Help With 40g Frag Tank Built-In Back Sump Setup

[Chas]

I'm literally at a loss here. Any tank I've had before is the reversal of this one, so in my head I'm already having to flip flop my layout.

It's a 40 gallons frag tank. I won't have live sand or anything else in the front aside from egg Crate for the frags and maybe some CUC.

The back just has me at a loss. I got it cheap and it came with a cheap mini "bubble" skimmer and it has a built on pump(octo skimmer, generic), the pump that has water flow outward into the front and through a rod with holes in it towards the bottom. This is all fine because the location of the lower rod means that it will help lift up junk.

The issue I'm having is in the back sump. Where do I place the floss or do I need floss? Will I need anything like chemipure or purigen if it will be frags only (MAYBE one clown if I want an anemone or two in there for sales) and where to place it because there is no media basket and it is shallow so there wouldn't be room for one anyway?

I've already got the live rock and will place a good bit in the bigger section of the sump. But, I definitely feel like I should have more than live rock in this sump, especially considering the way this sump is oddly setup.

See pictures. Maybe you can help because I'm baffled and it is most likely because I'm seeing this sump flipped around to what I typically have used. Any help is appreciated.

First picture is frontal view. Right side there is a hole at the bottom where the rod screws in and the pump goes inside the sump for out flow. The left side is where it will go in. The second picture is a view inside the sump, where the first section flows into the bottom of a very, very small section and then UP into the large section. The third photo is the right side where that water continues flow pattern into the right section where it will be pumped back into the front.

What am I missing here? What do you guys recommend? Yes, I'm going to clean it before anyone runs in and says anything.

Chas

 

[glb]

Is this the tank itself! Is it an all-in-one?

 

[Chas]

Yes, sump is in the back. Pic shows where the sump begins at the black backing and then the frag tank continues in front. Should give you an idea.

 

[glb]

So the overflow is on the left?

 

[Chas]

That is how it is looking. I'm used to the opposite.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Seems like a normal AIO to me. On a tank that size, I don't think a skimmer is required, especially with one or zero fish.

You can definitely run filter floss in that first chamber if you'd like manual filtration. The biggest thing that worries me is it looks as if the height of the baffles in the sump area are at the tanks overall rim height. If you had manual filtration and it became blocked, I'd be concerned that it may empty the sump into the display section and overflow the tank. Typically the sump is slightly lower to allow it to overflow back into itself.

Also odd placement for the return pump hole ... I'm also used to that being higher.

Looks like a pretty fun build for a frag tank tho!

 

[Chas]

Is there a filter media basket that runs horizontal? This way I can break up that big center area and not do only live rocks. I'd like to run at least chemipure or purigen, filter floss, and another media or even just those. I can't seem to grasp it, though. All of my media baskets are vertical because the flow of water trickles down. With this setup, I'd need it to flow into one and then move over into the other.

From what I'm seeing, people are telling me I only need live rock w a 40g frag tank. That just doesn't make sense to me. I realize the bio load won't be much, but to ensure parameters will be ideal for a mixed frag tank, I want to take any precautions I can.

Thanks.