Let's Talk Sumps

Deezill · Oct 5, 2019

Hello R2R,
i am having to decide if I want a sump like a TIdeline 48 to sit under my new 210 build or should I go with a custom sump from a company who will take a 75-100 gallon tank and make me a sump. I like the thought of having all the bells and whistles with a regular acrylic sump like Tideline or bashsea but I also like the fact that the custom class some from Glass Cages would have more water volume and they are much cheaper. What type of sumps do you guys have for your current builds and why? Please help me choose. Thanks.

tehmadreefer · Oct 5, 2019

rubbermaid stock tank, cos I can load it up with rock, cheato, pods, crabs and equipment. Is also a fraction of the cost of buying a sump.

stanleo · Oct 5, 2019

Deezill said:
Hello R2R,
i am having to decide if I want a sump like a TIdeline 48 to sit under my new 210 build or should I go with a custom sump from a company who will take a 75-100 gallon tank and make me a sump. I like the thought of having all the bells and whistles with a regular acrylic sump like Tideline or bashsea but I also like the fact that the custom class some from Glass Cages would have more water volume and they are much cheaper. What type of sumps do you guys have for your current builds and why? Please help me choose. Thanks.

I have an Eshopps sump but I wish I would have done a DIY sump to customize it more. For as much money as I spent on it, I would much prefer to have one that I can do more with.

X-37B · Oct 5, 2019

40 breeder no baffles for my 120.
Get the one that fits your needs best.
Bigger is better if you have the room.

Jon Fishman · Oct 5, 2019

I have a Trigger 39, and it is getting a bit crowded in it, but so far so good, and I like to keep the total water volume down for water-change purposes. I originally wanted a 6’ long custom sump..... very happy with what I went with

S2G · Oct 5, 2019

I have the same footprint as your 210 and I was originally going to use an oceanic 90 (longer & shorter than a std 75/90). I mixed my salt in the tank without the sump. Well when I went to slide it in the tank wouldn't fit due to my stand having a middle support. I couldn't get a std 75 or a 40b to fit either. Luckily I had an old eshopps 300 Berlin style (30x16x14 I think) and was able to slide that in.

I like the glass cages option personally and I'd try to take some height off a std 75. Acrylic is 1/2 the weight and tons easier to drill if you need to.

If I had a dedicated filter room or basement sump I'd do a rubbermaid trough from tsc hands down.

billwill · Oct 5, 2019

I ran a converted tank with baffles for years, but I was always struggling to get things in and out of it, and I really wanted a larger refugium upstream of my skimmer. My display is a 90g, so I was very limited on what would fit. Super happy with my Bashsea. It’s a relatively new design concept from them, and has everything I wanted in a sump

Deezill · Oct 5, 2019

So my welded metal stand is 73x25x30 (L,W,H) I have room under it.

Silent · Oct 5, 2019

Trigger emerald 34. Love it. Probe holders, dosing line holders, adjustable level for skimmer, many other extras.

Tomwlf · Oct 5, 2019

Silent said:
Trigger emerald 34. Love it. Probe holders, dosing line holders, adjustable level for skimmer, many other extras.

Same here. Had a 55 gal DIY that just was a nuisance.

Deezill · Oct 5, 2019

tomwlf said:
Same here. Had a 55 gal DIY that just was a nuisance.

What made the 55 gall DIY a hassle?

Tomwlf · Oct 5, 2019

It was a 48 x 12 x 18 . Very narrow trying to cram all my equipment into it with a fuge. Very limited on skimmer size too.

Goodair · Oct 5, 2019

Whatever you decide on, the biggest sump you can fit. Only thing I regret about building mine is having a small refugium.

C. Eymann · Oct 5, 2019

If my finances would allow it, sure I would love to have a custom Royal Exclusiv dreambox.

Premade sumps are great, and I know you can get a more reasonable one than RE, and they make the under tank space look very clean,dont get me wrong, but I prefer to build my own sump out of a glass aquarium/baffles, and invest the money saved by doing so into being able to afford better, more crucial equipment.
As far as mechanical filtration and probe holders go, easily done with some DIY ingenuity.

link81 · Oct 5, 2019

I have a modified acrylic.
it's basically a stock eShoppes 200 with a modified AquaFuge glued to the side and permanently plumbed in

DivingTheWorld · Oct 5, 2019

I have a Trigger Ruby30s and love it. I do wish it had the adjustable Skimmer height like some of the newer Trigger sumps. I prefer acrylic over glass because it’s much more durable and easy to repair if you get a leak (my sump has never leaked).

If cost is an issue, just keep your eye out for used ones on the forum or Craigslist. I see them pop up from time to time for half price or less.

I did do a little custom work on mine. I replaced the bulkheads with Sch80 and enlarged my Return section to accommodate larger pumps.

Deezill · Oct 6, 2019

Does the regular acrylic sump get more love because they have more bells and whistles versus a DIY? I am trying to justify the cost because what I pay for a Tideline 48 I can get a 100 gallon DIY from a professional aquarium maker like glass cages. Thoughts?

DangerDave · Oct 6, 2019

I’m using a food storage/transport container currently.

JoshH · Oct 6, 2019

You should throw in Custom acrylic sumps as an option as well. My new build will have a custom built sump same as my last one. It gave me the ability to do whatever I wanted layout wise and fit in the space with as big of a footprint as possible.