What to do w/sump

sir_dudeguy · 06/24/2007, 07:39 PM

Ok so i've been making a couple changes in my 40 breeder lately...the biggest change being the new lights.

But now i'm considering not using my sump. I really dont like how noisy the overflow is. I've tried silencers and they havent worked.

But also, i really havent got anything worth using in there..All i do is put carbon in there, but i could put that in an HOB filter if i wanted..As for the heater, i'd have no problem hiding that in the back of my rock. Havent been running a skimmer for over a year now on this tank, and lately it seems to be getting better and better...i'm thinking i'll just keep up doing what i'm doing

Would it be worth it to ditch the sump? The tank has to stay under there cuz i cant get it out, so i'm thinking of using my return pump/hoses as an ATO system, that way i dont have to top off myself..

Whats everyone's opinions on what to do? Right now, the sump is currently only good for carbon, and noise, at which point HOB filter would be better, right?

Avi · 06/24/2007, 08:19 PM

Duder...Which kinds of silencers have you tried that haven't worked? I bet we can get those silenced and you can continue using the sump for the benefits that it offers, including, a refugium.

Houtz · 06/24/2007, 08:29 PM

Is your sump big enough that losing the water volume would cause an instability?
Other than that I don't see why it would hurt your system to lose it, except for having to attach the equipment to the display tank, which you've said your okay with.
If I were me, and I am, I would get rid of it if it irritated me and it wasn't useful. I know what you mean about noise *glug, sluuuuuurp...sluckkkchhkk*

davidryder · 06/24/2007, 08:34 PM

I would keep it if possible. Any added volume will help keep your parameters stable.

drummereef · 06/24/2007, 09:34 PM

I speaketh from experience.... I have a 40g and wish every day of my life on earth that I would have done a sump when I set up my tank. Just my 2c.

pledosophy · 06/24/2007, 09:51 PM

Your drain can be silenced if you want to do that. There are to many of us with completely silent drains for me to believe it is impossible with your setup. I have found the best way to silence my drain was to put a piece of airline in my "silencer hole" and a air valve on the end of that airline so I can adjust the amount of air to my desire.

If your not running any equipment in your sump, you are like me, the only equipment in my sump is a heater. I use my "sump" as a refugium. IME the refugium is the best part of my system. It removes nutrients through the use of macro algaes, and continually produces food for my corals to eat. I don't care about filters. I don't care about protein skimmers. I don't use additives except calcuim and buffer. My tank is awesome and I don't have to do much except for feed. I know the opinion is not popular but it is hard to argue with results.

You can get your drain to be silent. You can make that extra water volume work for you. You do have a group of people here willing to help you do that. Just ask.

sir_dudeguy · 06/24/2007, 10:41 PM

Ok sorry been away...my internet crashed or something a while ago haha.

Anyways...

Quote:

Duder...Which kinds of silencers have you tried that haven't worked? I bet we can get those silenced and you can continue using the sump for the benefits that it offers, including, a refugium.

um...

i cant tell you the names of them for the life of me...they're just those standpipes where the water goes up the pvc, and there's like a cover or whatever on the top of the pvc...so its like a baffle for lack of better word??? Make sense? I havent got one anymore...i traded it away w/a different HOB overflow.. Maybe i can make a new one..

Quote:

Is your sump big enough that losing the water volume would cause an instability?

Not really...its only 20g, only like 10 of which is actually filled. Maybe like 12-15 but i doubt it.

Pledo...I agree with you on the way you got yours set up...not many people say that stuff like that works...but mine is almost the exact same except i've not used a fuge on this tank (i did an HOB one for about a month, but its not on there now). I like doing it this way rather than having all those "bells and whistles" that i just think arent needed. Only thing i may do differently is get a decent skimmer...i hate that dang CSS!!

Anyways...how do i go about making that silencer and how much will it cost me? I'm pretty dang broke right now..havent been working much lately, and i just bought my new t5 setup haha.

What tools would i need for that? I know i should prolly ask in the diy forum, but i never get any answers in there

rkcca · 06/24/2007, 11:30 PM

Try this link for a Durso Stand Pipe . Pretty cheap, easy and effective

sir_dudeguy · 06/24/2007, 11:42 PM

btw this is an HOB overflow...not sure if that makes any difference for the standpipe?

purebullet417 · 06/24/2007, 11:51 PM

thats the reason its loud. on the outside tank side of the overflow box there should be a little peice of pvc in the box. if you put a sponge over it it will scilence it alot. my uncle has one and after about the first month of use you cant realy here it anymore.
if you dont understand what i am saying take a pic of the box on the outside of the tank and i will show you

sir_dudeguy · 06/24/2007, 11:54 PM

Well ya i've got a piece of pvc going up from it...so i gues you could call it a standpipe, ya? I just have no silencer on it right now...when i tried the one i had before it didnt...silence lol, so i got rid of it. It actually seemed to make it do weird things and i was worried i'd lose siphon or something.

Its been going like this for over a year now...with just a piece of pvc going up from the bulkhead. The water level on the back fills up to that point and then falls into the pvc. If needed, i suppose i could shoot some pics tomorrow to better explain it..i think i lost myself in that

purebullet417 · 06/24/2007, 11:56 PM

i know exactly what you are talking about take a picture and i will show you what to do

sir_dudeguy · 06/25/2007, 12:13 AM

Cool i'll do that tomorrow. Right now its just a piece of "flex" pvc (it USED to be flexible...its the thick stuff though, so its completely rigid now lol) as my standpipe...it was what i had when i took the other one off...its what i've had their for a year now, and i've just been dealing w/the noise. I should tell the story of how i found out that i want it quite now though heheh..

K, so i had just picked up a canary blenny (this was like, last monday) and had been acclimating him for over an hour and a half at this point...i use one of the dripper siphon acclimators and he was in the usual tub sitting on the coffe table next to the tank right? Well i was gonna finish eating my soup and then throw the fish in the tank...But right then i hear a big CRASH and go running over there.

The table with the acclimating canary blenny had fallen over!! Dont know why, guess it just wasnt sturdy. So now i got like a gallon and a half of saltwater on the carpet and a fish somewhere. Found the fish, threw him in and started to clean up the mess. Soaked up the water and put everything back. I then ran to pick something up from my auto shop, and when i got back, my dad says my new light fixture came in. So i'm like "score!" and i'm all tryin to figure out how to get it together now...i go to the canopy to measure something, and i notice that the return pump is shooting in LOTS of bubbles...meaning the sump was running really low, only i had just topped it off and i knew there was like 10 gallons to go lol. I look down there and its practically empty.

So now i start lookin for the leak, and sure enough, the floor is soaked, but its like 2 feet from the tank and everything else closer to the tank is dry? Then i found the stupid drip acclimator. It was still siphoning water out but the valve popped off so it was siphoning pretty fast lol...guess i forgot about it w/all the distraction from the fish. So it had been going for like 2 or 3 hours just siphoning out water onto the carpet. Steam cleaned for like an hour, then put my new t5's together, and was up untill like 2 that morning putting it together.

Overall, not my best day..but now the last few days, i've been really enjoying the silent-ness of the tank...i've got powerheads in the display so i got plenty of flow..i'm in AZ so i have no need for a heater this time of year

So i've been running without the sump for about a week now and i can actually sleep now (my room is the living room

) its so quiet

purebullet417 · 06/25/2007, 12:15 AM

just get a pic and ill show you what to do

melev · 06/25/2007, 12:18 AM

Here is what I did with my overflow box.

purebullet417 · 06/25/2007, 12:24 AM

melve always stealing my thunder lol thats one way to do it with a baffle but my way is a little different

melev · 06/25/2007, 12:30 AM

On my 55g, I just snaked some airline tubing down the drainline about 6", and that ran silently. It was tough to find that 'sweet spot' but once I did, I used a clothes pin to keep the tubing at that precise spot.

I may have stolen your thunder, but you can still play with lightning.

06/24/2007, 07:39 PM	#1
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	What to do w/sump Ok so i've been making a couple changes in my 40 breeder lately...the biggest change being the new lights. But now i'm considering not using my sump. I really dont like how noisy the overflow is. I've tried silencers and they havent worked. But also, i really havent got anything worth using in there..All i do is put carbon in there, but i could put that in an HOB filter if i wanted..As for the heater, i'd have no problem hiding that in the back of my rock. Havent been running a skimmer for over a year now on this tank, and lately it seems to be getting better and better...i'm thinking i'll just keep up doing what i'm doing Would it be worth it to ditch the sump? The tank has to stay under there cuz i cant get it out, so i'm thinking of using my return pump/hoses as an ATO system, that way i dont have to top off myself.. Whats everyone's opinions on what to do? Right now, the sump is currently only good for carbon, and noise, at which point HOB filter would be better, right? __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

06/24/2007, 08:19 PM	#2
Avi Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Westchester County, NY Posts: 7,327	Duder...Which kinds of silencers have you tried that haven't worked? I bet we can get those silenced and you can continue using the sump for the benefits that it offers, including, a refugium. __________________ I'd keep the whole ocean if my den were big enough Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef with 210 lbs. of live rock, Aqua-C EV180 Skimmer, Aquactinic double 250W MH with blue plus t5 support; 58 gallon freshwater planted tank using CO2 and T5s; 30-gallon cube with a few fancy goldfish; and a 110 gallon FOWLR

06/24/2007, 08:29 PM	#3
Houtz Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vernal, Utah Posts: 146	Is your sump big enough that losing the water volume would cause an instability? Other than that I don't see why it would hurt your system to lose it, except for having to attach the equipment to the display tank, which you've said your okay with. If I were me, and I am, I would get rid of it if it irritated me and it wasn't useful. I know what you mean about noise glug, sluuuuuurp...sluckkkchhkk __________________ "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Rom. 5: 7-8 NKJV Current Tank Info: 29 gal. AGA mixed reef

06/24/2007, 08:34 PM	#4
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	I would keep it if possible. Any added volume will help keep your parameters stable. __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

06/24/2007, 09:34 PM	#5
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I speaketh from experience.... I have a 40g and wish every day of my life on earth that I would have done a sump when I set up my tank. Just my 2c. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

06/24/2007, 09:51 PM	#6
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	Your drain can be silenced if you want to do that. There are to many of us with completely silent drains for me to believe it is impossible with your setup. I have found the best way to silence my drain was to put a piece of airline in my "silencer hole" and a air valve on the end of that airline so I can adjust the amount of air to my desire. If your not running any equipment in your sump, you are like me, the only equipment in my sump is a heater. I use my "sump" as a refugium. IME the refugium is the best part of my system. It removes nutrients through the use of macro algaes, and continually produces food for my corals to eat. I don't care about filters. I don't care about protein skimmers. I don't use additives except calcuim and buffer. My tank is awesome and I don't have to do much except for feed. I know the opinion is not popular but it is hard to argue with results. You can get your drain to be silent. You can make that extra water volume work for you. You do have a group of people here willing to help you do that. Just ask. __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

06/24/2007, 11:30 PM	#8
rkcca Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: OC, So Cal Posts: 236	Try this link for a Durso Stand Pipe . Pretty cheap, easy and effective

06/24/2007, 11:42 PM	#9
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	btw this is an HOB overflow...not sure if that makes any difference for the standpipe? __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

06/24/2007, 11:51 PM	#10
purebullet417 Rimless Reef Club Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 1,509	thats the reason its loud. on the outside tank side of the overflow box there should be a little peice of pvc in the box. if you put a sponge over it it will scilence it alot. my uncle has one and after about the first month of use you cant realy here it anymore. if you dont understand what i am saying take a pic of the box on the outside of the tank and i will show you __________________ My 57 Gallon Rimless Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2341582 Current Tank Info: 57 Gallon Rimless

