How to add a larger sump

[mbauma]

Ok, so I have a 140 gallon DSA main tank. I also bought the stand and canopy from DSA.

The lfs guy who put the system together for me put in an Eshopps sump(RS200). It's 30"x12"x16". He bought me an Eshopps S-200 cone skimmer which is rate for 150 to 250 gallon tank. I just ordered a small in sump refugium and there's not quite enough room and wouldn't be enough room if I want to add anything else such as reactors.

1. How hard is it to swap out a sump on an existing tank? Looking for some guidance/steps on how to do it.

2. Looking for suggestions for a larger sump that is more expandable.

I guess I should also mention that I have 2 returns coming from the main tank if that makes a difference?

[jda]

If you can get it under the stand, then it is easy. Just drain the tank down below the overflow line, drain the sump, remove the sump and install the new one.

I just use regular tanks as sump. I silicone in a single baffle for a skimmer chamber to be at a set height. Then, I use the rest of the sump as a large single area for water volume and other equipment.

[slief]

About 4 years back, I swapped my old sump for a new large sump and separate large refugium. The swap was done while my tank was fully stocked. It involved plugging the return pump bulkheads up with PVC pipe plugs and gutting the sump area under my tank.

My swap was very well orchestrated as I meticulously planned everything out and even plumbed the return pumps to the sumps prior to doing the install. That way, the only thing I had to do was connect the drains to the new sump and connect the return lines to the new pump. The key is planning it out in order to minimize down time. I also maintained flow inside my tank with my Tunzes and added an air stone in front of one of those pumps to insure the water had plenty of O2. The entire process took me several hours as we redid the drywall under the tank, added sound deadening insulation, added FRP to the walls below the tank and also installed a pond liner below the sumps. The process went without a hitch.

The entire swap was covered in several parts of an LA Fish Guys Episode 80 which is a 12 part episode covering my tank and the sump swap. Here is a link to the videos. As I recall, the sump design, preparation, removal and installation was covered. You can watch it here.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=500+gallon+coral+reef+aquarium+episode+80+pt

The swap and planning was also covered extensively in the first several pages of my build thread here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

[mbauma]

Wow, that's quite a setup.

Any recommendations for a new sump? I could fit in a 48" sump and still have room for my ATO tank since my stand is 60".

[slief]

Wow, that's quite a setup.

Any recommendations for a new sump? I could fit in a 48" sump and still have room for my ATO tank since my stand is 60".

I can't really help with off the shelf sumps. I've always designed my own based on my needs and had them built accordingly as was the case with the sumps mentioned above.

I like to make my sumps as large as possible given space constraints and take into consideration as large a skimmer space as possible if I am going with an internal skimmer. Obviously having enough space in the sump to handle power outages without overflowing is one of the most critical factors in a properly sized sump. Things like filter socks, refugiums, live rock etc in conjunction with supporting lots of flow are all considerations for me when it comes to sump design. Lastly, a means of eliminating any micro bubbles is critical. I generally incorporate a weir on the return side and a bubble trap where the water enters the sump which in my case is upstream from the filter socks..