Building a Sump-confused

Gulfsurfer · 06/10/2009, 01:19 PM

okay so I have a 46 gallon tank that I want to build a sump for.... I was going to buy a 14 or 15 gallon aquarium as my sump.... what size overflow do I need and my design I was going to use was this one off youtube... would this suffice? WHat kind of return pump would I need? Also, if I use live rock/sand... will this cause a cycle to arise?

Overflow box:http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-OVERFLO...3A1%7C294%3A50

Sump design: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o

SaltyFin21 · 06/10/2009, 01:30 PM

it should not cause a major fluctation in ammonia as long as your live rock is fully cured. I would cure the live rock in a seperate tank just be sure

Gulfsurfer · 06/10/2009, 01:46 PM

Okay, how deep should my sand bed be then? and is that overflow box good/enough?

Gulfsurfer · 06/10/2009, 01:54 PM

here was what I was thinking for a sump design... WHere would the refuge go though?

Skeptic_07 · 06/10/2009, 02:22 PM

Check out www.melevsreef.com for DIY sump designs. His directions are for working with acrylic but you can make most of them by gluing baffles into tanks.

cdbias2 · 06/10/2009, 03:01 PM

Please dont look for a cheep overflow. The damage a bad one will cost can be 100 times the money your trying to save. Look at a "Lifereef" overflow.

JohnnyBassMan · 06/10/2009, 05:14 PM

Sand bed questions? try

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm

Great information about many things.

Kur · 06/10/2009, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cdbias2
Please dont look for a cheep overflow. The damage a bad one will cost can be 100 times the money your trying to save. Look at a "Lifereef" overflow.

$200 for a small acrylic box?

I can get 4 55g aquariums on craigslist for that. A 40g acrylic sump barely costs that much.

I'll say it again,

They saw us comin a mile away. We are all suckers. "Ooo look at the shiny plastic box! Here, take every dollar I have just GIVE ME THAT BOX!!! my precious..."

ricksconnected · 06/10/2009, 05:23 PM

i gotta agree with kur here. i dont know much about the subject but what can possibly be the difference?

cdbias2 · 06/10/2009, 05:32 PM

Notice the dividing walls on the back of the box in between the tubes and the drains?

ricksconnected · 06/10/2009, 05:39 PM

the white plastic?

cdbias2 · 06/10/2009, 06:05 PM

A good overflows rear compartment has 3 sections. One for the tubes and it has the highest water level and in the middle, and the other two on each side for the drains. The water overflows the tube compartment walls into the drain compartments.
It makes it sort of a buffer in case of power failures because it keeps the drain end of the tubes underwater at all times.

06/10/2009, 01:19 PM	#1
Gulfsurfer Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 116	Building a Sump-confused okay so I have a 46 gallon tank that I want to build a sump for.... I was going to buy a 14 or 15 gallon aquarium as my sump.... what size overflow do I need and my design I was going to use was this one off youtube... would this suffice? WHat kind of return pump would I need? Also, if I use live rock/sand... will this cause a cycle to arise? Overflow box:http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-OVERFLO...3A1%7C294%3A50 Sump design: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o

06/10/2009, 01:30 PM	#2
SaltyFin21 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: el paso, TEXAS Posts: 71	it should not cause a major fluctation in ammonia as long as your live rock is fully cured. I would cure the live rock in a seperate tank just be sure

06/10/2009, 01:46 PM	#3
Gulfsurfer Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 116	Okay, how deep should my sand bed be then? and is that overflow box good/enough?

06/10/2009, 01:54 PM	#4
Gulfsurfer Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 116	here was what I was thinking for a sump design... WHere would the refuge go though?

06/10/2009, 02:22 PM	#5
Skeptic_07 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: lawn guy land Posts: 1,418	Check out www.melevsreef.com for DIY sump designs. His directions are for working with acrylic but you can make most of them by gluing baffles into tanks.

06/10/2009, 03:01 PM	#6
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Please dont look for a cheep overflow. The damage a bad one will cost can be 100 times the money your trying to save. Look at a "Lifereef" overflow.

06/10/2009, 05:14 PM	#7
JohnnyBassMan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 244	Sand bed questions? try http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm Great information about many things.

06/10/2009, 05:23 PM	#9
ricksconnected Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: ga Posts: 201	i gotta agree with kur here. i dont know much about the subject but what can possibly be the difference?

06/10/2009, 05:32 PM	#10
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Notice the dividing walls on the back of the box in between the tubes and the drains?

06/10/2009, 05:39 PM	#11
ricksconnected Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: ga Posts: 201	the white plastic?

06/10/2009, 06:05 PM	#12
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	A good overflows rear compartment has 3 sections. One for the tubes and it has the highest water level and in the middle, and the other two on each side for the drains. The water overflows the tube compartment walls into the drain compartments. It makes it sort of a buffer in case of power failures because it keeps the drain end of the tubes underwater at all times.