stuck to the walls of your display fish tank. Sump pumps are also very beneficial if you frequently experience power outages. Since the sump pump runs on gravity, it can still filter water even when the power goes out. Lastly, the sump pump also helps regulate the water levels so that it can be filtered without getting overflowed.

Fish Tank Sump Pump How to Set Up?

Below are the easy steps on how to set up a Fish Tank Sump Pump:

Find a place to insert your overflow skimmer. We recommend putting it either on the far left or right side of your fish tank away from any ornaments or plants. You should place the inflow pipe on the opposite side of the overflow skimmer
Place a standpipe in your overflow skimmer that runs into your sump.
Run a pipe or hose from the pump to the display fish tank above.
Make sure that you’re inflow and outflow pipes in your sump are on opposite sides. This will force the water to run through the entire sump before it reenters the display fish tank.
The most important aspect of setting up a sump pump is determining how much water will flow into your sump naturally. You should measure how much water flows into the sump in a timespan of 20 seconds. At the end of the 20 seconds, calculate the flow of gallons per seconds by dividing the amount of water that went into the sump divided by 20. After you calculate this number, you will know how powerful your pump needs to be.
After your sump pump starts running, it is important to keep a close eye on it for the first 24 hours in case there is any accidental water overflow or a fish falls into the sump.

Pictures of How to Set up a Sump Pump

Here are some pictures of Sump Pump designs: