DIY sump ?

[Shu]

Ok I have a 20 gallon tall. I have extra 10 gallon that I want to make into a sump. I want it to look like the one here

http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-off...uge-65002.html

My question is where the water comes down from my display tank can I have bio balls. Also where would i place a protien skimmer and what one.

Will this overflow and return work?

Overflow
http://shop.aquatraders.com/Continuo...00-p/44011.htm

Return
http://shop.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-...mp-p/72011.htm

Thanks help is appreciated.

Also, How do I add it on. Do i just put it under my tank and let it start overflowing or would I have to put water in my sump

[txav8r]

That overflow is the same type I have on my 72 gal. tank. You can attach an aqualifter pump to the small hose and it will keep air bubbles out of the overflow. It's easier to prime than the U-tube type overflows.

[txav8r]

That's the same pump I had on the 72 gal. at first. They have them in stock at AD. I think that's gonna be a lot of flow for a 20 gal.

[Shu]

I will probally adjust it with a flow valve to be safe

[allan]

I had the same overflow with my 100 gallon. +1 with the lift pump if for no other reason that it will protect you from losing your siphon... or rather it's an additional safeguard to losing your siphon. Once that's lost your display will fill up and overflow whatever water is still available in your sump.

[recoiljpr]

I would use live rock rubble, not bioballs if you use anything down there. A lot of people run sumps that are devoid of any sand, rocks, etc. Some use thick sand, it's up to you. I would not use a DSB (Deep Sand Bed) since it's only a 10 gallon sump as a thick DSB will really suck down the amount of water you can place in it.

The only thing to be careful about with an overflow like that is to ensure it stays primed. If it doesn't, you could come home and find all of your sump water on your floor. To be extra careful I would add a Tom's Aquatic aqualifter pump and hook it up to the siphon spout of the overflow. That will automatically ensure it's always kept primed.

The return pump should be fine, if not a little big. I use a mag 5 on my sump (30 gallon sump, 65 gallon tank). But, I like most of my flow from my in tank Koralias not from the sump return. It's kind of a personal preference type of thing.

As to water, place the amount of water you want in your sump first before priming the overflow and turning on your return pump. You want the water level in your sump to be no where near the top. That is incase you loose power. When you loose power, your return pump will stop, but your overflow will run untill the water level in the display is low enough to not push through the overflow. So you will usually get a few gallons that will flow down to your sump during powerloss. Make sure you test this first and mark your level so you always know where it's at.

As to a protien skimmer, I would find a HOB (hang on back) model, not an insump model. Your sump space will be at a premium so you don't want a huge skimmer sitting in your sump.

As to what model, that's personal preference. Are you the type of reefer who will constantly upgrade/change to a new tank? Or will you keep that tank running for a long time? I ask this because if you are going to be constantly upgrading, it's better to buy big the first time. That way, as you upgrade tanks you don't have to also upgrade/replace all of your equipment. I would get a skimmer reccomended around 65 gallon minimum. If your looking for something decent and priced decently, a Coralife 65 super skimmer will work well (just make sure to set the level right or it will overflow on you). The AquaC have some nice skimmers, but they use the rio pump which a lot of reefers hate. Also, Coralvue makes the reef octopus line of skimmers, and they have a 90 gallon rated OCT-BH-100. While it's large, it will serve you through quite a few upgrades.

[Shu]

What do you mean make sure its stays primed?

[recoiljpr]

What do you mean make sure its stays primed?

Do you see that little airline on the picture for the overflow? It works by sucking the air out of that lift tube to create suction. That suction then pulls the water from the main tank and down your line into your sump. If you get too many airbubbles in the overflow tube, it will loose it's prime (or suction) and water will slow, or stop flowing at all. Hooking an aqualifter pump up to that line will ensure all of those air bubbles are taken out automatically. Otherwise you will spend time everyday or so going to that tube and sucking on it to get the airbubbles out.

[ErikH]

www.melevsreef.com

[Big_Pun]

www.melevsreef.com

thats where i got my idea for my sump, but i dont have the baffels, im not goin to run a skimmer so i dont have bubble problems ill post pics in my 65g thread as soon as i get it sorted out, but it simple i have the first chamber where the water enters then it over flows to the next chamber the very end has a small wall just to keep the sand from the pump with eggcrate keeping macro from floating into the pump