Looking for good recommendations for online acrylic sumps?

[Ryanrttu]

Want to get a 40 gallon acrylic sump, there are quite a few options online. Curious where some of you got yours and if you would go back to them again.

[degibson84]

Are you looking for something custom? Or a commercial grade available everyday sump?

If looking at a custom look at lifereef

If commercial grade look at eshopps or trigger systems

[Ryanrttu]

Thank you...

Anyone ever use Melvsreef? This one caught my eye http://www.melevsreef.com/catalog/sump-model-f

[coverdog]

That must have some gold trim or something for that price.

[Ryanrttu]

That must have some gold trim or something for that price.

lol...no doubt. I'm doing a FOWLR and that is more the design i'm looking to do. I want the sump simple but effective obviously.

[chris.scang]

I got my eshopps RS-200 for $199 from Kensfish.com. Best price I found anywhere and free shipping.

[Spar]

Thank you...

Anyone ever use Melvsreef? This one caught my eye http://www.melevsreef.com/catalog/sump-model-f

yes, Marc built mine and I love it. I had mine custom made through him. highly recommend him!

[Ryanrttu]

PM spar, thx. I put a pic below of what the one I'm looking at looks like. What at are y'all's thoughts on that.

[Ryanrttu]

Didn't realize that was a fuge on the right, the only thing I would change is that in this.

[Spar]

Didn't realize that was a fuge on the right, the only thing I would change is that in this.

why you hate'n on 'fuge's :spin1:

i give my refugium 90% of the credit for keeping my tank in check. hardly any maintenance.

[snorvich]

why you hate'n on 'fuge's :spin1:

i give my refugium 90% of the credit for keeping my tank in check. hardly any maintenance.

I agree. However my refugia are all separate 40 gallon tanks with cryptic zone and macro zone.

[drew2007]

Www.triggersys.com
Www.elite-aquatics.net

[Ryanrttu]

I'm not well versed on refugiums but before anyone needs to explain ill check out the stickys! Also, can't get anyone at trigger systems or mevlesreef to email me back but i'm in no rush.

Question though, refugiums are (usually?) completely separate right but that doesn't look separate in that picture. So would I have the return pump in the middle section or does everything still filter back up on the right side? When you say little maintenance you literally set it and forget it huh, minus some glass cleaning I imagine... I am now considering this, still months away from cycling so got nothing but time.

My fear with the fuge was getting something stuck in the return line but I guess you don't have to have any living creatures in there (depending on what fuge you want to go with), which I would prefer not to.

If I do want to go with a fuge, this is a pretty solid sump for it, it seems.

[Ryanrttu]

After a little more reading, seems like for a fuge to be beneficial it has to be a good size fuge ( I have a 75 gallon tank, and that spot in the sump looks about 10 gallons or so)....not sure if I'm going to do that. I think keeping it as simple as possible with a quality skimmer and GFO should suffice so would there be a need for 3 sections in my sump? Might as well right.

[SFish]

Have you thought about making your own and saving money? The one I'm making is out of a 20gal glass tank that I got on sale for $20. If you think about it all your buying is a tank for $500.

[Spar]

After a little more reading, seems like for a fuge to be beneficial it has to be a good size ( I have a 75 gallon tank)....not sure if I'm going to do that.

mine is only a 20-25g space for my 450g volume. i do Caulerpa. my refugium is doing such a good job I don't even have to run GFO, bio pellets, ozone, etc. I have even stopped running carbon. I trim back the caulerpa every 4-6 months. And it is home to my Mantis Shrimp (makes it worth a refugium in itself :) )

where larger refugiums are necessary is for people that rely almost completely on the macro algae for nutrient export, not a skimmer, etc. for having a sectioned sump, you will still have a skimmer and spots for other equipment when it becomes necessary (GFO, carbon, bio pellets, etc).

[Ryanrttu]

I read that caulerpa was good but it could get into your display tank and if it did it was real hard to get out. You have had no problems with that Spar? Could you pm or post here (since you have the melevsreef sump as well) what your sump looks like. Mr. SaltWater tank says if you have a tang it will eat it up though, thoughts on that?

[Spar]

yes, i will post some pics tonight. mine is a very custom design though. i had to do two sumps (technically), that are connected via PVC... couldn't get a whole large sump into my fish room and/or into my stand.

ive never had caulerpa show up in my DT (3.5 years now). i have lots of Tang's, so high potential they are on caulerpa control.

main downside to caulerpa is potential to go asexual and poisons the water. but you just have to give as much light as possible; some people give 24 hours/day.

[Ryanrttu]

Have you thought about making your own and saving money? The one I'm making is out of a 20gal glass tank that I got on sale for $20. If you think about it all your buying is a tank for $500.


Well I have to do acrylic bc of weight concerns and not sure if that makes it more difficult or not to DIY. I do see that if there is one area I could potentially save money on it would be nice to do it on the sump but im gradually piecing things together over about a 3 month period before cycling and the sump is the next purchase which if I find what I like, i'll probably get it soon.

[Volcmreefer]

Bump for Trigger systems

[SFish]

Well I have to do acrylic bc of weight concerns and not sure if that makes it more difficult or not to DIY. I do see that if there is one area I could potentially save money on it would be nice to do it on the sump but im gradually piecing things together over about a 3 month period before cycling and the sump is the next purchase which if I find what I like, i'll probably get it soon.

You know you can buy acrylic right? You could make your own sump. One pice 48"x96"x1/8" just to give an example is $97.96. To each his own I guess.

[Tamarae]

+1 Trigger sump. Love my ruby 36

[fairladyZ]

+1 for elite aquatics... best of the best