Question on Sumps

[mr_tee0419]

I've been reading on these things, and just read the article on this site, which was very helpful, but I still have a few questions. If you have a sump, then all of your filtration/heating will be connected to the sump instead of the aquarium right? Also, in many LFS I see their massive sump system and water being dumped onto sponges and such. There doesnt seem to be very many electrical filters running. What is neccessary for a good sump?

 

[fishlips12]

I am a newbie here but get the biggest sump that you can. If you go with the LR and DSB combo there is no need for the extra filtration ie bio balls and carbon etc.... But get a good skimmer. The heater can be placed in the sump. But this of course all depends on what you intend to keep in your tank. Someone please jump in if I am off track here.

 

[BillyZ]

If you have a sump, then all of your filtration/heating will be connected to the sump instead of the aquarium right?

Yes, all of your equipment can be placed in the sump to hide it. Making your display tank less cluttered and more natural looking.

Also, in many LFS I see their massive sump system and water being dumped onto sponges and such. There doesnt seem to be very many electrical filters running. What is neccessary for a good sump?

well each LFS is different I'm sure. Some may rely on constant water changes, others may have massive amounts of LS/LR (therefore more of a refugium than a sump), the sponges are basically acting like a collection of bio sponges in a smaller filter and accomplishing the same thing.

a good sump really just needs room to hold all your stuff and make water changes/top offs easy.

a good fuge needs that as well as a DSB, LR and macro algae.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Check this out http://www.marks-aquaticlife.com/setup4.html

I have my skimmer, two heaters, my PH monitor, and a small powerhead in my sump... It holds about 15 or so gallons...I have sponges in it to dampen teh sound as well as pick out particulate matter

 

[mr_tee0419]

Thank you so much for your previous replies! They help alot, but I have a few more questions. Does it matter what order the things run in? Should you run the water through the protein skimmer before it reaches the sump? or how should that work? It seems to me that if the filters/heaters were just placed somewhere in the sump wouldnt there be alot of water that ran through unfiltered? and would the water be in the sump long enough for it to be properly heated?

 

[mr_tee0419]

Also, what if I used an internal pump to move the water from the aquarium to the sump instead of an overflow? Would that be advantageous/disadvantageous?

 

[ReefLady]

Here's our sump:

Dexter's Laboratory, LOL! But BillyZ is right, it's just a place to hold all that unsightly equipment, and to increase water volume. Our sump is also full of LR - not necessary, just an added benefit. We also have a separate refugium.

Simply though, it does not need to be anything fancy. A lot of people use sturdy Rubbermaid containers, or old, scratched glass tanks. When we had the 75g tank, my husband built a sump (20g) out of acrylic.

It's just a nice place to hide your skimmer, heater, etc. etc.

HTH,

 

[PrettyFishies]

My sump has a chamber where the water from the overflow goes to... It then sucks out the water from that chamber and feeds the skimmer. I used to put the pump directly in teh sump, but it added too much heat. Then the water flows over to teh next chamber and gets sucked out by the bulkhead/return pump. The heaters do have enough water flow to make a difference... but right now. I don't even need heaters...I'm trying to keep the temp down... but that's my problem :s

 

[dustybrannum]

I am currently building my sump out of acrylic for my 180 gallon. It is gonna cost me $75 is materials not counting plumbing.

 

[justDIY]

Also, what if I used an internal pump to move the water from the aquarium to the sump instead of an overflow? Would that be advantageous/disadvantageous?

sorry, you can't do it that way!

water has to drain from the tank via gravity, otherwise the weight of the water will insure your tank drains faster than your return pump could hope to keep up.

and even if you had a beefy return pump, it would drain the sump faster than the supply pump could provide, and then run dry while the supply caught up, creating more problems!

 

[justDIY]

actually, I take that back

if your sump is located above your tanks water level, then you could use a supply pump and a gravity return - but I doubt there are any setups like that because it would be very difficult to work on the sump if it were tucked away above the tank!

 

[mr_tee0419]

Thanks guys that really helps, but this is still bother me...there wouldnt be any way to balance the the internal and return pump so that they pulled/pushed the same amount of water?

 

[justDIY]

yes, with a computerized monitoring system, like very large professional aquariums have

but even they try to use gravity when possible - since it's free!

 

[mr_tee0419]

Thanks guys, that really helps, but one thing is still bothering me. There isnt any way that I could rig an internal/return pump to work together as efficiently as a drain? Wouldnt some watching, and trial and error let me be able to perfect the push/pull that each pump should be set at? Thanks!