sump question

[zuzecawi]

Hi all! I've lots of questions, I know.
So this tank came with a sealife systems sump, but I've never had a sump before. Is it possible to overfill? Is the line on it that says waterlevel supposed to be a minimum or maximum line? Looks pretty low for a max line IMO but I'm new to this scale of things. And how noisy are these things supposed to be?

 

[RMPD109]

It should be the normal running level. You want to have plenty of extra roon in case of a power outage. You will get some water back siphon from the tank in the return line. This excess area in the sump needs to hold it. My refuge can use about 3 more inches of water and still be OK(under the inlet hole)

 

[zuzecawi]

okay, now, the guy said it was a 4 gallon sump but it fits much more than that (bout 10)... I take it that's normal. How could I expand my water capacity short of buying a new sump? Seems 4 gallons to 58 is awfully small, is this reasonable or undersized?

 

[RMPD109]

What is your intent with the sump. It is commomnly used to increase total volume and as a place to hide unsightly equipment(skimmer, heater).

Seems 4 gallons to 58 is awfully small, is this reasonable or undersized?

If you are trying to get some nutrients removed it would be more of a refugium than a sump. A fuge would give a place for growing macroalgae and a DSB.

 

[zuzecawi]

Well, it's set up with one of them boxes full of bioballs and the filter pad on top, it dumps the water to that and then it goes to the other side with the pumps and protein skimmer, than back up to the tank. I'm not really familiar with this type filtration, I had mechanical before (DIY HOT canister filter and protein skimmer). Somebody told me to ditch the bioballs and put liverock into the sump, and well, I've put some liverock in it (10lbs fiji from LFS, ugly stuff) but that didn't fill it up so I still have some bioballs takin up space above the rock and water line, under the filter. I would like to have a separate fuge as well for macroalgae, but lighting it might be a problem, if I had it under the stand with the sump. I have zero experience with sumps.

 

[RMPD109]

What you have is called a wet/dry filter. Like you already said it is best to remove the bioballs. They will collect detritus creating high nitrates. Just remember the bioballs are not submerged but the LR rubble will need to always be under water. If you have a compartment for the macro algae you could set it up. You can use a clip on desk light for lighting if need be. I use chaeto in mine and keep it lit opposite if the main tank. Anyway it is up to you what you want to make of it. A little time and imagination will be the guide. Good luck

 

[zuzecawi]

so go on and take out the rest of the bioballs? The liverock is underwater, I made sure of that. There isn't much room for a compartment of anything, I was thinkin bout using a 2.5 minibow I have floatin around for a refugium, but I don't know how to plumb it.

 

[zuzecawi]

took out the other balls and put them right back in!!! The sound was awful!!! Would I be better off using just a plain old 10 or 20 gallon aquarium and dividing it up somehow?

 

[RMPD109]

You can extend the inlet tube below the waterline to get rid of the noise. The bioballs will work just keep an eye on nitrates and be ready to clean them if needed. You can definately use a 10 gallon tank and divide it up. It just seems like a waste to not use the wet/dry.

 

[zuzecawi]

I think I'm going to leave the wet/dry alone for a while and see bout converting a 29 gal tank, which will fit in my stand just fine, into the new sump/refugium. Gives me time to tweek it, more water capacity, and then I can always ebay off the wet/dry setup. It really really bothers me because its so small and crowded and noisy, there's a LOT of bubbles that go into the tank from it, and I would like to have an area to grow macroalgae where it doesn't infest everything. Funny how I'm all into increased water cap when this tank is twice the size of the first one.