90 Gallon reef aquarium set up help
- Thread starter Gomes
- Start date
I wouldn't describe it as sideways. That's just how it will fit. The intake of the pump doesn't care which side it's pulling the water from. The output can be positioned in any direction around the skimmer body. So for mine the pump is on the left, the output is towards the back sending the water to the opposite side of the return towards my filter bags which is on the right side of my sump. I can assure you that it will fit, just not fully parallel with the depth of the sump.
mmn
New member
There's a calculator on the main page that will tell you how many gallons will drain into the sump based on size of tank (length, width) and water depth above drain.
http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php/sump-volume
Regards
Michael
That drain calculator says for my size tank with a 2" depth I will get 7.5 gallon back flow. Makes me skeptical about using a 20 gallon long. Would I be smarter using a normal 30 gallon aquarium for my sump? I would use a 30 gallon breeder but my stand only has a 16" width. I really want the biggest tank under 16" width for my sump.
Well a 20 gallon tank half full leaves you 10 gallons. Many have done it.
I have a 29 gallon.
Best I can do with pics. I was originally going to put my ATO reservoir in the stand, but instead made a fish closet. My situation is unique in that there is a sectional in front of the tank so I need side access. That's why everything is far right. But you get the idea. My water depth is 12". Skimmer on a 6" stand and with the return off I still have 3" before I would overflow.
I have a 29 gallon.
Best I can do with pics. I was originally going to put my ATO reservoir in the stand, but instead made a fish closet. My situation is unique in that there is a sectional in front of the tank so I need side access. That's why everything is far right. But you get the idea. My water depth is 12". Skimmer on a 6" stand and with the return off I still have 3" before I would overflow.
Do you think I would be smarter going with a standard 30 gallon tank [36.3x12.7x16.8] instead of a 20 gallon long [30x12.5x12.8]? Do you have a refugium in your sump what did you do for compartments? Your tank looks amazing great color in that photo. Did you start with live rock or do it yourself? I am worried about getting bad live rock and was thinking maybe a 50% dead 50% live ratio or 75/25 ratio to reduce chances of getting the bad stuff.
30 gallons. I had a glass company cut 3 baffles for a bubble trap and siliconed them in myself.
I'm not a fan of refugiums for many reasons. Given your space constraints I wouldn't even bother. It won't have much of an impact on nutrients and there are more effective ways of exporting nutrients.
I did 100% dry rock and a bottle of bacteria. Dr. Tims One and Only or Bio Spira will work to jump start your cycle. You'll get plenty of hitchhikers coming in from frags.
I'm not a fan of refugiums for many reasons. Given your space constraints I wouldn't even bother. It won't have much of an impact on nutrients and there are more effective ways of exporting nutrients.
I did 100% dry rock and a bottle of bacteria. Dr. Tims One and Only or Bio Spira will work to jump start your cycle. You'll get plenty of hitchhikers coming in from frags.
Wait so you suggest I just have a 2 compartment sump? Water comes in goes through skimmer then over the baffles and out the return with a GFO Reactor & ATO hooked up? If thats all I am doing why cant I just do a 20 gallon long sump I mean it seems like the extra water volume doesn't matter since I am not having a refugium? I am just confused on what way to build my sump...
90 Gallon reef aquarium set up help
My tank was basically "initially" cycled the moment I dumped the bacteria in the tank.
http://youtu.be/kPxExG-FbvI
Pretty much. There's a million ways to setup a sump. The 29 gallon gives me extra volume. I matched the large compartments volume with my water change container. This way I drain the compartment and refill it. All my water is transferred with pumps and switches. Takes about 10 minutes. The 29 does add a little height compared to the 20 gallon but I built my stand so it wasn't an issue.
A piece of good advice...
Keep it simple. And design your system in such a way that makes maintenance easy. The easier it is to do it the more likely you'll do it.
My tank was basically "initially" cycled the moment I dumped the bacteria in the tank.
http://youtu.be/kPxExG-FbvI
Pretty much. There's a million ways to setup a sump. The 29 gallon gives me extra volume. I matched the large compartments volume with my water change container. This way I drain the compartment and refill it. All my water is transferred with pumps and switches. Takes about 10 minutes. The 29 does add a little height compared to the 20 gallon but I built my stand so it wasn't an issue.
A piece of good advice...
Keep it simple. And design your system in such a way that makes maintenance easy. The easier it is to do it the more likely you'll do it.
