PDA

View Full Version : 40 gal breeder do I need a sump?


Mark687
04/30/2012, 10:55 AM
I'm thinking about getting a 40 gal breeder or a tank around that size for my first tank and was wondering if I needed a sump? I plan on keeping corals and some fish thanks


Mark

Ronic
04/30/2012, 11:25 AM
A sump will help hide things like your skimmer under the tank, but you can use HOB if you dont mind looking at them. I'm building a 40b and a 20g long fits perfect under the stand.

Lorenz725
04/30/2012, 11:30 AM
You dont need one but if you decided not to go with one it is only the matter of time before you will want one. If I was setting it up I would drill the tank it is really easy to do.

jerseygurl
04/30/2012, 11:54 AM
Make things easy for yourself, get one.

Mikez1207
04/30/2012, 11:58 AM
Yup just like lorenz said you will want one later as you get more into it...only a matter of time....so get it :)

dannyny
04/30/2012, 12:19 PM
definitely get one and get your tank drilled now.

R_Hudson
04/30/2012, 12:51 PM
Tank doesnt have to be drilled to add a sump! they make overflowes that work off of siphon, and an air hose which can easily be added at a later date.

I ran all of my nanos sumpless. I never had any issues. I used a HOB powerfilter that housed carbon, and GFO, and my heater was nicely hidden behind a rock. If you keep up with your water changes, there is no need for a skimmer, even in high sps systems.

Rjukan
04/30/2012, 01:26 PM
Do you need one? No. Will you want one in the very near future after starting the tank? Yuup! The benefits of a sump are immeasurable imo, if just for the evaporation level not effecting the display.

Reefmedic79
04/30/2012, 01:41 PM
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

+ how ever many other people above said to get one.

niteowl03
04/30/2012, 01:47 PM
As stated above, the purpose of a sump is to hide equipment, keep evaporation from affecting the display but also to increase total water volume which will lead to more stable conditions in the tank.

Wannabe29
04/30/2012, 01:53 PM
Yeah...definitely design your system with a sump. They're awesome to have. First, it gives you more water volume. Second, you can incorporate a refugium to absorb excess nutrients and breed free food. Lastly, you can hide all of your equipment under the tank, in the sump.

I designed mine with a sump and have seen pics of sumpless 40's and I'm very glad I chose to go the sump route. If you're planning on building your stand, definitely make it on the taller side so you can fit even more stuff in there. I have my skimmer, a reactore for carbon and gfo and a DIY kalk chamber plumbed into my ro line under there. I also have my three pumps in it (return, skimmer, reactor), my skimmer and my heater.

I also have a two stage refugium in there. Basically, I built a pvc stand for a 5.5 gallon tank that sits in the sump, straddling tow of the sump sections (one half of the stand is in the "return" section, the other in the "live rock" section). It sticks out of the top of the 29 gallon by quite a bit with only the bottom inch or so of the 5.5g below the rim of the 29. I have my return t'd off to feed the 5.5g which then flows through a pipe in the refugium (yep, the 5.5g is drilled on the bottom) down into the live rock chamber which is directly beneath it in the 29.

It'd be a lot easier to see what I'm talking about if I posted pics. Anyway, the point being, you can do a lot with a sump. I would also drill the main tank instead of relying on a siphon for drainage. Just seems a lot safer with regards to spills/overflows IMO. I'd worry about what would happen if your siphon breaks for some reason; basically, you'd be looking at your main tank overflowing until the return pump pumps all of the sump water out. Opinions will differ on this matter, though.

bigfish14
04/30/2012, 02:00 PM
I currently have a 40B set up with a sump and I am very happy with it. I love the extra water volume that it provides, which is a huge plus for a small tank like a 40B. I also like the fact that nearly all of my equipment is hidden inside my sump and out of my DT. I really don't see any reason not to go with one. If you do end up getting a sump, then drill the tank rather than use a siphon overflow. It is so easy to drill the glass and a much more reliable option. I got my box and return kit from g l a s s h o l e s

greech
04/30/2012, 02:00 PM
I went sumpless and skimmerless on my 40B reef for about a year until I added a sump and skimmer. Never looked back after that. Weekly 15% water changes definitely kept up with nutrients without the sump and the tank was in good health. However, adding the sump allowed me to do so much more with the system and I was also able to reduce the % of my weekly water change which saves me $ on salt.

niteowl03
04/30/2012, 02:04 PM
Yeah...definitely design your system with a sump. They're awesome to have. First, it gives you more water volume. Second, you can incorporate a refugium to absorb excess nutrients and breed free food. Lastly, you can hide all of your equipment under the tank, in the sump.

