sump for a 90 gallon

[bluetimes]

I WANT TO BUILD A SUMP FOR A 90 GALLON REEF TANK I AM IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP. WILL A 20 GALLON LONG BE BIG ENOUGH FOR THAT SIZE TANK I WANT TO BUILD REFUGIUM IN THE CENTER AND ONE CHAMBER FOR THE PUMP. OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS IF SOME ONE HAS SOMTHING TO RECOMMEND OR SIMILAR PICS OF THIS SETUP WOULD BE AWESOME. OR WHAT SIZE TANK SHOULD I USE. ONE MORE QUESTION I HAVE LIKE 50 POUNDS OF LACE ROCK IF I PUT LIKE 40 POUNDS OF LIVE ROCK WITH THAT WILL IT SEED THE OTHER ROCK AND IS THAT A GOOD IDEA OR NOT. I AM ON A BUDGET. I HAVE THE 20 GALLON LONG TANK LAYING AROUND THAT IS WHY I WOULD USE IT IF POSSIBLE.

[rmanecke]

You can buy pre cut baffles to glue into that tank on ebay. From usa aqautics (I think?). Just search for sumps, refugiums, on ebay.

There is a simple design recommended at that sight that works well for a fuge and smallish skimmer. The bubble trap could be better though.

Here is the pics of the design I did for my 56 gallon cube with a smaller sump. This was from pre cut acrylic pieces that I bought on ebay. Ultimately, I had to add a filter sock to control bubbles. Other than that, I am very happy with the simple design and low cost. This was just my first sump, so be kind. It measures 23.5 l x 14 h x 12.



Tips: get your skimmer 1st, then build the sump around your skimmer. You can save money by using a home depot bulb for your fuge, see Melevs reef for advice on this. Also, see that site for instructions on how to build a better bubble trap than the one I have, if you don't want to use a filter sock. Good luck!

[sjm817]

I'd use a 30L. 40B is nice, but the 18" width usually wont fit in the stand.

[rmanecke]

Other thoughts....

The 20 long will have room for your equipment if you are willing to use a small skimmer, BUT, make sure you check what happens when your power goes down. With you main pump off, the sump will backfill from your tank.

My sump is 14 inches tall, and JUST holds the backflow with the power off (with about five gallons to spare). I had to plumb in a one way valve from the main pump to cut down on the back siphoning.

Your 20 gallon long is 12 inches tall (right?), and that might JUST do it. It will be close.

Good luck. Hopefully someone with experience using a 20L for a sump will chime in.

R

[sprayin70]

I used a 30 gallon for a sump with my 75. I had to put it in from the top. The stand had a centerbrace but I removed put the sump in and then put it back. Good luck!

[hebdo27]

I have a 90 gal with a 30 gal sump (36X12X16) and I find this barely big enough. You will most likely not be able to get a decent sized skimmer in your 20 gal (plus a refugum!) Go bigger if you can. My return is a Mag 9.5 and my venturi skimmer runs off a Mag 7. I have to fill the sump every 1.5 days with evap water because water levels in the sump get dangerously close to the Mag 9.5 at the bottom.....go bigger....IMHO.

Good luck

[bignick]

I used standeard 20 gallon tank on my old 90 and i had a all-glass stand and i have to suggest going bigger to either a 30 or a 40. You will have more room to work and it will be easier to access everything for maitnance and what not.

[Phyxius]

I would go with the 30. I used a 30 in my 90 setup and its a good size but could be a tad bigger. A 20L is really cutting the space to add baffles, skimmer area, and return area. I used a 20on my old 65 system and it was really too small. Heres a pic of the 30 under my 90 when I first set the tank up. It gave some nice areas for the skimmer, fuge and return areas. It was a tight fit with a ER CS6-1 with gate valve installed but it went in there.

[mpoletti]

That is nice. I have been tinkering with the idea of late. How deep of sand bed do you actually need for the fuge to properly dissapate nitrates?

[rmanecke]

I love seeing equipment setups. Nice sump Phyxis! Do you use an ATO? If so... where do you hide your freshwater resevior?

R

[Phyxius]

rmanecke
I use the Tunze Osmolator ATO on all my tanks. On the system in the pic I built a side cabinet to match the tank and stand that houses my RO/DI 11g storage container, chiller, calcium reactor, ballasts and etc. Heres a top down view in the cabinet of the RO/DI tank you asked about.

[roader247]

Don't mean to hijack the tread but would like to see phyxius's tank sump looks great, I have been working for a long time to get my 90 set up maybe It will be soon.

