sump question

[ThrowinRoost89]

how many of you guys have a fuge in your sump?
is it worth putting one in?



i found a aqua c ev180 for $150. and im thinking running a TLF phosban reactor and maybe one for carbon, i really dont know what is needed. i could use some guidance.

return is a mag 12, 55g sump...



and what size compartments should i have?

 

[funkyman]

You can't go wrong having a fuge. It can be nothing but beneficial for your tank. If you have room, I'd set one up.

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

what size sections are suggested?
i have my drains setup so one is on each side of the sump, and im planning on putting the return in the middle.

im also doing a "hector" style overflow.. or something like that. its where the main drain is closed to meet the GPH of the return, and there is a 2ndary drain. so technically, the drain lines will have a full syphon, so there should not be a bubble issue from the drains.

 

[itZme]

Herbie style drains. Compartments depend on what size equipment you have to put in there. What are the skimmer dimensions? I would make the fuge as large as possible. I suggest using THIS type of sump if you have 2 drains and want to have one at each end.

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

thats it, herbie style.

i had greg drill 2 1in hole's on the back glass behiend the overflows. those will be my drains.



is there any reason why the return section is so big? im looking at using the same skimmer in the link you posted, or the model below it.
the ev180 base is 5.55x9in, do you think $150 for the skimmer w/no pump is a good deal?

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

oh yea, do any of you guys have any info on the herbie style overflow?

do i need to put the gate valve at the end of the drain line?i was thinking, if i put the vavle mid way, and once the water got past the gate valve the water would end up sloshing around. correct?

 

[scottfarcuz]

Return section needs to be big enough for any drain back from the display if the return is turned off. If the return section is too small then the tank will need to be topped off more often also to avoid the pump running dry. Not too much of an issue if you run an auto top off.

Also with the dual drain sump like you want the fuge baffle could be made from anything that would keep the marco out of the return pump. It wouldn't have to be glass holding the water level at a fixed height. Unless you wanted sand I guess maybe that could be messy.


Your gate valves can go mid plumbing no problem

 

[itZme]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11243483#post11243483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scottfarcuz
Your gate valves can go mid plumbing no problem

I second that opinion. I have one tank upstairs that drains through a "Herbie" style drain about 10 ft to the basement tanks. I have the gate valve right behind the overflows so I can see what I am doing when I adjust the overflow water level using the valve.

I do not know about those skimmers but I think it is a beckett style skimmer so you will need a pump with at least 1200gph which is kind of why people are getting away from that type of skimmer and going with a recirculating skimmer where you can operate the thing with 50-60 watts instead of 300 watts of electricity.

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

i have a ATO, i just need to figure out what/where im going to put the reservior for it.


my prob may be the sump size, its 11in wide on the inside and 21in tall. so if i get the ev180, ill have to figure out how to get it in there. also the sive of the skimmer is without the pump

a mag 7 or rio 2100 is reccomended for the skimmer, they are 70w. its a foam injection skimmer, i think its about the same as a beckett.

would it be better to get a wider sump? the opening of the stand is 16 7/8

 

[funkyman]

I have the exact same sump design that you're talking about, and the Herbie system as well. Here are some pics. It's hard to see through the sump glass because it's tinted blue.

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

allright thanks guys

how bad do you guys think it would be to run my SS125 on this tank for a while?
i needed a battery for my truck so now my wallet has fallen short
im going to have to see


ill grab some pic of my setup in a bit

 

[funkyman]

It'd do for a little while. I can't imagine the bioload would be that heavy since it's a new setup anyway.

 

[pgolnick]

Here is my fuge story. I've been running my current tank for 10 months. Never had a problem with cyano till I did an extreme trim job on my cheato. With in a few days, cyano showed up. I know, some reasons for the cyano are a combo of over feeding and poor flow in the area it started. Blubs are newer, so I did think lighting was the problem. Well I cut back on my feeding and increased the flow. The cyano didn't start to go away till my cheato grew back. I really think the cheato does a lot to keep things like cyano and hair algae under control.
My fuge get about 33% of my over flow and is lite by a household CF 26watt blub (6500K) I got at walmart.
Plus, it is a great place for snail, worms, micro stars, pod and other things to grow.
HTH
Phil

 

[funkyman]

If you want to come over and check out my tank, you're more than welcome. It sounds like it's going to be pretty much identical to what you have in mind.

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

well, saltysupply has a sale on skimmer n stuff... and i do have some extra moeny, so its a good time to buy a skimmer, right? lol

marine depot $
ev120 $340
ev180 $390

salty supply
ev120 $290
ev180 $320


is it worth it to upgrade to the 180? or would it be over skimming a ligh-med stocked tank?



and i think im going to buy a 40L to be the sump, the skimmer is only 18in tall, my 55 is 21in tall. and i plan on using a waste continer for it, so it wont really work if the hose runs up higher than the collection cup is.

and a 40l is the same height as melevs. anyone local got an extra 40L?


and im goign to use a 5.5g tank for topoff, it will barely fit in the stand.

 

[scottfarcuz]

I've never owned one, and I'm not saying aqua c is junk. It seems like based on folks reviews here on RC you could do better for the $300 range.

I know euro reef, tunze,DAS, ASM etc all offer skimmers in similar price range, and rating. I think resale on most would be better if you ever upgrade.

 

[scottfarcuz]

This guy is somewhere local (440 area code), and seems to be getting good reviews from folks on the ORCA skimmers. He also has the aquac's on the website. I talked to him about a year ago, and he was willing to work out meeting locally to pickup a larger custom skimmer.

http://protein-skimmer.com

 

[glalderman]

I have been running a very marginal (at best) Octopus 110 NW skimmer on my 120 for the past 3 months...took advantage of Salty's sale this weekend and not only stocked the 120...but bought the Tunze 9015 SKimmer they had in stock...first 18hours it didn't even hardly bubble...but in the past 36 hours it has pulled out over 250ml crud...it seems to skim pretty wet but I think I like it that way...

anyway...another Skimmer to think about and it is TINY for what it is rated for (396 lightly loaded)...

Greg

 

[ThrowinRoost89]

RS135 $330 ..."10 x 11.5"
RS 180 $440... 11" x 13.5"
ev120 $290....4.75x8.5”
ev180 $320...5.75x9
EV's dimensions are without the pump


i think every skimmer has good and bad reviews, i think its just weather or not you can tune it right. just like everyone hates on super skimmers, but my 125 runs great.

 

[oldreefer76]

You visit AquaticTech alot, I saw a used Precision Marine skimmer there Friday that will out perform the EV180, We are running a PM Bullet 1 and couldn't be happier with it, and the skimmer at AT was like new, just a thought for ya