I designed mine with a sump and have seen pics of sumpless 40's and I'm very glad I chose to go the sump route. If you're planning on building your stand, definitely make it on the taller side so you can fit even more stuff in there. I have my skimmer, a reactore for carbon and gfo and a DIY kalk chamber plumbed into my ro line under there. I also have my three pumps in it (return, skimmer, reactor), my skimmer and my heater.

I also have a two stage refugium in there. Basically, I built a pvc stand for a 5.5 gallon tank that sits in the sump, straddling tow of the sump sections (one half of the stand is in the "return" section, the other in the "live rock" section). It sticks out of the top of the 29 gallon by quite a bit with only the bottom inch or so of the 5.5g below the rim of the 29. I have my return t'd off to feed the 5.5g which then flows through a pipe in the refugium (yep, the 5.5g is drilled on the bottom) down into the live rock chamber which is directly beneath it in the 29.

It'd be a lot easier to see what I'm talking about if I posted pics. Anyway, the point being, you can do a lot with a sump. I would also drill the main tank instead of relying on a siphon for drainage. Just seems a lot safer with regards to spills/overflows IMO. I'd worry about what would happen if your siphon breaks for some reason; basically, you'd be looking at your main tank overflowing until the return pump pumps all of the sump water out. Opinions will differ on this matter, though.

Not to thread-jack but pictures of this would be great

Sent from my MyTouch4g

Mark687
04/30/2012, 02:46 PM
Thanks for all the info I have been doing a lot of reading on RC and I am going to do a sump. Now I'm just going to figure out how to go about it.

darkart82
04/30/2012, 03:00 PM
I bought my sump from ebay , it came with a return pump , all the plumbing , a light with to bulbs 10,000 k and the overflow box. I will admit drilling a glass tank makes me uneasy to say the least. my sump cost me $269.00 with free shipping.

tritonman
04/30/2012, 06:52 PM
Good decision, I wouldn't have my 40b without a sump.

Wannabe29
05/01/2012, 12:42 PM
I'll try to post pics of my setup later. But, with regards to buying a sump, craigslist is a miracle. I got my 29g tank for 20 bucks. I spent another couple of bucks on glass panes cut at a glass shop and some silicone and, bam....for about 50-60 bucks I got myself a nice, custom, 3 chambered sump. Then I added the 5.5g tank to the system (already had it on hand) and I was done. Some people shy away from glass because it can break and yadda yadda yadda. Acrylic sumps can have bad seams and leak and yadda yadda yadda....it all depends on what you're comfortable with and what your wallet will support. You can great results with either glass or acrylic.

Oh, if you decide to go with glass and get the baffles cut at a shop, be sure the baffles are about 1/8th of an inch more narrow than the inside width of the tank. You don't want them to fit snug. If they're too snug, the baffle will expand slightly with the heat from the water and could crack your sump. Just something to keep in mind. The same applies to using acrylic baffles in a glass sump. I believe (and I could be wrong) the acrylic will expand even more than glass. So, be careful with your measurments.

sponger0
05/02/2012, 07:33 AM
Buying a sump is more expensive than making one. You can get a 20-29 gallon for cheap on CL. Return pump you can get around 100 and any light will do with a CFL blb. It would cost way much less than $300. And Im not a real fan of HOB. Drilling is so much more effective and reliable. Most LFS can drill a tank.

I got my tank drilled, made overflows, 29 gallon for sump, made sump with light and return pump for $150