Is it hard to add a sump?

[Novicereefer]

Hi everyone,

I have a 40 breeder bare bottom mixed reef running steady for about a yr. No real Complaints anymore. I run 3 lights (2 ai prime 16hd and a radion xr 15 g4. 1 of those gyres (I believe it's spelled). A Tidal 55 hob filter. As shown in the picture, I also have a 5.5 gallon below that's just used to store coral that I'm planning to give away (I have way too many corals in my tank). I was thinking of turning it into a sump by buying one of those hob overflow boxes and pipes to turn that 5.5 into a sump without drilling. Any tips and would it take a long time? I'm going away for a week in 3 months and would like to have this set up by the end of June to make sure the tank can be on its own for a week.

 

[Rmckoy]

Seeing as you have too many corals . Perhaps now is a great time for an upgrade.
something already drilled and ready to add a sump below .

I’ve read tons of horror stories of over flow boxes not working as planned .
and hang on skimmers …. Flooded my apartment years ago and ruined the brand new hard wood floors .

 

[Novicereefer]

Seeing as you have too many corals . Perhaps now is a great time for an upgrade.
something already drilled and ready to add a sump below .

I’ve read tons of horror stories of over flow boxes not working as planned .
and hang on skimmers …. Flooded my apartment years ago and ruined the brand new hard wood floors .

Hmm I see. Good point. I only have space for a 4ft tank so another foot. So that's a 55,75 and 90 gallons I believe. I was looking at a 75 gallon and Amazon has a stand for it with space for a 20 long below. I just have to find out the weight capacity for my apartment

 

[bushdoc]

Second answer of Rmckoy. I have been there 20 years ago, flooding rental apartment with HOB overflow.

 

[Novicereefer]

Second answer of Rmckoy. I have been there 20 years ago, flooding rental apartment with HOB overflow.

dang . My LFS is selling a 55 gallon used and drilled tank with stand...basically everything I need to get started for $1,300. I'm just skeptical because it's used. Is this a good buy?

 

[Rmckoy]

You could even get a 120 gal in a 4’ tank . But even a 90 gal is a nice size .
still the same restrictions as any other 48” tank but a little taller

One of my first tanks was a 75 .
Not drilled and which I learned to hate in a short time .

 

[Novicereefer]

You could even get a 120 gal in a 4’ tank . But even a 90 gal is a nice size .
still the same restrictions as any other 48” tank but a little taller

One of my first tanks was a 75 .
Not drilled and which I learned to hate in a short time .

Ohhh I thought 120 was 6ft...this is good to know. I just need to find out the weight capacity for my apartment floor.

As for the 75, why didn't you like it? Because it was too small or because it wasn't drilled?

 

[Rmckoy]

Ohhh I thought 120 was 6ft...this is good to know. I just need to find out the weight capacity for my apartment floor.

As for the 75, why didn't you like it? Because it was too small or because it wasn't drilled?

Because it wasn’t drilled and used a canister filter and hang on skimmer

other than that it was great

 

[Novicereefer]

Because it wasn’t drilled and used a canister filter and hang on skimmer

other than that it was great

Useful information indeed. I've honestly been intimidated by sumps and pipes and stuff. Looks confusing and feel I'll cause a flood but I guess I should just go into it because it can make my life easier

 

[WestMI-Reefer]

Useful information indeed. I've honestly been intimidated by sumps and pipes and stuff. Looks confusing and feel I'll cause a flood but I guess I should just go into it because it can make my life easier

Once you do one sump/plumbing/overflow/drill,
You will see it’s not too confusing, and can will be really satisfying when you get it all running perfect.
The upgrade will be worth it for a number of reasons.

 

[dadnjesse]

First thing you have to make sure the sump is big enough to store the water from a power loss. When you lose or cut power the water from the overflow and water level with the overflow and return plumbing is going to drain into the sump. As long as your sump can hold that water your good.

 

[dmsc2fs]

dang . My LFS is selling a 55 gallon used and drilled tank with stand...basically everything I need to get started for $1,300. I'm just skeptical because it's used. Is this a good buy?

Not a good buy. 55 gallons are narrow, tall and long and sell for almost free all day long on FB market.

 

[fish farmer]

First thing you have to make sure the sump is big enough to store the water from a power loss. When you lose or cut power the water from the overflow and water level with the overflow and return plumbing is going to drain into the sump. As long as your sump can hold that water your good.

I agree. I think a 5.5 gal sump would be too small once you add a skimmer and return pump. I tried 10 gallons on similar sized tanks and that seems to be the bare minimum with power outage drainage.

 

[Rmckoy]

Useful information indeed. I've honestly been intimidated by sumps and pipes and stuff. Looks confusing and feel I'll cause a flood but I guess I should just go into it because it can make my life easier

It seams more complicated but once you understand how it works it’s easy .

the overflow in the display is just below the surface .
if there isn’t a pump to maintain the height of water to the display tank it can’t overflow anymore
Fill the display tank and sump to the maximum without overflowing and spilling over .
when you turn the pumps on where the water line is in the return chamber is the maximum fill line ( I mark mine with a small line with a sharpie marker )
In the sump . If it’s filled to a max limit when all the pumps are running .
if the power is disconnected the water level will all raise in the sump but not exceed over the top of the sump .

 

[jft]

If you add overflow and cannot drill the tank get lifereef. Setup multiple tanks over 25 years using them NEVER one issue, good luck

 

[face]

You dont need a sump for it to be on its own for a week at all. Sumps are helpful and take out the clutter but you dont need one.

 

[MrGisonni]

dang . My LFS is selling a 55 gallon used and drilled tank with stand...basically everything I need to get started for $1,300. I'm just skeptical because it's used. Is this a good buy?

If it's a crystal glass aquarium and an aluminum stand then yes.

 

[MrGisonni]

Before my LFS started drilling and building aquariums hang on the back pre filters were the only option. They sometimes needed to be restarted bc they lost some flow over time, but I never had a problem with them