Sump size.

[Redleg]

So I just successfully drilled my 60g and I'm looking for recommendations on sump tank size. The tank is a cube style but I still need to build a stand for it.

 

[lemonyx]

The usual answer, use the biggest tank you can put in there

 

[jsker]

The usual answer, use the biggest tank you can put in there

+1 or that fits you equipment.
What do you want to have in the sump? filter socks, skimmer, media tray, return pumps, refuge if you are going to have one.

 

[Redleg]

I need room for return pump , 1 filter sock, and refugium

 

[Redleg]

I would like to keep my stand to about 30 - 36"

 

[lbacha]

You mentioned cube style but what are the actual dimensions. If t is a cube then trigger makes a great sump for cubes it's their 20c and it's 20"x20" with a huge fuge in the front. I have one on my nano and the refugium is a display fuge full of Xenia

This is before I installed it

I'm not running a skimmer as the skimmer section is full of cheato

 

[sponge]

I think you would want to have a sump no wider than your tank. I placed my return pump in before setting the baffles .Then It was how high I had the baffles cut.I've found that it's only in the return section that water evaporates from .

What are using for a sump?

 

[Redleg]

The DT is 24" x 24". I'm trying to keep start up cost low. So I was planning on a DIY sump. I have the stand i purchased with this tank in 1993 and the only thing that fits inside it is a 10 gallon tank. I guess my question really is would a 20 gallon tank be big enough or should use something a little bigger like a 29 gallon tank?

 

[NB Reefer]

I agree with the advice the biggest you can fit. With that thinking you can always add more to it in the future without having to re-plumb a new sump.

 

[Luno]

Do you know what equipment you will be using in your sump? Figure out compartment size for requirements of the equipment and then make it a little bigger incase of upgrade.

This also helps for baffle height, you know know what skimmer you will use if you are gonna be using a skimmer. Find out at what height it works best and make baffle accordingly

 

[lbacha]

The DT is 24" x 24". I'm trying to keep start up cost low. So I was planning on a DIY sump. I have the stand i purchased with this tank in 1993 and the only thing that fits inside it is a 10 gallon tank. I guess my question really is would a 20 gallon tank be big enough or should use something a little bigger like a 29 gallon tank?

A standard 20g isn't going to fit unfortunately as it's 24" wide. My tank is 24" wide so the space I had under it was only 22". If the stand is bigger than the tank dimensions then maybe a 24" tank will fit.

This is why I went with the trigger sump with the 20"x20" footprint.

I did have a 10g diy sump with baffles I bought from eBay but I think that would be too small for a 60g tank

 

[Redleg]

A standard 20g isn't going to fit unfortunately as it's 24" wide. My tank is 24" wide so the space I had under it was only 22". If the stand is bigger than the tank dimensions then maybe a 24" tank will fit.

This is why I went with the trigger sump with the 20"x20" footprint.

I did have a 10g diy sump with baffles I bought from eBay but I think that would be too small for a 60g tank

That's why I'm going to go with a bigger stand. I've got the materials sitting in my workshop left over from other projects. So I'm able to build a stand in the 30 to 36" range.

 

[sponge]

A 30L measures 36 inches wide ,but it's not as tall as the 29g .I have two 30L I have used for tank overflow of frags (frag tank). I've built two sumps. One is a 55g that is for my 150g ,the other sump is from a 75g tank for my 220g. I had also built my own stands to be tall enough to fit the skimmer and fuge light.I have plenty of room underneath to move without struggling .

 

[Logan A.]

Something that I haven't seen mentioned is the fact that whatever size sump you choose it needs to be large enough to contain any flooding that may occur. Meaning if your tank with the pump off drains 5 gallons your sump needs to be capable of that much extra space the rest is arbitrary and totally up to your discretion.

 

[sponge]

How much water that goes back in you sump depends on where your syphon brake is drilled in your return line. I learned that the hard way once.I re drilled holes higher up the returns,problem solved.