i was looking at a lotta pictures and i noticed a lot of people have sumps unter their tank. What do they do-how do you build one yourself? do you have to drill a hole into your tank? I read the article in the forum already but i still really dont get it. Any explainations? TIA
sumps....
- Thread starter nycfatcow
- Start date
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revhtree
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sumps are used to house unsightly peices of equipment and such like heaters, protein skimmers, ect...
A simple sump can be made out of a rubbermaid tub. Your water comes down from your overflow in your tank and into the sump. Then a pump in the sump pumps the water back up and into the tank. That is a simple as it gets.
A simple sump can be made out of a rubbermaid tub. Your water comes down from your overflow in your tank and into the sump. Then a pump in the sump pumps the water back up and into the tank. That is a simple as it gets.
Try a refugium nycfatcow. They not only hide epuipement but help you with your bio load in the tank. Mine has 3 sections 1. Live sand with calerpa 2. Bioballs soon to be live rock rubble. 3. Skimmer , return pump and UV light.
sorry but i still dont really get it. So a refugium....tell me if i got this right
take a 20 g tank spilt it up into 3 sections. one section with live rock another with bioballs or rock. and the third section with the heater and returnpump and skimmer? the water gets sucked outta the tank by??? and obviously the reurn pipe shoots it back in?
take a 20 g tank spilt it up into 3 sections. one section with live rock another with bioballs or rock. and the third section with the heater and returnpump and skimmer? the water gets sucked outta the tank by??? and obviously the reurn pipe shoots it back in?
Brenden
Aquarium Advice Addict
drawing
ellisz
Aquarium Advice Addict
You don't have to have a refugium. A sump is just another tank tied to your main. It can be under your tank or in another room for that matter 
You tank will need to be drilled or use an overflow box. Water drains via the overflow to the sump and then a return pump sends it back to the main. Having a place to put equipment is good but more water volume is good as well.
I have LR in my sump and I have a rubbermaid inside my sump that is my refugium. I have sand and chaeto in my refugium.
You tank will need to be drilled or use an overflow box. Water drains via the overflow to the sump and then a return pump sends it back to the main. Having a place to put equipment is good but more water volume is good as well.
I have LR in my sump and I have a rubbermaid inside my sump that is my refugium. I have sand and chaeto in my refugium.
G
Guest
Guest
If you decide to drill tank few pointers.
1. Do not drill tank yourself unless familiar with tools and hardware necessary to perform the job correctly.
2. Glass is extremely hard to drill and shatters almost instantly if done incorrectly.
3. If glass is tempered there is nothing you can do with it. Any attemps to drill will weaken it if not shatter it.
4. Broken glass in pieces is extremely sharp and dangerous handle with care. Glass shards act like splinters and will drive you crazy.
5. If wanting a drilled tank most get the rear glass of the aquarium drilled because most of the time only the bottom piece is tempered. Again have done at a glass company most times if they break it they buy it.
6. If not wanting to go threw this glass drilling nightmare just get an overflow box.
1. Do not drill tank yourself unless familiar with tools and hardware necessary to perform the job correctly.
2. Glass is extremely hard to drill and shatters almost instantly if done incorrectly.
3. If glass is tempered there is nothing you can do with it. Any attemps to drill will weaken it if not shatter it.
4. Broken glass in pieces is extremely sharp and dangerous handle with care. Glass shards act like splinters and will drive you crazy.
5. If wanting a drilled tank most get the rear glass of the aquarium drilled because most of the time only the bottom piece is tempered. Again have done at a glass company most times if they break it they buy it.
6. If not wanting to go threw this glass drilling nightmare just get an overflow box.
hmmm thanks a lot guys, i really appreciate it. I dont want to drill holes in my tank becuase i have already have my 75 g all set up... i was thinking of making a 20 gal tank into something by the side of my tank....guess i have to do some more reading and see if i really wanna invest my time into it. thanks again!
found a pic on this forum
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8618&cat=563&page=1
so basically i have to replicate this?
how come instead of one overflow pipe (basically a syphon from main tank?)
and a pipe to shoot water back theres so many other pipes?
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8618&cat=563&page=1
so basically i have to replicate this?
how come instead of one overflow pipe (basically a syphon from main tank?)
and a pipe to shoot water back theres so many other pipes?
Brenden
Aquarium Advice Addict
It looks like they just split the return pump line and put a valve on it so they could control the flow through their refugium area. Like melosu said...It is really simple it just looks like a mess.
Brenden
Aquarium Advice Addict
Instead of making it and posting pics. Why not draw out what you have in mind and we will help before you put time and money into it.
JohnS
Aquarium Advice Regular
Here is a drawing of my sump setup on my 65g. If you want I'll take some pics and post them tomorrow. It's pretty simple. You use an overflow box. to drain water from your display into the sump. You use a pump to return the water to the display. In may case I use a SQWD to alternate the return water from one side of the atnk to the other. Also, I have an acrylic divider with calepera (sp?) in the side with the drain line, and rubble in the side with the return pump. It's really straightforward. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you need.
Attachments
JohnS
Aquarium Advice Regular
Whoa That's tiny! Sorry, never posted an attachment before! If you click on it and maximize the window it comes out OK. Let me know if you have a problem seeing the drawing. If so I'll try to make it bigger.
