SC Aquariums 120 gallon owners!

[fishybizzness]

Question, approximately how much water do you think drains into the sump when you shut down your pump for maintenance or feeding? I'm trying to figure out if I can use a 30 gallon sump I have temporarily until I build my DIY 55 gallon sump. Do you think it drains more than 2 inches from the display tank? Thanks for the help!

 

[dbl]

No real way to know for sure as there are many factors. Overflow setup/depth, depth of return lines, length of drain lines, etc. But in a standard 4x2x2 120g, every inch of water in the display is 5 gallons of water. In my case, I drain down about 3-3.5 gallons when the pump shuts down.

As to your future 55g sump, I'll start by saying it will work just fine. But I will recommend you looking at using a 40g breeder as an alternative. Assuming you're considering a standard 55g, they are very narrow and quite tall if you're using them in your stand. The narrow aspect can also be a limiting factor on skimmer choices.

So, as I said, it will work perfectly fine. I'm only sharing my personal experience with them. Just food for thought and you're welcome to ignore it.

 

[Sod Buster]

Put a check valve on the return pump. Spears true union.

 

[fishybizzness]

Thanks for the advice! With the 30 gallon sump I have now, when the pump is on I have about 8 1/2 gallons reserve until the sump reaches the top. The reason for using the 55 is that i already have it as my dt and since I already have it, why not use it. Also, I live in the Caribbean and the only way I could get a 40 would be to order it and have it shipped in which would be a little expensive. I also plan on building the stand high enough to view it better without having to bend down all the time.

 

[dbl]

Thanks for the advice! With the 30 gallon sump I have now, when the pump is on I have about 8 1/2 gallons reserve until the sump reaches the top. The reason for using the 55 is that i already have it as my dt and since I already have it, why not use it. Also, I live in the Caribbean and the only way I could get a 40 would be to order it and have it shipped in which would be a little expensive. I also plan on building the stand high enough to view it better without having to bend down all the time.

Ah...didn't realize your location. By all means then you can make the 55g work, especially since you have it. Just double check your simmer footprint to make sure you'll have room.

 

[fishybizzness]

I'm using the sca 302 that I have. It fits fine in the 30 gallon that I have and the 55 is a little wider. Thanks for all the advice! I appreciate it!