10 gallon

[CorallineAlgae]

You'll need to setup an overflow in the top tank, get some acrylic cut for the sump to make dividers and setup a return.

 

[kwandrsn]

So the return pump pumps from the bottom tank and the top tank overflows into the overflow which gets pumped into the bottom?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Gravity brings the water from the top to the bottom and a pump sends it back. You can either drill the back of the top tank and add an overflow cover to the tank or get an overflow box to carry the water down. Drilling may seem more difficult to do but it makes things easier in the long run. Some aquarium stores will drill the tank for a small fee. Overflow boxes are easy to setup but can be finicky. Either way will work just fine.

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok so I get the tank drilled. Then what do I need to buy?

I looked up about putting the baffles in the sump tank. So the pipe will come down and then a pump will pump water back up. And this will act add my filter?

The main reason I want to do this is to keep the main tank topped off and to filter so I don't have to use a hob filter. I will buy a skimmer in the future

 

[edwardclaxton]

Glass holes you can buy complete overflow kits to drill tanks also you can buy return kits

 

[kwandrsn]

Is there a website where I can buy them from

glass holes found it

What size do you think I need

 

[edwardclaxton]

Gl*******s.com

 

[kwandrsn]

yeah I found it thank you

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok more questions. Sorry :-(
Ok I drill my top tank and pipe it into my sump tank . The diagrams for sump I found have 3 sections divided by baffles. The first section has pipe from top tank then the third section had a pump to pump water back up. ok what do I put in the 3 sections of the sump tank. obviously nothing but the pump goes in last section. Someone told me to put live sand in middle section. I was also wanting to put a heater in it so it won't be in the top tank.
does the sump tank need a light?
If the power was to go out will it over flow?
Sorry for all the stupid questions this is the first time I've ever done a sump setup.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

You won't have an overflow if the power goes out as long as you either keep the return nozzle high or put a check valve on the return line. You can get a check valve at Lowes or from the place where you are buying the rest of the plumbing. The online shop should be able to put together a complete package if you call them. Bulk Reef Supply also sells these parts and makes packages.

You can either put sand or rock in the sumps center chamber. A small light in the sump for some cheato (plant like algae) is awesome to have in the sump. I'd use a 10 watt LED daylight floodlight from eBay to light it. They're about $14 shipped.

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok thanks and do I leave the first chamber empty or do I put some sort of filter media in it. And then later on when I buy my protein skimmer where do I put it or do I even need one.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Ok thanks and do I leave the first chamber empty or do I put some sort of filter media in it. And then later on when I buy my protein skimmer where do I put it or do I even need one.

You can either put a filter sock under the drain line or run it without one. The drain side is also where you place a skimmer. Even a simple air driven skimmer like a Berlin Air Lift would work fine for that size tank. I kept a 30 gallon reef with one of those skimmers in the sump for well over 10 years without any issues. A pump driven skimmer is always great also. You don't need to have a skimmer but they really are nice and help maintain the water quality.

 

[kwandrsn]

thank you. Like I said this will be my first salt water tank. I was going to use a hob filter and a power head but I was going to have a extra tank laying around so I figured I may as well use it. It will keep my display the same level and add extra water volume

As for the water. I don't have access to ro water. Is there any other options I have?

I am planning on using the shrimp in the panty hose method to get the ammonia in the tank

 

[CorallineAlgae]

You can get some water jugs at a sporting goods store like Academy and just fill them with RO water from a fish shop, grocery store or a water mill on the side of the road if you have one around where you live. Tap water is never a good option for any saltwater tank. I can't stress this enough.. use RO. Tap water can turn your tank into an algae farm just like overfeeding.

 

[kwandrsn]

So the 5 gallon water things at Walmart where you fill the jugs up for like drinking fountains will work?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

They sure will. It may not be quite as good as a home RO filter but they do dispense RO water. A lot of people use them. I used them for a couple of years before getting my own filter. Remember to keep a jug just for top off.

 

[kwandrsn]

ok cool I didn't know that that was ro water. yeah I will definitely keep one or two here. I'm planning on doing a 20 gallon display with a 20 as a sump. How much water do you think I should keep in the sump. I was going to put about 5 or 10 lbs of live sand in the center. And as for my return pump should I just run it up the back and have a hook type end on the hose and run it into the top of the display tank and I'm going to put the overflow hole as close to the top as I can. I would like to not be able to see the water line.

 

[kwandrsn]

Well the 20 gallon setup fell thru. :-(
I guess I'm back to the 10 gallon display and a 10 gallon sump

 

[54seaweed]

you never show a landlord a tank with a sump

 

[kwandrsn]

No the person I was buying the 20s from backed out. Yeah I'm hiding the sump

I had the chance to buy 2 complete freshwater setups ona metal stand for 40$

I may buy a 20 and a 10 from petco while they have the 1$ sale. And build a simple stand. I just Dobby know if a 20 or a 20 long would be better