Okay so I've never ran a sump with my saltwater tank. Thing is I want to add more options for filtration to my system, like a refugium and a phosban reactor. Plus I would like to hide my skimmer and heaters. Anyone have any opinions on an external overflow box, return pumps, sump type I would need for a 120 gallon tank? Like I said, never had a sump so tell me like I'm a noob.
Thinking about adding a sump
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Greenstreet.1
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I would say go with Lifereef for the overflow box just got one from him for a 47 hexagon tank and it works great. When power goes and comes back it restarts like a champ every time it’s also very quiet I think it’s a mag 7 I’m using for return.
Crabs McJones
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For a hang on back overflow skimz makes a good one
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/om5000-hob-overflow-box-skimz.html
or the CPR overflow
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/deluxe-cs150-with-lid-and-aqua-lifter.html
Either way make sure to get an overflow with either two or three bulkhead drains so that you can set it up for Herbie style overflow or bean animal overflow. Both are great systems that make the overflow dead silent and utilizes an emergency drain so if your main drain clogs or experiences a backup the emergency drain is able to compensate.
Marine Depot did a great blog on all the drainage types give it a good read through
https://blog.marinedepot.com/education-center/charts-diagrams/durso-herbie-bean-animal-overflow
For a sump, were you looking for something pre-built or something you can make on your own?
If you're looking prebuilt i'd look at the trigger sumps if you're looking to do a refugium, in my opinion they are greatly designed for refugium use. I currently use the little brother of this sump the Crystal 30
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/crystal-sump-36-trigger-systems.html
Return pump is really going to be up to you, there are AC pumps or DC pumps. I use the Sicce Syncra 3.0, but am looking to upgrade to the ecotech vectra S1 some day for more control-ability.
I’ve had my eshopps PF 800 for 3 years.
A jeabo dc 5000 for two.
It’s very easy.
A jeabo dc 5000 for two.
It’s very easy.
For a hang on back overflow skimz makes a good one
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/om5000-hob-overflow-box-skimz.html
or the CPR overflow
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/deluxe-cs150-with-lid-and-aqua-lifter.html
Either way make sure to get an overflow with either two or three bulkhead drains so that you can set it up for Herbie style overflow or bean animal overflow. Both are great systems that make the overflow dead silent and utilizes an emergency drain so if your main drain clogs or experiences a backup the emergency drain is able to compensate.
Marine Depot did a great blog on all the drainage types give it a good read through
https://blog.marinedepot.com/education-center/charts-diagrams/durso-herbie-bean-animal-overflow
For a sump, were you looking for something pre-built or something you can make on your own?
If you're looking prebuilt i'd look at the trigger sumps if you're looking to do a refugium, in my opinion they are greatly designed for refugium use. I currently use the little brother of this sump the Crystal 30
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/crystal-sump-36-trigger-systems.html
Return pump is really going to be up to you, there are AC pumps or DC pumps. I use the Sicce Syncra 3.0, but am looking to upgrade to the ecotech vectra S1 some day for more control-ability.
Is the skimz one reliable? In terms of overflow boxes I've read about the possibility of loosing syphons and floodings. Kinda nervous about that.
Thank you for the marinedepot article. The Herbie seems good. But so does the bean animal. Which is more of a preferred design? I would like less invasiveness so I'd assume Herbie would be better suited? Or more of a less noisy system so the bean animal would be better?
Prebuilt looks tempting. But making my own would be cheaper. I'll look into the trigger system sumps.
Crabs McJones
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I currently have the herbie and have not had a single issue with it. Bean animal is simply a step further in redundancy. It uses a primary secondary and emergency drain. I've never used the Skimz, but I have used the Eshopps PF overflow as @saltyfilmfolks stated above. Never broke siphon, and never gave me any issues. I had the PF300 which had just a single drain, so I wasn't able to utilize herbie overflow. But now with my drilled tank, and using the herbie, i can't imagine living without it.
Agreed. The herbie is probaly one of the best.
Can be a bit complicated.
And no , losing siphon is pretty much hype. I do clean mine and have two tubes I change.
I imagine if one doesn’t clean it , it gets clogged.
rockstarta78
Well-Known Member
If drilling is an option, I'd drill the tank. But if you decide to go HOB overflow, as stated above, Eshopps are really reliable. I used Sicce return pump. Couldn't be happier. And from what I can tell Jebao ones are as reliable. I tried running my 1st tank without a sump, but after a while. I was tired of seeing everything hanging from the back wall. My next tank, I'd design a Triton sump. I really like the way they are laid out.
Porpoise Hork
Well-Known Member
http://pvcfittingsonline.com will be your best friend. You can get sch. 80 fittings, true union ball valves, union couplings etc all delivered in a few days for cheaper than you can get them at your local hardware store.
Also This video presentation really gives a ton of fantastic info on plumbing for a sump on a reef tank.
Also This video presentation really gives a ton of fantastic info on plumbing for a sump on a reef tank.
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mcarroll
10K Club member
What skimmer are you running now and how long has your tank been up and running?
Maybe consider purpose built equipment for your no-sump build?
Check out Tunze's...
Reefpack 500
Really no more intrusive than a drain box, and the only things these leave for you to hide are the heater and flow pumps. Much less complex than a sump and zero percent chance of a siphon break.
Maybe consider purpose built equipment for your no-sump build?
Check out Tunze's...
Reefpack 500
Really no more intrusive than a drain box, and the only things these leave for you to hide are the heater and flow pumps. Much less complex than a sump and zero percent chance of a siphon break.
jd371
Valuable Member
I have an eshopps pf800 on my tank. Been using it since I started the tank three years ago with no issues. Super quite after making a Stockman Standpipe for it, never lost a siphon and starts right up again in the chance of a power failure. My tank will never flood if the siphon were to break because the return section would run dry before that ever happened. If for any chance the siphon broke and the return section ran dry I have it set up so the ATO and return pump shut off and I get an alarm. Nothing wrong with HOB's as long as they are set up correctly.
