to SUMP or not to SUMP

by **theDeedo** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:26 pm

I am planning on seeting up a 100 - 150 gal reef tank. I still have alot to learn, before setting this one up. I have been researching several hours a day. Im doing this before i go and get the actual tank so I know what to plan for. Im going to be doing alot of inverts in this tank and dont want to make any mistakes with the filters. So two things im considering are... An overflow box (so my slugs and other inverts dont get sucked up) which my freind suggested, and a sump with plumbing rigged up. The books im reading hold sumps in high regards, but im worried about two things...One that I may be a little to inexperienced to take this route, and 2nd the cost and work put into actually getting this up and running (but would it be better for the fish?). what dou you all here suggest, and what do you all here find to work best for you. Thanks in advance

by **jdak702** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:05 pm

I would say with large tanks over 75 or 100g, a sump is a must. Is your new tank going to have a built-in overflow or a hang-on back overflow?

by **theDeedo** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:15 pm

well this was my delima...Should i drill some holes with plumbing that goes into the sump, or would an overflow box (hanging off the back i guess?) that was drained into the sump with a return pump on it be suffiecient for the size I need? I have friends who assure me that this worked for them, and it seems easier that drilling holes and fitting pipes. What do you mean by "built in overflow"? excuse my newbieness

by **jdak702** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:28 pm

built-in i mean predrilled and a permanent fixture in the tank. My overflow is part of the acrylic. Yes drilling is a pain but the problem with the HOB overflows is you have to manually start them everytime. Or you have to buy an expensive overflow kit that has a pump on it to start syphon everytime you turn the pump off or power outage. It doesn't really matter which way you go but if you start dreading the HOB box and wish you drilled before you filled your tank full of stuff, it's a hard fix. What other filtration were you considering if you don't sump?

by **jdak702** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 8:30 pm

http://aquaticconnection.org/jdak-s-150 ... -t106.html

That is a thread of my build. I haven't been posting there much lately but i did get some good advise there. It is a smaller forum like this but its mostly marine.

by **theDeedo** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:15 pm

honestly the overflow box/sump was really the only way i have seen practical with having inverts. After my last little mishap i dont trust canister filers to much, at least with the ones that have suction power within the housing tank. Would you have a better suggestion when dealing with inverts? I know my mom had a undergravel filtration system because of her octopus, but even that proved a problem...it laid eggs and when the babys hatched they were all sucked up. thanks for the link to the other forum. I will register here in a min

by **jdak702** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:45 pm

I use a canister on my reef but it's only 46gal. What happened with yours? The thing with canisters is you would need like 4 of them just to filter the 1000gph you want to in a 150g tank where as one sump can do that. Also, cleaning a canister is more often and harder to do. Undergravel is not at all for a reef. They aren't cleanable. ye, definitely get a profile going:)

also, sumps can be made pretty easily. You could use a cheap bucket and return pump. Doesn't have to be expensive to work.

by **theDeedo** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:53 pm

in my last aquarium where i had a suction intake inside the tank, I had a protective screen over the intake because of the spanish dancer i had recently added to it. It lasted all of 3 days, and i found nothing left but a knot of him in the screen to the intake.

so with a overflow box leading to a sump/bucket..its really not nessecary to have all the hole drilling and pipe installing right? I think i will consider getting a pre installed overflow box though, i have not thought of that option until now. profile made. At this point i need all the help I can get, thanks again

by **jdak702** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 10:16 pm

With a hole drilled, you are just working with water draining down. When dealing with a HOB, you have to have a box on the inside with a pipe in it, going over the tank rim needing syphoning power to climb this hill. If this syphon stops and the overflow box stops working, the water from the sump will continue to pump up and flood the tank. Their is more risk with error. That was what i was talking about the auto-syphon HOB but they can be pricy and complicated.

I got my tank on craigslist. A lot of tanks these days are predrilled especially the larger ones. you have not bought a tank yet?

by **theDeedo** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:14 pm

no, it been a couple years since i have set up a saltwater. Basically because i was living in a little apartment and could not do so there. But I have just rcently moved into a big home and have been waiting to get one started. So before i just jump head first into it, i need to brush up on some research. Been reading alot of books and member of quite a few forums now. So im just planning out how i am going to go about this first. I got a few tanks im eyeing atm, thats why I have been looking into sumps, and different tank set ups, so I know what type of aquarium will best fit my need. I grew up around salt water tanks, mostly predetory fish set ups like lion fish, octopus, and other cool killas. But I have a few freinds who are pretty reef suavy and I have been lusting to start one ever since I moved. I have been literaly researching for several hours a day. Sorry im a pretty anal planner. I like to plan the set up down to the T, so I can keep damages to a minimum

to SUMP or not to SUMP

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