Sump

[SinkyShippy]

I'm thinking about upgrading my tank when Petco has their sale from a 20 gallon to a 40 gallon. How do you set up a sump? Can you put most of your equipment in there (filters, UV sterilizers, etc.)?

 

[ZoWhat]

If you're an organized person, you could easily go sumpless !BUT! you gotta do at least 25% waterchanges every 2 weeks religiously.

On top of that minimize your fish feeding to 1-2 times a day .... only the amt of food they COMPLETELY consume is 3mins or less

 

[SinkyShippy]

If you're an organized person, you could easily go sumpless !BUT! you gotta do at least 25% waterchanges every 2 weeks religiously.

I do 20% weekly water changes in my 20 gallon now and it doesn't bother me. Hmmmm that might be the route I go then. I'll just pick up a large garbage bin and fill that up [emoji848].

 

[ZoWhat]

If you're an organized person, you could easily go sumpless !BUT! you gotta do at least 25% waterchanges every 2 weeks religiously.

On top of that minimize your fish feeding to 1-2 times a day .... only the amt of food they COMPLETELY consume is 3mins or less.

You get in the 75g DT range, then a skimmer is a requirement.

ALSO!..... sumpless, skimmerless means your tank will be less oxygenated. At 40g, you need a PH breaking the surface of the waterline



.

 

[BeejReef]

You can run an elaborate system if you like. You don't need to start that way though. Your 20 could become a nice sump with just a filter sock and a skimmer... maybe some macroalgae.
Frankly, I've begun to wonder why all these baffles are required in sumps anyhow. I understand having one before the return pump to prevent ever running the whole sump dry. In my (very limited) experience though, microbubbles don't make it through a nice hunk of chaeto

 

[Peace River]

I'm thinking about upgrading my tank when Petco has their sale from a 20 gallon to a 40 gallon. How do you set up a sump? Can you put most of your equipment in there (filters, UV sterilizers, etc.)?

Jessica - check out the R2R article called “Sumps - the rundown”.

 

[SinkyShippy]

On top of that minimize your fish feeding to 1-2 times a day .... only the amt of food they COMPLETELY consume is 3mins or less.

You get in the 75g DT range, then a skimmer is a requirement.

ALSO!..... sumpless, skimmerless means your tank will be less oxygenated. At 40g, you need a PH breaking the surface of the waterline



.

I only feed my fish, snails, and hermits once a day now so we should be good on that part. I also have a skimmer but I don't think it's good enough for a 40.

 

[SinkyShippy]

Jessica - check out the R2R article called “Sumps - the rundown”.

Thank you.

 

[Pntbll687]

You get in the 75g DT range, then a skimmer is a requirement.


.

I'm going to disagree with this 100%

A skimmer is not a requirement at all, ever. Can it be a helpful tool, yes, but not a requirement.

It has more to do with "Do you have enough biomass in coral to uptake the nutrients in the water?". If your tank is packed with lps and sps, you probably do not need a skimmer as much as you think.

@WWC runs a 293g mixed reef with no skimmer.

 

[ZoWhat]

@WWC runs a 293g mixed reef with no skimmer.

WWC can afford using a 200g box of Tropic Marin a month in waterchanges. Lol!

 

[Pntbll687]

WWC can afford using a 200g box of Tropic Marin a month in waterchanges. Lol!

That is true!

 

[SinkyShippy]

You can run an elaborate system if you like. You don't need to start that way though. Your 20 could become a nice sump with just a filter sock and a skimmer... maybe some macroalgae.
Frankly, I've begun to wonder why all these baffles are required in sumps anyhow. I understand having one before the return pump to prevent ever running the whole sump dry. In my (very limited) experience though, microbubbles don't make it through a nice hunk of chaeto

Would it just be easier for me to buy a pre built sump since this is my first one? Also, how do you get it to connect to the tank? Drill holes or can you just put the ends of the pipes over the top of the tank and use pumps? Could you hypothetically use a filter, make a hole in the bottom of it, install a pipe to the sump?

 

[BeejReef]

Would it just be easier for me to buy a pre built sump since this is my first one? Also, how do you get it to connect to the tank? Drill holes or can you just put the ends of the pipes over the top of the tank and use pumps? Could you hypothetically use a filter, make a hole in the bottom of it, install a pipe to the sump?

Easier.. probably. Easier to set up anyways. If you have serious plans for it down the road, you could argue that it is easier to make one (or have one made) that has the exact dimensions and features you want.
Under a 40breeder, you probably see more diy sumps.

That article Peace River linked is a good resource. If you're getting a new tank, then you'll almost certainly want the overflow to be drilled with at least two holes.
My return line loops over the tank, but if I had that to do again, I would definitely have drilled it. It's a pain with the tank cover and canopy.

