View Full Version : Sump vs. non sump
mikem101
03/25/2013, 09:19 PM
So question for all you experianed reefers! i have a 40 breeder that i have had up for about 8-9 months. I have never ran a sump was using a HOB filter. Got rid of that and switch to a Remora pro and seems to be doing really good. I have 50Lbs of live rock in there as well. I have a spare 20 gallon sitting around and i was thinking about turning it into a sump. I was looking to hear the advantages and disadvantges to it and if its honestly even worth the time. By the way its all LPS in the tank i think that matters right lol? :lol2:
Unome
03/25/2013, 09:53 PM
I'm still in freshwater but from reading here, below is what a sump can give you:
1. Increased water volume which is always a good thing.
2. A place to hide some of the stuff - i.e. heaters, skimmer - you don't want to be seen in your DT.
3. A place to have a refugium which will help with stabilizing your tank.
Okay, that's all I have. Anyone else?
surgy
03/25/2013, 10:06 PM
macro in the sump. phosphate is bad for lps right?
whiteshark
03/25/2013, 10:32 PM
The only real disadvantage of a sump is that you introduce the possibility of a flood. Yes, that's a serious concern, but there are many way to protect against this.
Advantages include adding water to the system which increases water parameter stability, giving you a place to hide your equipment, gving you much more room to add additional equipment, giving you a place to grow macro algea without having to do it in the dt, allowing for the addition of a frag tank to the system, the list goes on.
mikem101
03/25/2013, 10:36 PM
Im coming to the realization, I'm probably going to start this weekend on it but the other thing i am trying to figure out is what power head to use, right now i have some cheap ones that do the job but they do not have a wave maker feature and they are big and bulky.
silleb
03/25/2013, 10:38 PM
Will you add an external overflow or drill? External overflows with a u-tube can build air over time in the tube and thus need more maintenance so as to not have a flood. Drilled or rr is preferred.
mikem101
03/25/2013, 10:43 PM
I would like to drill but not sure that i can now that the tank is stocked and set up can I? and what do you mean RR?
HumbleFish
03/25/2013, 10:43 PM
I'm still in freshwater but from reading here, below is what a sump can give you:
1. Increased water volume which is always a good thing.
2. A place to hide some of the stuff - i.e. heaters, skimmer - you don't want to be seen in your DT.
3. A place to have a refugium which will help with stabilizing your tank.
Okay, that's all I have. Anyone else?
I'll add another pro: A place for stuff to mix (i.e. kalk) before it hits your tank.
But the cons would be: it's just one more thing to clean and a sump also increases the risk of flooding if you don't do it right.
I ran a 57 gal for years without a sump. My current 150 gal does have a sump. I don't really see how one is so much better than the other.
whiteshark
03/25/2013, 11:30 PM
I would like to drill but not sure that i can now that the tank is stocked and set up can I? and what do you mean RR?
Reef ready. Generally these tanks come prepared drilled with bulkheads and overflow.
mikem101
03/25/2013, 11:36 PM
oh i already have my tank and its been set up for like 7-8 months now? so i dont think i can drill it now? am i correct?
whiteshark
03/25/2013, 11:41 PM
You're correct. Unless you drain the tank drilling it isn't really an option.
Dapg8gt
03/25/2013, 11:49 PM
I've ran a sumpless for going on 11 years. You don't need a sump but it is better for all the reasons listed above. My frag tank and 150 build both have sumps. My sumpless can rival a lot of other tanks as for looks and stability but it took a long time to get that way IMO an ATO And a big skimmer is key.
As for a HOB overflow. The u tube ones are not an issue at all as long as you match your return pump to the rating including head loss. If your pump is jot strong enough it will form bubbles too strong and its noisey and possible to overflow ..Make sure you don't get one that relies on a pump to keep it primed. In the even that the pump fails( highly likely) it will flood. Or power failure and the pump inlet is partially clogged look forward to water on the floor ..Look into the Eshopps continuous syphon overflow box. It's cheap and works great. I've been running it for years without a single hint of a problem. Always starts up and doesn't need a pump to keep it primed. Lifereef also makes one that is more expensive but the same design. Owners say its better built than the Eshopps but I have not had an issue at all and either has the few others I know running the cheaper Eshopps either of the two will work perfect for you JME ..Check them out.
TimeConsumer
03/25/2013, 11:51 PM
External overflows with a u-tube can build air over time in the tube and thus need more maintenance so as to not have a flood.
I disagree, my Lifereef overflow has gone months without me touching it, and I'm sure it could go even longer. I stop and restart the return pump at least twice a day and the siphon has never failed to restart. It has only gotten clogged once, and that was when a fat lawnmower blenny got stuck in the tube, which could happen to any overflow, drilled or not. In short, an excellent alternative to drilling a tank if you want to add a sump without draining the tank. Also, Jeff at Lifereef provides excellent support for his products.
mikem101
03/26/2013, 12:40 AM
Man I really appreciate all the good info im going to take some of it back and figure out what i want to do? i think im going to go try a sump this weekend hopefully it works out and for a 40 breeder do you think 1 MP10 would work or are there some cheaper options that would have the same effect and not take up a TON of room?
whiteshark
03/26/2013, 01:55 AM
Some hydor koralias should work. The exact flow rates of said pumps you should get would depend upon what corals you plan to keep. For your lps you should probably be looking around 15 or 20x aquarium volume
mikem101
03/26/2013, 02:24 AM
oh ok! i didnt know there was a calculation thats good to know so around 800 should be all i need? and if i wanted to sps what would i need to do that?
whiteshark
03/26/2013, 04:16 AM
oh ok! i didnt know there was a calculation thats good to know so around 800 should be all i need? and if i wanted to sps what would i need to do that?
Well its more a general guideline. Generally softies are 10 ish times your tank volume, lps 15-20 and sps 20+. That said, each tank is different as are individual coral species. Many will run 30, 40, 50 or more times tank volume for sps for example.
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