in tank sump

[Ostridge]

Hi everyone,

I work at petsmart and i was looking at our tanks and i thought of a nice idea. I want to start up another salt water tank again, and i was gonna buy a tank and a stand, from petsmart. Our stands really dont have anywhere to put a sump, but i thought of doing an intank sump. Like buy a piece of plexiglass and silicon it to the tank. Like make a thing like the nanocubes and biocubes have. What would i need to make all of this happen, and would it even be beneficial for the tank? I was thinking the water drops in one side and is filtered and goes through the carbon, then it goes into the next chamber which is just a ton of live rock. Then it is pumped back out into the main part of the tank. Would this work, and am i missing anything?

 

[kraze3]

First off you would need a piece of glass in a glass tank. Your idea could work though I think your going to lose alot of room in the tank. Lets take a 75 galon tank for example. Front to back is 18 inches. You would need at least 6 inches for your in tank sump. This only leaves you with 12 inches of DT tank now. The same as a 55. Its going to be harder to aquascape and its going to look much smaller. Is it possible to do, yes, I just dont think its worth the trouble. You could buy a 20 long or even a 30 and it should easily fit under your stand. Buy a few piece of glass for baffles and you got yourself an under the stand home made sump/refugium.

 

[TBHockey]

I agree with Kraze, you will reduce the size of your tank and be limited on the Aquascape. Also, what about a Protien Skimmer, on a 75 Gallon Tank your going to want a Skimmer. you could use a HOB but with the Sump you will have more room to add this.

i just built a sump from a 40 Long, the tank cost me $40 and the Baffles from a glass company cost me $7 each, i did 3, $6 for the Aquarium Silicon and for under $75 i have a decent Sump.

 

[Aquarist007]

I agree with the guys above but I have also seen many reefers run a tank beside the display tank but as a refugium. Some of these refugiums can me made to look really great and a show piece esp with different forms of macro aglae.

 

[Aquarist007]

Have a look at what this reefer has done:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1602840

 

[Cbravo212]

I have seen the stands they are talking about. No room what so ever. The front looks like a bookcase.

My advice, do not buy the stand from there. Look around, there are good deals to be had everywhere.

 

[BPKlein]

You could also look at some of the hang on tank refugiums. Some of these even have a protein skimmer built in.

 

[Fizz71]

It's been my experience that tanks that are around 100g or less that you are looking to make a "reef" the actual tank and stand are pretty much the cheapest part.

You only buy it once, so do it right. I wouldn't put a sump divided behind the tank, it'd be too small and a b*tch to reach. I wouldn't partion off the left or right because it would either be too small or odd looking.

Get a good stand that is easy to fit a sump so you can do the tank right from day one. Otherwise..mark my words...you'll regret it later!