 

[SinkyShippy]

Easier.. probably. Easier to set up anyways. If you have serious plans for it down the road, you could argue that it is easier to make one (or have one made) that has the exact dimensions and features you want.
Under a 40breeder, you probably see more diy sumps.

That article Peace River linked is a good resource. If you're getting a new tank, then you'll almost certainly want the overflow to be drilled with at least two holes.
My return line loops over the tank, but if I had that to do again, I would definitely have drilled it. It's a pain with the tank cover and canopy.

I'm honestly terrible with DIY stuff which is why I'm hesitant to do it. I could probably do the sump but not drill the holes. I can just buy a over the top OF system and connect it to the sump no?

Secondly, what should go in the sump? What else other than the skimmer and media reactor? Where does the UV sterilizer, filter, etc?

https://www.marinedepot.com/Marine_Depot_Overflow_Box_OF_300-MD8141-FIOFEB-vi.html

 

[Sailingeric]

I have a 75 gallon with an HOB overflow so you don't have to drill but drilling a tank would be a cleaner look and I wish I had done it. Doing a sump is easy. Just need to get some PVC pipe, gate valves and a return pump. I have a the Varios return pump and if you think of going bigger down the road, this is a good series of pumps because you can adjust the speed of the pump. With a sump you can have all the ugly stuff under the tank- chaeto, skimmer, heater, pumps, ATO, etc.

Also if you have room, go 75 gallon or bigger if you can!

 

[BeejReef]

I'm honestly terrible with DIY stuff which is why I'm hesitant to do it. I can just buy a over the top OF system and connect it to the sump?

https://www.marinedepot.com/Marine_Depot_Overflow_Box_OF_300-MD8141-FIOFEB-vi.html

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...GHGR244D_HpRDesEokGmy5gtoptWouDIaAnAJEALw_wcB

You could. I have to say, I would not. You know how when you're doing a water change, sometimes the siphon stops working for whatever reason?? The same thing can happen to those siphon-style overflow boxes. A snail, an air leak, a big air bubble.. any of those things can break the siphon. If they do, the water stops draining out of your tank into the sump. Your return pump does not stop though, so you can overflow your tank pretty bad and burn up your return pump.

I'm new myself and am not an expert, but I think you'll find that most people will steer you away from a siphon overflow, especially if you're buying and setting up a new system. Whatever you might pay to have it done for you will be well worth it. That 40g tank will weigh close to 400lbs... about 200 even mostly drained. You really want to set it up once and be happy with it.

 

[SinkyShippy]

I have a 75 gallon with an HOB overflow so you don't have to drill but drilling a tank would be a cleaner look and I wish I had done it. Doing a sump is easy. Just need to get some PVC pipe, gate valves and a return pump. I have a the Varios return pump and if you think of going bigger down the road, this is a good series of pumps because you can adjust the speed of the pump. With a sump you can have all the ugly stuff under the tank- chaeto, skimmer, heater, pumps, ATO, etc.

Also if you have room, go 75 gallon or bigger if you can!

Does the filter go in the sump as well? Could I use thick plastic instead of glass to divide the sump into three sections?


I honestly have little to no interest in a tank bigger than 40. Hypothetically, could I keep all the equipment in the 40 gallon tank until I get the 20 gallon (my old tank) sump set up?

 

[SinkyShippy]

You could. I have to say, I would not. You know how when you're doing a water change, sometimes the siphon stops working for whatever reason?? The same thing can happen to those siphon-style overflow boxes. A snail, an air leak, a big air bubble.. any of those things can break the siphon. If they do, the water stops draining out of your tank into the sump. Your return pump does not stop though, so you can overflow your tank pretty bad and burn up your return pump.

I'm new myself and am not an expert, but I think you'll find that most people will steer you away from a siphon overflow, especially if you're buying and setting up a new system. Whatever you might pay to have it done for you will be well worth it. That 40g tank will weigh close to 400lbs... about 200 even mostly drained. You really want to set it up once and be happy with it.

What would you use to drill the hole? How big of a hole should it be?

 

[Multra]

You get in the 75g DT range, then a skimmer is a requirement.

.

I have a 70g display/30 gallon sump going for 6 months. No skimmer, bare bottom, change filter socks once a week, 1 gallon AWC/day: <2 nitrate, 0-.01 phosphate. Chaeto and bare bottom is doing way more than a skimmer ever did on previous tanks I had.

 

[Sailingeric]

Does the filter go in the sump as well?


I honestly have little to no interest in a tank bigger than 40. Hypothetically, could I keep all the equipment in the 40 gallon tank until I get the 20 gallon (my old tank) sump set up?

The skimmer is the filter.

And you say you have no interest in a bigger now