equipment in a sump

[ChrissyTina62]

I am setting up my new 55 gal. aquarium today and this is my first go at a sump. I have a protein skimmer and heater in the sump, also will be adding live rock.
Do I need any other filtration in or in addition to the sump? Iv read many conflicting things.
Also trying to find out when to add live rock to the tank, right away or after it cycles. Every website seems to have different info. Any help is appriciated!

 

[Reefing Madness]

If its fully cured live rock you can add it anytime as it won't impact the water, if its not cycled or cured rock you should add it now, as it need time cycle also.
For the sump, things like adding a calcium reactor, or GFO reactor, or adding macro algae, these things are entirely up to you, and what your going to be adding to your DT as far as corals, and what kind of water quality you want to have.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Sumps are great ways of hiding equipment. Your choice of a skimmer and heater is a great start. I'd consider this the basic sump package.

Other things that could be added are filter socks, reactors (GFO, Carbon, Biopellets) and a refugium. There are various opinions about this additional equipement and I'll let your reading and other comments convinence you of there importance to your tank.

I would also suggest that you get a second heater and run both through a controller. Heaters will fail, and the one failure we want to avoid is getting stuck ON. The controller will protect you from the stuck ON failure. The second heater protects you when one heater stops working.


What are you doing with the tank.....will it be FOWLR or Reef?

 

[ChrissyTina62]

Thank you for the replies! I am going to start with just live rock and fish but would like to eventually add corals.

I was planing to go live rock shopping tomorrow at a few local places to find some quality peices. I was thinkinb id start with 20 lbs.

Iv had a saltwater tank but not for a long time so I feel like I'm learning all over again.

I was purchasing a heater yesterday and the woman was pushing me hard to buy a filter as well as having a sump and wanted to make sure I had what I needed to cycle and set up this tank.

I knew this would be the right place to ask.

 

[mfinn]

Thank you for the replies! I am going to start with just live rock and fish but would like to eventually add corals.

I was planing to go live rock shopping tomorrow at a few local places to find some quality peices. I was thinkinb id start with 20 lbs.

Iv had a saltwater tank but not for a long time so I feel like I'm learning all over again.

I was purchasing a heater yesterday and the woman was pushing me hard to buy a filter as well as having a sump and wanted to make sure I had what I needed to cycle and set up this tank.

I knew this would be the right place to ask.

You tell the woman that your live rock will be the filter.

Speaking of live rock while 20lbs. is a good start, it will be a little light for a bio filter.
You would want almost triple that for a 55 and some would say even more.

 

[760mason]

Bio pellet reatoris a must have in my opinion. Also I would add a carbon reactor, and gfo reactor. I run without filter socks unless i am doing aquascape changes. I would build a manifold off your return pump with more than you need so you can add new reactors in the future.

 

[ChrissyTina62]

Im starting with 20 foe Two reasons, one is money, two is, this is a tank I bought from someone and there is a custom back piece to the tank that is now dry rock and will turn in to live rock.

I was thinking I'd add more in a week after another pay day.

I tried to tell the woman but I dint think she knew anything about sumps.

 

[mfinn]

Im starting with 20 foe Two reasons, one is money, two is, this is a tank I bought from someone and there is a custom back piece to the tank that is now dry rock and will turn in to live rock.

I was thinking I'd add more in a week after another pay day.

.

OMG, you are going to let money get in the way? lol

Yeah, I'm setting up a new system and the money is flowing out of my pockets like a strong return pump.

Get the pieces when you can.

Did the system come with a skimmer?

IMO, live rock and a skimmer and a refugiums will do almost anything. Corals and fish.
That's all I use for both my tanks.
The builds are in my signature.

 

[bearjohnson]

Don't be afraid to check out craigslist for just about anything tank related and esp. live rock. You can always find great deals on rock from people tearing down and getting out of reefing.

I'm personally not a big fan of rock in the sump due to the fact it will trap and build up a fair amount of detritus.

