40 gal breeder do I need a sump?
- Thread starter Mark687
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jerseygurl
New member
Make things easy for yourself, get one.
R_Hudson
Just having fun
Tank doesnt have to be drilled to add a sump! they make overflowes that work off of siphon, and an air hose which can easily be added at a later date.
I ran all of my nanos sumpless. I never had any issues. I used a HOB powerfilter that housed carbon, and GFO, and my heater was nicely hidden behind a rock. If you keep up with your water changes, there is no need for a skimmer, even in high sps systems.
I ran all of my nanos sumpless. I never had any issues. I used a HOB powerfilter that housed carbon, and GFO, and my heater was nicely hidden behind a rock. If you keep up with your water changes, there is no need for a skimmer, even in high sps systems.
Reefmedic79
Life and Reef Saver
<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>
+ how ever many other people above said to get one.
+ how ever many other people above said to get one.
Yeah...definitely design your system with a sump. They're awesome to have. First, it gives you more water volume. Second, you can incorporate a refugium to absorb excess nutrients and breed free food. Lastly, you can hide all of your equipment under the tank, in the sump.
I designed mine with a sump and have seen pics of sumpless 40's and I'm very glad I chose to go the sump route. If you're planning on building your stand, definitely make it on the taller side so you can fit even more stuff in there. I have my skimmer, a reactore for carbon and gfo and a DIY kalk chamber plumbed into my ro line under there. I also have my three pumps in it (return, skimmer, reactor), my skimmer and my heater.
I also have a two stage refugium in there. Basically, I built a pvc stand for a 5.5 gallon tank that sits in the sump, straddling tow of the sump sections (one half of the stand is in the "return" section, the other in the "live rock" section). It sticks out of the top of the 29 gallon by quite a bit with only the bottom inch or so of the 5.5g below the rim of the 29. I have my return t'd off to feed the 5.5g which then flows through a pipe in the refugium (yep, the 5.5g is drilled on the bottom) down into the live rock chamber which is directly beneath it in the 29.
It'd be a lot easier to see what I'm talking about if I posted pics. Anyway, the point being, you can do a lot with a sump. I would also drill the main tank instead of relying on a siphon for drainage. Just seems a lot safer with regards to spills/overflows IMO. I'd worry about what would happen if your siphon breaks for some reason; basically, you'd be looking at your main tank overflowing until the return pump pumps all of the sump water out. Opinions will differ on this matter, though.
I designed mine with a sump and have seen pics of sumpless 40's and I'm very glad I chose to go the sump route. If you're planning on building your stand, definitely make it on the taller side so you can fit even more stuff in there. I have my skimmer, a reactore for carbon and gfo and a DIY kalk chamber plumbed into my ro line under there. I also have my three pumps in it (return, skimmer, reactor), my skimmer and my heater.
I also have a two stage refugium in there. Basically, I built a pvc stand for a 5.5 gallon tank that sits in the sump, straddling tow of the sump sections (one half of the stand is in the "return" section, the other in the "live rock" section). It sticks out of the top of the 29 gallon by quite a bit with only the bottom inch or so of the 5.5g below the rim of the 29. I have my return t'd off to feed the 5.5g which then flows through a pipe in the refugium (yep, the 5.5g is drilled on the bottom) down into the live rock chamber which is directly beneath it in the 29.
It'd be a lot easier to see what I'm talking about if I posted pics. Anyway, the point being, you can do a lot with a sump. I would also drill the main tank instead of relying on a siphon for drainage. Just seems a lot safer with regards to spills/overflows IMO. I'd worry about what would happen if your siphon breaks for some reason; basically, you'd be looking at your main tank overflowing until the return pump pumps all of the sump water out. Opinions will differ on this matter, though.
bigfish14
New member
I currently have a 40B set up with a sump and I am very happy with it. I love the extra water volume that it provides, which is a huge plus for a small tank like a 40B. I also like the fact that nearly all of my equipment is hidden inside my sump and out of my DT. I really don't see any reason not to go with one. If you do end up getting a sump, then drill the tank rather than use a siphon overflow. It is so easy to drill the glass and a much more reliable option. I got my box and return kit from g l a s s h o l e s
greech
New member
I went sumpless and skimmerless on my 40B reef for about a year until I added a sump and skimmer. Never looked back after that. Weekly 15% water changes definitely kept up with nutrients without the sump and the tank was in good health. However, adding the sump allowed me to do so much more with the system and I was also able to reduce the % of my weekly water change which saves me $ on salt.
I'll try to post pics of my setup later. But, with regards to buying a sump, craigslist is a miracle. I got my 29g tank for 20 bucks. I spent another couple of bucks on glass panes cut at a glass shop and some silicone and, bam....for about 50-60 bucks I got myself a nice, custom, 3 chambered sump. Then I added the 5.5g tank to the system (already had it on hand) and I was done. Some people shy away from glass because it can break and yadda yadda yadda. Acrylic sumps can have bad seams and leak and yadda yadda yadda....it all depends on what you're comfortable with and what your wallet will support. You can great results with either glass or acrylic.
Oh, if you decide to go with glass and get the baffles cut at a shop, be sure the baffles are about 1/8th of an inch more narrow than the inside width of the tank. You don't want them to fit snug. If they're too snug, the baffle will expand slightly with the heat from the water and could crack your sump. Just something to keep in mind. The same applies to using acrylic baffles in a glass sump. I believe (and I could be wrong) the acrylic will expand even more than glass. So, be careful with your measurments.
Oh, if you decide to go with glass and get the baffles cut at a shop, be sure the baffles are about 1/8th of an inch more narrow than the inside width of the tank. You don't want them to fit snug. If they're too snug, the baffle will expand slightly with the heat from the water and could crack your sump. Just something to keep in mind. The same applies to using acrylic baffles in a glass sump. I believe (and I could be wrong) the acrylic will expand even more than glass. So, be careful with your measurments.
Buying a sump is more expensive than making one. You can get a 20-29 gallon for cheap on CL. Return pump you can get around 100 and any light will do with a CFL blb. It would cost way much less than $300. And Im not a real fan of HOB. Drilling is so much more effective and reliable. Most LFS can drill a tank.
I got my tank drilled, made overflows, 29 gallon for sump, made sump with light and return pump for $150
I got my tank drilled, made overflows, 29 gallon for sump, made sump with light and return pump for $150