06/24/2007, 11:54 PM	#11
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	Well ya i've got a piece of pvc going up from it...so i gues you could call it a standpipe, ya? I just have no silencer on it right now...when i tried the one i had before it didnt...silence lol, so i got rid of it. It actually seemed to make it do weird things and i was worried i'd lose siphon or something. Its been going like this for over a year now...with just a piece of pvc going up from the bulkhead. The water level on the back fills up to that point and then falls into the pvc. If needed, i suppose i could shoot some pics tomorrow to better explain it..i think i lost myself in that __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

06/24/2007, 11:56 PM	#12
purebullet417 Rimless Reef Club Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 1,509	i know exactly what you are talking about take a picture and i will show you what to do __________________ My 57 Gallon Rimless Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2341582 Current Tank Info: 57 Gallon Rimless

06/25/2007, 12:13 AM	#13
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	Cool i'll do that tomorrow. Right now its just a piece of "flex" pvc (it USED to be flexible...its the thick stuff though, so its completely rigid now lol) as my standpipe...it was what i had when i took the other one off...its what i've had their for a year now, and i've just been dealing w/the noise. I should tell the story of how i found out that i want it quite now though heheh.. K, so i had just picked up a canary blenny (this was like, last monday) and had been acclimating him for over an hour and a half at this point...i use one of the dripper siphon acclimators and he was in the usual tub sitting on the coffe table next to the tank right? Well i was gonna finish eating my soup and then throw the fish in the tank...But right then i hear a big CRASH and go running over there. The table with the acclimating canary blenny had fallen over!! Dont know why, guess it just wasnt sturdy. So now i got like a gallon and a half of saltwater on the carpet and a fish somewhere. Found the fish, threw him in and started to clean up the mess. Soaked up the water and put everything back. I then ran to pick something up from my auto shop, and when i got back, my dad says my new light fixture came in. So i'm like "score!" and i'm all tryin to figure out how to get it together now...i go to the canopy to measure something, and i notice that the return pump is shooting in LOTS of bubbles...meaning the sump was running really low, only i had just topped it off and i knew there was like 10 gallons to go lol. I look down there and its practically empty. So now i start lookin for the leak, and sure enough, the floor is soaked, but its like 2 feet from the tank and everything else closer to the tank is dry? Then i found the stupid drip acclimator. It was still siphoning water out but the valve popped off so it was siphoning pretty fast lol...guess i forgot about it w/all the distraction from the fish. So it had been going for like 2 or 3 hours just siphoning out water onto the carpet. Steam cleaned for like an hour, then put my new t5's together, and was up untill like 2 that morning putting it together. Overall, not my best day..but now the last few days, i've been really enjoying the silent-ness of the tank...i've got powerheads in the display so i got plenty of flow..i'm in AZ so i have no need for a heater this time of year So i've been running without the sump for about a week now and i can actually sleep now (my room is the living room ) its so quiet __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

06/25/2007, 12:15 AM	#14
purebullet417 Rimless Reef Club Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 1,509	just get a pic and ill show you what to do __________________ My 57 Gallon Rimless Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2341582 Current Tank Info: 57 Gallon Rimless

06/25/2007, 12:18 AM	#15
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Here is what I did with my overflow box.

06/25/2007, 12:24 AM	#16
purebullet417 Rimless Reef Club Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 1,509	melve always stealing my thunder lol thats one way to do it with a baffle but my way is a little different __________________ My 57 Gallon Rimless Build Thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2341582 Current Tank Info: 57 Gallon Rimless

06/25/2007, 12:30 AM	#17
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	On my 55g, I just snaked some airline tubing down the drainline about 6", and that ran silently. It was tough to find that 'sweet spot' but once I did, I used a clothes pin to keep the tubing at that precise spot. I may have stolen your thunder, but you can still play with lightning.