 

[Daddio]

If you have a rock wall for the back, you can count that as live rock.

Start simple, let your rock thrive and don't buy a "filter". Learn your tank and see what issues you have and then tweak. I find it hard to control water parameters when there are so many variables. Carbon and gfo will help remove unwanted elements from the water. I found it helpful to learn how calcium/alk/mg work together. For me, having those 3 stable is step one (I don't worry about ph anymore as if those are right, my ph is right).

 

[ChrissyTina62]

Mfinn - your tanks are beautiful!

Id lobe to go on a tank shopping spree but I have a 6 3 year old and only so much money! So I'm doing my best, but live Rick may be something that week take time to get add much as I want.

Bear - thank you for the craigslist tip, I should have thought about that! I will hop on that now.

Today is day one so I will be back on with more questions I am sure.

I haven't bought any test kits yet, what levels do you all check on a regular basis? Daddio thanks for the tips!

For now the water and sand are in, the gear is on, just waiting for everything to settle.

 

[mfinn]

Mfinn - your tanks are beautiful!

Id lobe to go on a tank shopping spree but I have a 6 3 year old and only so much money! So I'm doing my best, but live Rick may be something that week take time to get add much as I want.

Bear - thank you for the craigslist tip, I should have thought about that! I will hop on that now.

Today is day one so I will be back on with more questions I am sure.

I haven't bought any test kits yet, what levels do you all check on a regular basis? Daddio thanks for the tips!

For now the water and sand are in, the gear is on, just waiting for everything to settle.

Thank-you.

For test kits right now, I'd go with a basic kit with ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.
I wouldn't bother with much else to start with. Maybe a little down the line a phosphate test kit may be needed, but not now.
Test kits like calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium might be something you could use, but not until you get into corals that deplete those elements.

With my softy tanks, I only do regular water changes. To me that's important.

 

[Daddio]

Mfinn, you're right. With the newer tank and fish only at the start, you probably are more worried about that first cycle. Listen to mfinn and not me! My rock is so old that I never worry about those parameters.

 

[ChrissyTina62]

Thanks im.headed out to do more shopping this morning but now iv got another question.
The tank is super cloudy, has been since I filled it. I was hoping this morning it would have cleared up but it just the same. As if I had put white water in it, I can only see about an inch in.
What should I do to clear it up?

 

[mfinn]

Did you add sand?
If you did, what kind?
And did you rinse it?

 

[ChrissyTina62]

I used live sand, it came with some water clarifier which did not do anything reallt.

 

[mfinn]

I used live sand, it came with some water clarifier which did not do anything reallt.

Was that live sand in a bag?

What are you using for flow inside the tank?


You may be just dealing with the typical sand storm many experience when first setting up the tank.
It happened to me once. My tank was cloudy for 2-3 days.
After that I have always rinsed and rinsed, then rinse again. But that was dry reef sand in a bag.

 

[mfinn]

Mfinn, you're right. With the newer tank and fish only at the start, you probably are more worried about that first cycle. Listen to mfinn and not me! My rock is so old that I never worry about those parameters.

Everybody has good stuff to contribute.

 

[ChrissyTina62]

It was bagged wet live sand. Iv got the return from the sump coming out in two places giving a good flow. I two other power heads I can put in too.

Ill keep an eye on it see if it settles in a day or two.

Will adding live rock help?

 

[mfinn]

It was bagged wet live sand. Iv got the return from the sump coming out in two places giving a good flow. I two other power heads I can put in too.

Ill keep an eye on it see if it settles in a day or two.

Will adding live rock help?

Live rock could help.
I wouldn't add any more flow for now and I would point the returns towards the waters surface. Keep the flow up at the top.
It might help it settle.
I've read that by adding a couple cups of established live sand will help promote bacteria to grow and that might help. Is there anyone local to you, or a lfs that you could beg a cup or two from.
I don't have a lot of faith in the bagged stuff.

It will take a few days.