Substrate question. live sand?

[ace1uno_00]

thanks.
Someone told me that a sump/refugium is optional.
What are the pros and cons on them?
I would like to use one but my tank is not drilled on the bottom to accommodate one.

 

[Salttanker]

I have a 33 gal sump on my 120 gal. I wouldn't have it any other way. Mine is custom drilled/plumbed so there is no equipment in the tank at all. All devices are in the sump along with 40# of reef rubble.
The advantage to my built in is if I lose power, I don't flood. When the power comes back on, it just picks right back up without having to syphon.
Wet/dry systems are good to have if you don't have a drilled tank. However, once the syphon breaks, the main tank could overflow. Or, of a pump fails, the sump could overflow.
The ideal way for a wet/dry overflow is to get a battery powered backup, such as an APC, which will allow up time if power does fail. HTH

Mike

 

[ace1uno_00]

I viewd your gallery Salttanker. So that sump is custom built?
My 90 gallon tank in acrylic so if i have to i can drill it and make my own over flow.
But i dont know how a sump or wet/dry filter works. i tried to get someone from a LFS to explain it to me but i dont think he even knew what he was doing.
Is there a thread on how i can build my own?
Or did you have a DIY forum on your build?
I'm sorry if i'm asking too many questions. I want to know as much as i can before i even think about pouring water into the tank.

 

[Salttanker]

I viewd your gallery Salttanker. So that sump is custom built?

That;s actually my 90 gal tank I had before. I need to submit new pics.
If your tank is acrylic, I would have it drilled.
I just bought a 33 gal sump for mine rather than building it. I'm not a DIY guy at all. However, there are lots of people here that have made their own sumps.

I think it is great that you are asking questions before going forward with it. It is a big investment, so you want to make you do things right the first time.

Mike

 

[ace1uno_00]

exactly.
I am a pretty big DIYer. I built my own 83 gallon tank. I Can easily build a sump. but i dont know or understand how they work.
I also want to know if there are any books out there that are worth reading to learn more on marine animals.
I almost bought "saltwater aquariums for dummies" lol

 

[pelochas]

http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

This website is very good. I understand and learn a lot about sumps.

 

[ace1uno_00]

Thank you so much.
That explained alot.
I have alot of leftover acrylic from my 83 gallon build. i think im going to go build a sump tonight.

 

[ace1uno_00]

Okay i am discouraged.
I dont think i want to do a marine set up now.
I have read numerous forums, threads, web sites, on sumps and wet/dry filters and i still dont get it!
I can definately build my own sump but, How should i set it up?
and how do i get the water from the tank down to the sump? i dont understand the overflow. if the syphon breaks or the power goes out my apartment will flood?
:|

 

[qhrisnd]

We have a 29 Gallon tank that we've just started, and felt the same way about having a sump, until one of the nice guys on here turned me onto CPR Overflow Boxes and RIO Submersible Pumps.

In our tank, we have the overflow box on the back, which draws water from the tank, into the sump (via siphon, which I would also recommend using an AquaLifter pump as well, to keep the siphon even after a powerouttage). Now, this requires a bit of plumbing on your part, but can be easily achieved for $10 at Lowes or Home Depot by obtaining some PVC, and some fittings, as well as some PVC glue.

Once the water is in the Sump, you can do your filtration, heating (or cooling), etc. and then return it to the tank using a submersible pump.

The size of the return pump varies, depending on the amount of head height, and the output of the overflow box. We're using the RIO 14HF, and the CPR CS 100 (overkill on our part). The overflow we have is just too big, which we didnt realize until we had it plumbed ... and couldn't return it, but it works great, nonetheless.

There are a lot of options, and having a sump, from what I understand makes your tank a lot more stable, because of the additional water.

I hope this helps ... and anyone who disagrees ... PLEASE correct me!

~ Chris

 

[pelochas]

the wet dry filter is basically a filter where water is being filtered by those bio balls, sponges, or even live rock rubble. water is not pump down but siphon and gravity will pull the water into the wet dry filter tank.

btw wet/dry and trickle and sump and other names are all the same filter.

a refugium is optional. it can be part or separate tank of the sump. all this does is bioligical filtration, grow plants that will produce food for some fishes and other life. Remove pollutants and add nutrients and other good stuff. You can place a bunch of snails here and other cleaning animals to clean the water and the wastes that come from the main tank.

the overflow is just suction. if the power goes out then the pump in the sump that pumps the water back into the main tank will stop. your sump will start to fill since the pump is not pumping water back into the main tank. but as soon as the suction breaks your sump will stop receiving water. so you should have a sump large enough to take in the extra water.

now the kicker. if your suction breaks but your pump is still running, the water will continue to go into the main tank, then your main tank will overflow, so you should put a float switch in your sump at a level where as the level goes below as if the suction breaks the pump will stop pumping water into the main tank. if possible i would put a float switch above in the main tank and one in the sump tank. you will have to adjust the levels.

 

[ace1uno_00]

ohhh, the feeling of clarity is so wonderful. lol
Thanks to you both.

 

[qhrisnd]

Glad to help any way I could!

 

[ace1uno_00]

Should i place live rock in my sump or just use base rock for the sump?

 

[pelochas]

i would just use base rock, the base rock is live rock. its just doesnt have the coraline on it which is the colors that make a aquarium so colorful. basically, its the coraline on a live rock that makes the rock more valuable

 

[ace1uno_00]

is that the red color stuff on the rock?