Sump On A Timer?

[namnips]

I have 65 Gal Fresh Water Drilled Reef Ready Tank. I have a Fluval Canister and a Sump. The Aquarium is in our family room and the sump can be loud (water trickle and pump). The Canister is nearly silent (run it 24/7 no problems). Can I run my sump on a timer to be off from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m.? The sump really moves the water but the canister is sufficient to keep the tank crystal clear. The fish are also kinda freaked out by the new water movement the sump provides.

The tank itself is hard to work on based on the space I have it in I would have to empty and pull it back out (top shelf does not remove) to add plumbing to make the drain silent.

 

[Bectan01]

I am I but confused about whether its a salt tank or fresh? You say fresh water reef ready. If its a salt tank I don't know why you would have a sump and a canister ( canisters are unnecessary ) if its a freshwater then I have no idea, sorry!

 

[namnips]

Sorry for the confusion. I have Fresh Water fish, but I want to use the sump system since its built intot he aquarium.

 

[Grizz]

You can run the sump on a timer Now having said that i'll say that with a fresh water tank i my self would not do it I'd unhook the sump and just run the canister With fresh water the larger the water volume the harder it is to maintain

 

[mr_X]

What is in the sump? If your heater is in the sump, through the night the temp will fluctuate....If it's in the display, the same thing will happen to the sump and when the timer kicks it on, there will be a drastic temp fluctuation in the system.
Also, no flow at all in the sump though the night is definitely going to effect the PH.
This is a bad idea.
Why not figure out what's so loud and quiet it up?

 

[SaltwaterNuB]

What is in the sump? If your heater is in the sump, through the night the temp will fluctuate....If it's in the display, the same thing will happen to the sump and when the timer kicks it on, there will be a drastic temp fluctuation in the system.
Also, no flow at all in the sump though the night is definitely going to effect the PH.
This is a bad idea.
Why not figure out what's so loud and quiet it up?

What Mr_X said. Try softening the loud sound. I never knew that with fresh "the more volume, the harder it is to maintain". Goodluck

 

[okapizebra]

I can't help you at all about the sump- but I disagree about the water volume. The more water, the easier it will be to maintain. Water parameters will swing much less drastically. I can't think of a reason why more water volume would make it harder to maintain. But I would think that if you shut off the sump for many hours each night that BB would be adversely affected.

 

[namnips]

Well first of all this is a great form, thank you for all the replies. If you look close at the photo that's a built In Cabinet and all the wood is 3/4" thick. My tank barely fits the space and with the down drains getting the tank in was a nightmare. Once I did I had no access to the drain (except from below, I drilled holes) or back of the tank (the top shelf does not lift out its in solid). So I decided to try the timer, until I saw how the fish reacted.

The fish LOVED the sump and the water flow it provided. Much more entertaining. So I researched and decided to build a Durso Pipe. I drilled and cut enough of a hole through the shelf directly above the drain to gain access. It got much quieter with the Durso in (hole and hose coming out the top L shaped pipe on the side). Still slurp every now and then and a little bit of a trickle, over overall 10x less noisy. I may work on it some more but looks to be working great. Running the Sump 24/7 in addition to my Fluval (yea I may eventually take the Fluval down as well probably overkill).

So at this point not so afraid to eventually try a saltwater tank.

Thanks again, I will have to post a video of my tank eventually.

ttyl

Namnips

 

[namnips]

What is in the sump? If your heater is in the sump, through the night the temp will fluctuate...."

that's a good question, I never use a heater except in the middle of the winter. I have pretty resilient fish (Molly, Tiger Barbs, Cory Cats, Mickey Mouse, Silver Dollars, few other simliar etc). Now that I have the sump I may add that and monitor/maintain the temp allot better.

 

[namnips]

What is in the sump?

Really did not answer your question, but do have a follow up question. The only thing in the sump is a fuzzy filter on top the water trickles through, then some Bio Balls.

I am afraid If I take out my Fluval I will lose the advantage of my charcoal and ammonia reducer bags. Keeping the Fluval up so my new tank gets all the goodness from my Ceramic, carbon sponges etc and all its composition. I heard I just can't take all that away all at once.

Can I add media to my sump? spongefilering, Charcoal / Amonia reducer etc?

 

[mr_X]

It's actually better off in the Fluval. bags floating in the sump with water barely going through them are no where near as effective as if you have water being forced through it.