Upgrading sump: Looking for recommendations

[ESH]

I’ve been running my Red Sea reefer 750 with the included sump for almost a year. The sump holds about 40 gallons, and for the most part it’s worked incredibly well. Usually I believe in the phrase if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, but since I had relocated this to the basement I am looking into upgrading. Primarily because there will be times when I have to travel and will be gone for up to 2 months at a time. I’ve auto mated most maintenance (testing, water changes) though a challenge I’ve run into is that my current filter roller Usually lasts only 2 weeks. Too much flow. I cannot currently envision how I can get into something larger to my current setup, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be done.

My primary considerations:
1) I want to increase my sump volume; from 40gl to around 100gl. I’m flexible for total volume.
2) I want to include a filter roller. I am currently using the Theiling compact roller. I really like it, however I usually only get about 2 weeks per roll. Flow is too high. work can take me away from home for 2 weeks and up to 2 months at a time. I am hoping a larger roller can help manage this.
3) maybe my answer is to get a second sump to connect to this one? Similar to how the new Red Sea sumps have a secondary chamber? I already have a 20 gallon cube that’s been a frag tank. Maybe I could get a larger “frag tank” and somehow incorporate a larger filter roller into the sump?

If anyone has some recommendations for larger sumps I should consider I’m all ears! I suspect I will have to get something custom though if there are any larger prebuilt sumps I should look at let me know. I’ve worked with LifeReef before, and like how the MRC industrial lines look but not sure where to get the MRCs from or what their build time and cost are.
If anyone has some recommendations for larger sumps I should consider I’m all ears! I suspect I will have to get something custom though if there are any larger prebuilt sumps I should look at let me know. I’ve worked with LifeReef before, and like how the MRC industrial lines look but not sure where to get the MRCs from or what their build time and cost are.

Thanks in advance for your help!
-Eric

 

[mitch91175]

Hey Eric, just a question but have you considered just keeping the current sump and maybe adding some type of remote refugium instead? Somewhere you can have all your macro, etc and keep the current sump for mechanical filtration?

 

[ESH]

Hey Eric, just a question but have you considered just keeping the current sump and maybe adding some type of remote refugium instead? Somewhere you can have all your macro, etc and keep the current sump for mechanical filtration?

That’s a great idea and is something I’ve thought about. My current refugium is in my sump, but my attached 20gl frag tank often gets overgrown and doubles down as a refugium. I could increase that tanks size. I have a spare 90gl with a corner overflow.

I’m not sure how a larger filter roller would get incorporated into the Red Sea sump, and if I increase the second remote tank size, would the Red Sea sump be able to hold the extra water volume during a power outage.

concerns increasing th

 

[mitch91175]

Depends on how you plumb everything together and if they are on the same level, etc.

If you go remote refugium route, just make sure to use a decent amount of check valves where needed and you can prevent a lot of concern about capacity. Heck either route you approach utilizing quality check valves will save you some of that concern.

 

[ESH]

This has got me thinking more about incorporating my 90gl into the system. I could also try lowering the return pump flow to extend the life of the roller. The more I look into other roller mat brands I’m not finding any that last long with higher flow. My tank has enough power heads for flow so that’s not a significant concern.

 

[ESH]

Rough mock up of adding the 90. It would be L shaped, but not sure how it could connect to the current sump since the tank is has the corner overflow/ bottom of tank drilled.

 

[JoshH]

Custom you're looking at HUGE $$$$$$$$$$, if you have a way to incorporate what you have that's not a bad idea. However it might also be worth it to just skip the roller mat all together when your away, I'm sure you're tank can survive just fine without it for a couple months

Another option you can look into is Royal Exclusive's new roller mat sump, it's a separate box with an absolutely massive roller mat, it might be a better fit for your higher flow rates.

 

[ESH]

I agree, I’m sure the tank would be fine without the roller. The more I can extend its life the better though. Usually when I’ve been gone for a few weeks the tank looks great because I wasn’t around to mess with it.

if I added the 90, I’m not sure the best way to incorporate it. Without messing with the current sump, I think I would have to raise the tank high enough so that gravity does its work and it drains into the sump. I’m not sure how high I would need to do that though. The remote tanks water level is higher then the sumps water level, but being drilled on the bottom I’m not sure if I can run a hose across to the sump that goes down, then up. So Does the drain line simply need to be higher then the top level of the remote tank or does the bottom of the tank need to be higher then the top level of the sump?

 

[ESH]

Alright so I think I figured out how to incorporate the 90.
The 20 cube will become an extended refugium. The 90 will be the new frag tank.

I’ll cut the current over flow out, and use the bottom drilled holes as a closed loop. Then drill one end of the tank for an overflow. The tank/stand will have to get raised but I think that will be relatively “easy.” Parts are ordered. Yeah Black Friday taking all my $$