Rubbermaid Stock Tank Water Height Control

[Iam_Mitch]

I’m thinking about using a 50g Rubbermaid stock tank like the one below for my frag tank. The plan is for the water to come down on the left side, flow through a bunch of live rock and then up the return on the right side. My question is how to control the water height? Since there won’t be a return chamber the entire sump water height will drop before the ATO kicks in. I would imagine this could cause the skimmer to go crazy every time the water drops and then refills. Also, salinity swings would occur too. Although would probably be pretty small since the frag tank with be 120g. Any suggestions?

 

[biecacka]

I am going to use the 100 gallon version of this and just use my ato on it. I don’t for-see any issues with skimmer fluctuating after seeing others do it this way. Maybe the ato kicks on more frequently, I dont know.

corey

 

[Iam_Mitch]

I am going to use the 100 gallon version of this and just use my ato on it. I don’t for-see any issues with skimmer fluctuating after seeing others do it this way. Maybe the ato kicks on more frequently, I dont know.

corey

 

[outhouse]

I run the 100g as my sump, use two floats for my ATO hanging on a plexiglass holder. Keeps water perfect .

You can cut strips of plexi and use a heat gun to melt it to the same shape as sump for your float hanger

 

[burningmime]

I have a 100 gallon of that as my sump. The water *hieight* won't fluctuate much (depends on your ATO I guess; I have a Tunze), but I guess the water volume will fluctuate a bit more. Still not to the point you should be concerned about salinity in a 170 gallon system.

 

[Iam_Mitch]

I run the 100g as my sump, use two floats for my ATO hanging on a plexiglass holder. Keeps water perfect .

You can cut strips of plexi and use a heat gun to melt it to the same shape as sump for your float hanger

Thanks! Could I see a picture? Much appreciated!

 

[Iam_Mitch]

I have a 100 gallon of that as my sump. The water *hieight* won't fluctuate much (depends on your ATO I guess; I have a Tunze), but I guess the water volume will fluctuate a bit more. Still not to the point you should be concerned about salinity in a 170 gallon system.

Yea I’m going with the Tunze ATO. Good to know it’s not much of an issue. Do you have a protein skimmer? If so how do you have it placed in a sump that deep

 

[outhouse]

When I get home sure I can take pics

 

[Iam_Mitch]

When I get home sure I can take pics

Awesome, thank you so much!

 

[outhouse]

 

[Iam_Mitch]

Thanks!

 

[burningmime]

Yea I’m going with the Tunze ATO. Good to know it’s not much of an issue. Do you have a protein skimmer? If so how do you have it placed in a sump that deep

I run an external skimmer so the water height doesn't matter. But for the filter roller that has a specific height it needs to be at, I just use one of those egg crate boxes.

 

[Iam_Mitch]

I run an external skimmer so the water height doesn't matter. But for the filter roller that has a specific height it needs to be at, I just use one of those egg crate boxes.

Ah that’s a good idea. Hoping that the water drop, even though it’s small, won’t cause the skimmer to go crazy. I was planning on dropping it in the sump on a stand, so internal