Please Help! Trying to plumb sump

[CurtEstes]

I bought a used acrylic tank with a stump stand included. This will be my first sump setup and I don’t have much of a clue on how to plumb it. Can I make it work without a overflow box?

 

[Troylee]

You can but it’s not nearly as efficient at surface skim.. just put strainers on the bulkheads in the tank and use them as your drains.. being it’s acrylic I would drill the bottom and get a an overflow made and put in.. pretty simple to do.. need to patch the hole in the back of the tank and the sump I’m not sure what they used them for… weird set up with random holes.

 

[Troylee]

I can’t wrap my head around how that sump was set up! Very strange configuration unless it had frag racks or something but even still…

 

[CurtEstes]

You can but it’s not nearly as efficient at surface skim.. just put strainers on the bulkheads in the tank and use them as your drains.. being it’s acrylic I would drill the bottom and get a an overflow made and put in.. pretty simple to do.. need to patch the hole in the back of the tank and the sump I’m not sure what they used them for… weird set up with random holes.

Drill the bottom of the tank? & yes it’s very weird, the local fish store I bought it from is no help, and no video online really gives me a good enough idea of what to do with it. I really want to try a sump out but I’m close to going with two fx6’s since this 180g will be an African cichlids tank, and I have no clue on what what to do with the sump.

 

[CurtEstes]

I can’t wrap my head around how that sump was set up! Very strange configuration unless it had frag racks or something but even still…

I have no clue. I didn’t think it would be this confusing when I bought it online.

 

[Troylee]

I have no clue. I didn’t think it would be this confusing when I bought it online.

I mean it will work for extra water volume and putting your equipment in thats not a problem at all… you need to patch the hole on the side of it thou..

 

[Troylee]

Drill the bottom of the tank? & yes it’s very weird, the local fish store I bought it from is no help, and no video online really gives me a good enough idea of what to do with it. I really want to try a sump out but I’m close to going with two fx6’s since this 180g will be an African cichlids tank, and I have no clue on what what to do with the sump.

So this won’t be a saltwater set up? That changes things a little… strainers would be fine on the drains and just run your return over the top of the tank. Or possibly use that existing hole in the back of the tank if you can find a bull head to fit it.

 

[Dierks]

So this won’t be a saltwater set up? That changes things a little… strainers would be fine on the drains and just run your return over the top of the tank. Or possibly use that existing hole in the back of the tank if you can find a bull head to fit it.

Don't you ever work? Always running around these fish forums helping folks.... Jeezzzz...

 

[Troylee]

Don't you ever work? Always running around these fish forums helping folks.... Jeezzzz...

I am working! Haha! Don’t have much time when I get home… hahahahahaha!