Sump with a Slow Leak

WillM

Member
In addition to the potential flatworm issue. I realized last week that the sump on my main tank has a slow leak. I had been chasing the salinity for weeks. Every time I tested it for my weekly water change it would be significantly lower than the water I was putting into the tank. I usually add 1.025 or 1.026 and the tank would be 1.024 or a little lower.

Last week I noticed a dark ring on the hardwood floor around the sump. I don't know where it's leaking from, but it is definitely slowly leaking. And since I have an ATO it is replacing the saltwater with kalkwasser and lowering the salinity. The tank hasn't suffered, but I'm really concerned about the flooring.

I have two options:

* Use another sump that I had bought from Eugene, the down side is that it has a big pump that I don't think my overflow will handle and also the skimmer chamber is on the wrong side for me to reach to empty

* I just drained a 55G FW tank and cleaned it up, I'm thinking until I can get a permanent solution just to use this tank as a sump, but I don't know if my skimmer will fit into it and it isn't divided up into chambers so I won't be able to keep the live sand and macro algae that is in my sump now

I'm on the fence on how to handle it, but need to resolve it ASAP, anyone have any thoughts?

When it rains it pours....
 
I think I am going to build the 55 into a 3 chamber sump. I need to get the leak fixed and also it might be affecting my corals with the salinity and alk swings.
 
I decided to use the old 55G and an empty 10G as a temporary solution until I can dry and clean the leaky sump and get it fixed. I am just going to put the 10G tank into the 55G tank and transfer all my LR and Live sand and macro into the 10G. Fill the 55 up until it covers an inch of the 10G tank. I just need to build a base for my skimmer to sit on since it has to be in 6" of water only. I almost worked on it last night, but I'm dreading getting started on a work night and then realize after everything's closed that I need something to finish it. I'll probably put it off until Saturday. Nice relaxing holiday activity. Haha....
 
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