Picking hardware for my sump, opinions ?

[TheOracle]

Alright so my display tank is a 90 gallon with a 1" drill to a CPR RSS12dx overflow box. I am planning on doing a single 3/4 inch return to a standard U return head.

This is what I was thinking for a sump,

Trigger systems crystal 30
Bubble Magnus curve 5 skimmer
Ehiem 2000 pump
Frag live rock and cheato in the refugium
Shallow sand bed
Chemo pure elite bag

...And I don't have a heater picked yet

This is going to be a reef tank with what I would think is about a medium bio load.


Thoughts ???

 

[CodyRVA]

If money is no object then rock on, but I always tell people to make their own sumps. The effectiveness is the same and the price is ridiculously cheaper. Easy to do when using an old petco fish tank. I was initially going to use sand or miracle mud in my refugium, i ended up going bare bottom with sintered glass media and chaeto. For fuge light, i would go to home depot and get one of those cheapo clamp lights; I've been using one for months and my chaeto grows like crazy. So far i've been pleased with the titanium Finnex heaters. Filter socks?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Even though BM curve 5 says up to 140 gallon, I'd get the Curve 7. You'll be happier and so will your tank. Fish-Street now has the 7 for $205....can't beat that!

I'd also get two smaller heaters and a controller to control them (such as a Ranco). Heaters will fail, and the controller will protect your tank from getting cooked. I happen to like Eheim Jager heaters.....maybe two 150 or two 200's....just watch out, they are longer than the average heater, so make sure they fit.

 

[TheOracle]

If money is no object then rock on, but I always tell people to make their own sumps. The effectiveness is the same and the price is ridiculously cheaper. Easy to do when using an old petco fish tank. I was initially going to use sand or miracle mud in my refugium, i ended up going bare bottom with sintered glass media and chaeto. For fuge light, i would go to home depot and get one of those cheapo clamp lights; I've been using one for months and my chaeto grows like crazy. So far i've been pleased with the titanium Finnex heaters. Filter socks?

Ya I was planning on using one of those clamp lamps. What kind of bulb are you using on it ?

Also I looked into building my own, there was a pretty neat kit on eBay that had the pieces per cut for a 20gallon long. I think the actual sump looked alot cleaner and this hobby isn't exactly cheap so I decided might as well just spend the extra 150 lol

 

[TheOracle]

Even though BM curve 5 says up to 140 gallon, I'd get the Curve 7. You'll be happier and so will your tank. Fish-Street now has the 7 for $205....can't beat that!

I'd also get two smaller heaters and a controller to control them (such as a Ranco). Heaters will fail, and the controller will protect your tank from getting cooked. I happen to like Eheim Jager heaters.....maybe two 150 or two 200's....just watch out, they are longer than the average heater, so make sure they fit.

Didn't realize the 7 could be had for that much. I will most likely do that. And is there a specific model for a ranco controller you suggested ? I was going to run two and set one like 4-5 degrees lower as a backup, is that not something you would suggest ??

 

[redfishbluefish]

I have both my heaters set slightly above 78 but now have my old school ReefKeeper II maintain temperature between 78.0 and 78.3. If one of the heaters dies, the one alone can not quite maintain temperature, and I know it's time to switch it out. The other failure you get with heaters is that they get "stuck ON". The controller protects you from this failure....as a matter of fact, my heaters could be "stuck ON" and I'd never know it with the controller.

As far as the model, I currently don't use a Ranco, but let me look up the one I'm familiar with.....of someone else can chime in.

 

[redfishbluefish]

HERE it is on Amazon....Ranco ETC111000. This one actually requires wiring to an outlet (or powerstrip) that you would then plug your heaters into. You can also buy this pre-wired.....search and you'll find them. However, pretty easy to wire if you're at all handy.


Note that you can also buy two stage Ranco's if you want to control both heaters and a chiller.

 

[CodyRVA]

Ya I was planning on using one of those clamp lamps. What kind of bulb are you using on it?

I used this bulb. It works great, but it doesn't last very long. I run my fuge light 12 hours from 7 pm to 7 am. I recently replaced it with a GE 75Watt LED equivelent and its working just as well so far. Figured the LED would last longer.

 

[TheOracle]

HERE it is on Amazon....Ranco ETC111000. This one actually requires wiring to an outlet (or powerstrip) that you would then plug your heaters into. You can also buy this pre-wired.....search and you'll find them. However, pretty easy to wire if you're at all handy.


Note that you can also buy two stage Ranco's if you want to control both heaters and a chiller.

So I pulled up the link to the controller and saw an ad for these ink bird products, there are a few different models. But it's pre-wired and a little cheaper, any experience with these or have you even heard of them lol ?

 

[TheOracle]

Oops double post

 

[redfishbluefish]

I've never heard of them....but that doesn't mean much. The one thing I don't like about this controller is that it appears that the thermistor (the little thing that measure temperature (actually resistance that's converted to temperature)), appears to be metal. I'd prefer one that is encased in some kind of plastic. That metal, even if stainless, will rust in saltwater.

Again, if you're a DIY'er, you can make your own controller for probably less than $20.


HERE's an example of a DIY temperature controller....that has the option of using an Inkbird controller!