Sump question

B

Brando457

Active member
I was wondering on a sump setup like this where you would place the protein skimmer or would you have to do a HOB?



Also I assume above where the bioballs are you could run filter media like carbon or floss?

how would i fit the skimmer in the right chamber if that is where the return pump goes?

Also what could I replace the bioballs with and where would I put live rock and sand?

Wondering what individuals who buy a sump like that change or do to it to be better performing.


- Brandon
 
If I was you, I would take the entire left(as in the pic) side and throw it in the trash. You don't need the bio balls or the the wet dry part. Old technology that doesn't work very well. Then I would take the thing and just run it as a sump. I would drill the end for a bulkhead and run an external pump. I would then plumb from the pump, "T" it off and go to the skimmer with one half of the pump and the tank return with the other half.

How big is the tank and what kind/size of pump are you planning on running? If you don't have it yet, then you are much better off as you can make it anything you want. I use a Little Giant pump but have also used Iwaki pumps also with great success. Either would serve you well. Need to know a lot more info to be able to properly help you in your endevour. JMO. YMMV. Mark
 
Deep Thief said:
If I was you, I would take the entire left(as in the pic) side and throw it in the trash. You don't need the bio balls or the the wet dry part. Old technology that doesn't work very well. Then I would take the thing and just run it as a sump. I would drill the end for a bulkhead and run an external pump. I would then plumb from the pump, "T" it off and go to the skimmer with one half of the pump and the tank return with the other half.

How big is the tank and what kind/size of pump are you planning on running? If you don't have it yet, then you are much better off as you can make it anything you want. I use a Little Giant pump but have also used Iwaki pumps also with great success. Either would serve you well. Need to know a lot more info to be able to properly help you in your endevour. JMO. YMMV. Mark
Click to expand...

I'm bit confused when you say plumb it from the pump you mean put a T on the actual pump and run that to the skimmer then run the other part of the T to the tank for return? How would the water get back to the pump to bring it to the tank or do you mean run the T to the skimmer then the skimmer return to the pump? A diagram might make it easier to understand.

The tank is a 78 gallon 36 W x 28 H x 18 D.

I have not purchased a return pump yet, but am looking. Basically I am piecing together the setup, but I got the sump included with the tank for a great price.
 
Deep Thief said:
If I was you, I would take the entire left(as in the pic) side and throw it in the trash. You don't need the bio balls or the the wet dry part. Old technology that doesn't work very well. Then I would take the thing and just run it as a sump. I would drill the end for a bulkhead and run an external pump. I would then plumb from the pump, "T" it off and go to the skimmer with one half of the pump and the tank return with the other half.

How big is the tank and what kind/size of pump are you planning on running? If you don't have it yet, then you are much better off as you can make it anything you want. I use a Little Giant pump but have also used Iwaki pumps also with great success. Either would serve you well. Need to know a lot more info to be able to properly help you in your endevour. JMO. YMMV. Mark
Click to expand...

im with the - "throw the left side in the trash." modify it to be your sump only.
 
Ok, here is the way I have and will be doing it on my tank. Get a pump that is big enough to run the skimmer you want and the flow to your tank. So if you need 500gph for the skimmer and you want 500gph to the tank for flow you will need approx an 1100gph pump. Why 1100 and not 1000(500 + 500) you ask. I am taking into account for some head loss.

So, from the sump bulkhead, put a ball valve, then a union then to the pump. Now come out of the pump to another union. Why the unions and ball valve, so you can remove the pump for maintenance with out draining all your water.

Now from the second union put a "Tee" with one side going to the skimmer and one side going to the tank. On the skimmer side put a gate valve so you can regulate the amount of water going into the skimmer. You don't need to regulate the tank side as you are just using whatever is left over. Have the skimmer return back into the sump.

When I plumb my tanks, I use a corner overflow and drill the tank bottom. Careful with this as some tanks are tempered bottoms and you CAN'T drill those. Have the tank drain right down into the sump. I will put a gate valve(must be a gate valve and NOT a ball valve, you can't control a ball valve well enough) on this pipe so I can close it off a little.

I do this so that I can raise the level in my corner overflow so that the water only has to drop down an inch or so and doesn't make a huge splash/gurgle sound when hitting the empty bottom of the overflow.

Hope that makes sense without the pics. ?'s, just ask away. Mark
 
how hard is to do something like this just with thicker acrylic

12-2-0975g019.jpg

left side is for the skimmer and over flow sock,middle is retun and right side is a mini refuge
 
I guess I should mention that the skimmer I would use is an external skimmer and not an in the sump variety. Might help with the thought process here.
 
Sweetlou said:
Id just put it in the right side?? Whats wrong with that?
Click to expand...

Nothing, if thats the way you want your system. I use external pumps and skimmers. Thats me. There are 50 different ways to acheive the same end result and they all work. If you leave your house and want to get back, do you make 5 rights or 4 lefts and a right. Both get you back to your driveway:thumbsup:.Mark
 
Excuse the crude picture but if I'm right this is the idea you had?



Only issue is how am I going to fit this all under the stand?
 
Yes, thats crude but what I was saying. As for fitting it all under the stand, well thats the problem we all have. Mine, this time is going under a 30 so its only 12" front to back and it all doesn't fit. I have to have my pump and skimmer behind the tank so it sits approx 10" out from the wall.

I MIGHT have been able to squeeze it all if I had used a 10gal as my sump instead of an acrylic sump that I bought. That is an awefully big MIGHT! Having a tank that is 18"(like yours) front to back should help the situtation some. Unfortunately no one said it would be easy. Just think, this is what makes this hobby, FUN!

As I stated in another post, there are other ways of acheiving the same end result. You could use an in the sump skimmer and that would help alleviate some of the room problems. There are in the sump pumps also. These pumps sit directly in the water so they add heat to the water. In my case, I am trying to use a 150watt MH over my 30 with out running a chiller so I want as little extra heat going in as is possible.

Running an external pump is the way I have always done it and since its always worked, then I don't see a need to change it now. These are some of the decisions you will have to make for your self. I am only giving you suggestions based on what I have done in the past and am currently doing now. I am sure there will be some other people on here shortly that will suggest other ways of accompolishing the same goal. Good luck,Mark.:beer:
Let me know if you have any more ?'s about this set up, I would be glad to help.
 
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I would just get a 20g or 29g tank and make your own sump. You will be able to see how much room you need for your skimmer and return pump and make the baffles accordingly. Dont worry about an external pump. I would get an Eheim 1260 and an internal skimmer and be done with it.
 
Keep it simple. I just made my sump from a 30g.
 

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I'm in the process of making one out of a 20L using glass baffles (very close to the one squidy3 posted a pic of). It's actually fairly easy to do as long as you take your time.
 
I have the same type of wet-dry as above but bought a 20L to convert into a sump/fuge. Is using the type of hose pictured above ok, or should I go to something else. BTW, what is that type of hose called? I notice most people are using pvc...is this because they have predrilled tanks? I'm using an external overflow box and I'm not sure what I should use for plumbing. I plan on doing something similar to squidy 3 with the T from return into fuge section.
 
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I agree; get rid of the Bio Balls. Depending on your time, budget and space, you can always mount a HOB skimmer on the sump itself so you dont have to hang it on the display tank. Seems more economical as well!
 
If you haven't purchased that sump yet, I would pass. You can easily make a sump out of a 20 or 30 gallon tank (whatever size you can fit in your stand. You can cut acrylic or glass baffles and place them exactly where you need. You should have plenty of room for a skimmer, heater, return pump, and whatever you need in a 2o or 30 gallon tank.
 
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