new tank set up(help)

[FDNY3838]

Hey all, Im setting up a 120 gallon Ocianic with 2 built in over flows. I got the tank used..acctually the whole set up. The guy just sold the fish and unplugged everything but its all there. I never had a wet/dry filter before or overflows. this includes all the pumps i need, and a pentair aquatics multi-stage filter as well, plumbed into the wet/dry. What are some tips and things to check before i start to add water? maybe anything i'm over looking. Everything seems in place...tips? anyone? filling the tank? rock placement? thanks

[jgoodrich71]

That seems like an easy question, but it is not. I would just set it up as he had it, then you can change things from there. I'm assuming you already have som eexperience with the 46, so just run it the same as your other tank. There is no short answer for you though.

[seapug]

one very important step-- once you fill the tank and start the pump, make sure the water level in your sump has enough headroom to backflow in a power outage without overflowing. Unless there is a prevention valve or aspirator in the return line just below the water level in the tank, anything that pumps water into the tank will become a siphon back to the sump in a power outage. It will suck water back to the sump until the water level falls low enough to pull air in and break the siphon. This can potentially be tens of gallons of water in a tank that size.

[FDNY3838]

very interesting..so fill tank first, then sump?i kinda want to make sure my connections are solid and no leaking bulkheads before i fill 110 gal of water.

[FDNY3838]

very interesting..so fill tank first, then sump?i kinda want to make sure my connections are solid and no leaking bulkheads before i fill 110 gal of water.

[jgoodrich71]

Actually that is the way I do it, by start filling my overflow boxes to make sure the bulkehads aren't leaking. Then the sump, again checking the bulkheads for leaks. Once I am sure no bulkheads are leaking, I start putting it directly in the tank.

[SquidHC]

Put it out on your driveway or something like that and just fill it with a hose and run everything. This way if there is any leaks it will just go down the street =D

[seapug]

once you make sure the tank and bulkheads are fine and you fill the tank you'll have to put some water in the sump so it is primed and circulation can start. Start by adding just enough water to prime it and let it run for a couple minutes. Then unplug the pump and see how much water flows back into the sump. Once the backflow is finished you'll know how much more water you can add to the sump. If there's 6 inches of space between the water level and the top of the sump you can add about 5 inches more of water (leave an inch or so for a margin of safety) and know that if the power fails your sump won't overflow. Plug it back in and let the pump refill the tank. Once the tank refills and circulation resumes as normal you'll have your optimal sump water level. Make a mark on it and add topoff water as needed to maintain the water level at that point as you will only notice the effects of evap in your sump.