Who's going sumpless?

[pmrossetti]

How are you doing it? :)

[mullinsd2]

bump. A lot of people are doing it on here, but there are a few threads that have popped up recently about the same thing. If you don't get any responses try using google and typing in sumpless tank reef central. Or something along those lines. That will help you find a thread.

[wrestle1952]

I have been sumpless for years. I've had a 55, 90, and my current 50 gallon breeder that is SPS dominated. I use a Coralife Superskimmer 65 (which I would like to upgrade to an Eshopps) and a Hagen Aquaclear 50 with Chemipure Elite. My caps have hit an unbelievable growth spurt. I used B-Ionic 2 part for calcium supplementation and switched to Aqua C. I don't know if that is solely responsible but that is when the growth explosion began. I am planning on getting a 100 gallon tank and it will also be sumpless.

[pmrossetti]

Fantastic wrestle1952, I love success against conventional wisdom.

[SpencerG]

I have had great growth and success for the past few years with a sumpless setup. That being said, I recently added an overflow and sump to move all the hangons (remora skimmer, refugium, heater, etc.) down below and out of sight. Six and a half dozen, no big difference, more of an aesthetic and convenience issue. The only big difference is the water is probably getting better oxygenated with the sump, but I don't have too many fish in the tank.

Good luck whichever way you go!

[billdogg]

My 60g cube has been running since 1992 without a sump. I use a emperor penguin (dual bio wheel) HOB filter, a fluval 404 canister filter filled with LR rubble and carbon, and live rock for filtration. I have a TLF reactor for GFO. 2 x koralia 4's and a MJ1200 for circulation. 3 x 24" VHO for lighting, and (GASP) glass tops. I keep a variety of softies and smaller, happy fish. I do my water changes (about 30%) about once a month, or if something starts to look not quite right. I use tap water that sits in a 55g barrel in the basement and pump it to the living room using a standard sump pump. I am a firm believer in KISS - keep it simple stupid!!!

It may not work for some, but it works for me. I spend almost no time on maintenance, choosing instead to spend my time actually enjoying the tank.

HTH

[CLINTOS]

I'm doing it on my 20G all it takes is good surface bubbling using a airpump or 2

or a hang on the back aqua clear filter with nothing in it usually 2 is good with the flow going stright accross the water surface you want crystal clear water at the top

or a canister filter with nothing in it

3"dsb some l.r maybe some rock rubble for behind the rock and medium even flow throughout the tank using powerheads

a phosban reactor might help too just incase detritus builds up which usually happens if you have too many fish and feed alot

lots of coral

10% weekly water changes

this is the rock rubble I used it helps with culturing scavenger's inside the tank that will come out and eat any detritus in the tank that the corals don't eat

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture008.jpg


older pic
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture032.jpg

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture030.jpg

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture029.jpg

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture034-1.jpg

[thebanker]

I'm going sumpless on my 55G. However I'm battling algae and now cyano. There is no easy way for me to add a sump, since the tight construction of my aquarium stand is limiting the size of the sump I can install.

In the 55G acrylic tank I have a 3-4 inch sand bed and about 65 lbs of live rock.

I'm running an aquaclear 110 HOB connected to a Tom's surface skimmer. The body of the Aquaclear is filled with 5 lbs of live rock rubble. I have chaetomorpha sitting on top, since it gets quite a bit of light from the adjacent fixture within the hood. This system keeps my surface crystal clear and free of any biological films. In the tank I have 2 koralia 1's.

At the moment I'm running a seaclone HOB skimmer driven by a MaxiJet 1200. It's a piece of crap, but is better than no protein skimmer at all. This week I'm going to get a CPR Aero Force so I have something more powerful.

It's kinda a noob tank, and once I get the cyano under control I'll be happier with it.

Don't laugh at its lack of coral population. It's expensive!
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab238/mcfusco/fts090709.jpg

[Zebodog]

No sump on my 65g either.
Filtration consists of an MCE600 with carbon running in the output chamber and 90 pounds of live rock. I recently added an MP40w and I am pleased with the investment. This pump does a fantastic job of keep detritus in suspension with zero dead spots. Prior to the Mp40w I had a K4 and a K2 modded with a K3 impeller.

I will throw a bag of Phosban in the skimmer every once in a while as well.

I also have an Aquaclear 110 with rubble and chaeto lit with a clip on 15w 6500k CFL on a reverse schedule. This is more to keep pod populations high than actual filtration, but it does help with the nutrient exports - I harvest a good sized brick of Chaeto every 2 weeks.

I used an Eheim 2026 for a little over a year. One bottom basked was 3/4 filled with rubble and the top basket I used for media; it worked well as a settling chamber as I needed to clean detritus out of the bottom every 2-3 weeks. I'd probably still be using it however it started to develop a minor leak at a hose connection and I never got around to fixing it. I haven't noticed a difference without it and the for me, the less equipment the better.

I feed a varied diet 3-4 times per day and my nitrates float between 0ppm and 5ppm. It takes about 3 days of not cleaning the glass before you notice any form of build up. SPS are showing good polyp extension, colour and growth as are LPS. I also have a few mushrooms, rics and a sarcophyton doing well.

My set up works for me which is one of the great things about this hobby: There is no one particular formula for success or "blueprint" to follow.

[luther1200]

There are many people who don't have a sump. Many just find it easier to have 1. I like it because otherwise all my filtration would be hanging on my tank, and in my situation that wouldn't look to good. But if you have it set up right it will work just fine. I just have to much hoses and stuff going into my sump to want that in my DT. Plus it adds water volume to the system which is always a help. But my old nano dodn't have a sump. It was an Aquapod with the filtration in the back. No skimmer either. Really I just ran carbon in the back and some mechanical filtration and that was it.

[Aristarchus]

thebanker,

Nice rock, where did you buy it from? I am looking at purchasing some here soon and I like the looks of yours

[thebanker]

I got the rock down here from The Sandbar in mission viejo, ca. It was sold to me as Tucani Live rock. I'm very satisfied with the variety and coloration in the coralline algae growth I've been getting.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab238/mcfusco/sadgramma2.jpg

I'm dosing with Algaefix Marine right now so the shrooms don't look as good as they normally do.