stting up a sump (refuge)

[rafecci]

Currently have a 46g bow front, and I want to set up a sump or refuge. (Tank under the tank thing....Oh Im sooo smart....LOL) I love the idea of natural filtration! And would LOVE to get all the filtration systems off the back my tank. ANYwho - WHERE the heck do I get started??? Got a 10g already in place, have the heater and lights. Got a timmer on my list so the lights on the tanks will alternate (tank1 on - tank2 off). Heres the part where I lack the brains - HOW in dickens do I get the water to flow between the two????????? No genious here..not yet though..I think all the research is gonna fry my brain! Drilling holes is out of the question. Need a wish list and some ideas to get started.

 

[neilanh]

On YouTube there are several videos for setting up a DIY sump. There's several step-by-step instructional videos that can help step you through the process.

Others will chime in as well, I'm still figuring it all out myself and don't want to lead you in the wrong direction.

 

[fijiwigi]

I would be scared that with a 10g sump the water would evaporate so quick that your pump would burn up. I have a 46g bow with a sump I debated how to do it for a long time. I came to the conclusion that the do it yourself idea was not going to work for me because a 20g long tank would not fit under my stand. It was either setup the sump refugium outside of the stand or have one custom made. I ended up paying to have a custom sump made by glass-holes.com it was about $350 dollars just for the box. It holds about 20 gallons of water. and has 3 section skimmer/fuge/return pump the return pump section holds about 5 gallons of water so if I do not top it off like every 3 days my pump will run dry and burn up. I have came extremely close to that happening several times. Try melevsreef.com for ideas but remember under a 46g bow cabinet there isn't room for most designs. .

I had to purchase a new stand. The first one I had didn't work it had shelves in the front the stand. The one I have now is open inside. I had to build my stand around my sump and then slide my halfway full tank onto the new stand ( kinda scary but it worked)

 

[rafecci]

Thats where Im at now, only a 10g will fit in the stand. I'm not thinking the hubby will let me "remodel" the stand he just bought....LOL

 

[melosu58]

Read these

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sumps, Part I by Greg Taylor - Reefkeeping.com

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/articles/articles/21/1/Refugiumsfuges-or-refuge/Page1.html

 

[Ziggy953]

I ran a 10g sump on my 72 for a long time. It can be done. As Fiji stated you will have to top off on a regular basis. I have a 30g sump just for my skimmer and my return pumps and I have to top off about 3g per day now.

As to how to get the water out of the tank and down to the sump you will need a hang on the back overflow box. They are a dime a dozen online. Check on craigslist and ebay. The overflow will take water from the tank and drain it down to the sump. A pump in the sump will pump the water back up to the tank starting the circle over again.

Have a look at this , Marc is very good at explaining a sump and how to set one up.