[dukes707]

i would do at leaste a 30g. 20g long just isnt reasonable when you think about the size skimmer you would use plus all the pumps baffels heaters ATO equpt plus a fuge. i remember reading somewhere taht your sump should optimally be 1/3 of your display volume, dont know how true this is but it makes sense. i mean it is possible to do a 20g long, but you would be building yourself into a corner without room for growth/expansion. plus you would have to be filling a 20g more often due to the amount of evaporation that would occur in your display, increasing your husbandry responsibilities, not to mention the swings in salinity that would take place if you left it for too long without topping off.
if money is a factor (i know it is for everyone, this hobby aint cheap) then you sould use rubbermade storage tubs. i used a 30g for the sump and placed a 10g perpendicularly inside it for the fuge. this serves two purpouses 1: gives me a fuge 2:makes the sump rigid so it doesnt bow out from the pressure of the water. fits inside perfectly. drilled 1/4" holes into one side of the 10g to drain into the sump. mounted it in place with some plastic plumbing screws (the kinds used for toilet flanges). fits everything i need and then some. i got a ASM g3 in there, and there was a bubble tower but i took it out cause i dont have a bubble problem, and return is a mag5 AND a mag3, my top off is plumbed in there as well. sump fills about 3" from the top when everything goes down and all returns are off. never had a prob with it, and i must say it works damn well.
not so "pretty" like the perfectly squared off glass or acrylic sumps, but then again my sump is not on display and it serves its purpous flawlessly. for less than the price of buying just the 30g tank to build a pretty sump, you can build a complete fully functional fuge&sump.
prob wondering how i get away with no baffels right...
the sump is tall enough and long enough that the bubbles rise to the top and hit the side of the fuge and pop before they get a chance to go under it to the return side, as well there are poly/carbon/and phosphate pads under the fuge to catch debris and stray bubbles if there are any.
and my ATO reservoir sits perfectly next to it in the stand outta sight. just a few cost effective ideas to help you out. i built my 90g on a budget too bro, and i must say this is about as cost effective as it gets. cheap, baffel-less, room for everything you need and everything fits like a glove. i havent any pics but if you are interested i can take some and post em if you need a visual. hope this helps.
-Francis

[rmanecke]

Phyxis... thanks for the pics! That is the solution I have considered for my setup (a second equipment cabinet). AND back to this thread... this second cabinet idea opens up many options. It is very hard to cram everything into a 3 or 5 foot cabinet!

Dukes 707, this sounds like a great solution. Post some pics if you can!

[bluetimes]

thanks for the info. would like to see the plastic bin sump that you built with the 10 gallon in it . other wise i am going to put a sump in the basement i can put it ther now i just have to find a pump. the mag drive 18 looks like it will have about 860 gph at 12 ft any pne else with recommends on pump let me now. i have a 55gallon i am think ing about using if i put sump in the basement. that is why i am looking for an internal pump because i have no way of drilling glass. the 55 will not fit upstairs in the wall with the 90 so the only way to use it is to put it down stairs any info on that is great thanks

[dukes707]

will post some pics in the morning guys. took a lot of brainstorming to come up with this design, but i gotta say it all paid off in the end. hope you guys have the same luck with it.
-Francis

[dukes707]

pics as requested.













sorry no construction pics. didnt really think anyone would be interested in my idea so i didnt take any while i was building it. but you can see all that it entails from the pics i think. not complicated at all, just takes a lil time. honestly i built it in about 3hrs, start to finish. just make sure you get all your supplies ahead of time.
30g tub
10g tub
plastic screws with rubber gaskets (in plunbing section. the kind used for toilet flanges)
rubber bath mat, lined on the bottom to absorb vibration and kill 98% pump noise
pumps,skimmer,heater, ATO and any other essentials you need.
tools: drill with 1/4" bit for fuge holes, duck tape, screwdriver, maybe a utility knife
thats it...remember to measure, measure then re-measure before you cut anything!!!
hope this helps guys. best of luck. let me know if you need any other help on this one.
-Francis

[staticx]

I would get as big of a sump as you can fit. I have a 70 gal sump on my 100 gal tank. I dont understand the point of lace rock. Lace rock would just be worthless in a saltwater tank. the lace rock will get some coraline over time but thats about it, it wont help filtration at all. If you are on a budget think about getting some base rock. Or go to ebay you can get live rock for 2 bucks a lb and sometimes even cheaper

[dukes707]

why wouldnt lace rock, or any seeded porous rock for that matter not help filtration? i think live rock is only "alive" due to the bacteria that grows on it and in it. if any rock sits in the ocean for a decent amount of time and is allowed to be colonized with beneficial bacteria then it would be considered "live" wouldnt it? thus aiding filtration. i have used non live lava rock as base rock before and it worked out well. grew coraline, as well as beneficial bacteria and became live after a few months. it just cant be super dense like granite or marble or anything like that cause bacteria would not be able to colonize in it or on it. base rock isnt alive when you get it either. its very much dead, and only becomes alive when it is seeded by truely live rock after a while. i dont mean to contradict, but i dont believe that lace rock cannot be used. if anyone has anymore info on this i would be interested.
-Francis

[Phyxius]

dukes707,
Great idea and great work on the sump. Looks like you have all the bases covered with it.


rmanecke,
Theres an older pic (2 mths ago) of my tank I just uploaded to my gallery. There is also some pics of the side cabinet there also