Sumpless with Success?
 

How do you all feel about having a successful mixed reef without a sump?

I began my first mixed reef on the first of September 2007. I have a 55 gallon tank with a 4x54 tek light and a CSS 125.

So far things have been going great. Even better since I got my own RO machine and better powerheads.

I have been getting into SPS lately. I now have 3 digi's 3 monti caps and 3 acropora's. The rest of my corals are a variety of LPS and Softies.

I do a 7 gallon water change at least once a week.

Can I have long term success without a sump? My tank is not reef ready and I will not upgrade until I can move from an apartment into a house. I really want to grow this tank out well so I can have a really good excuse to move up to a 90 gallon tank.

Also, I have three fish. Two baby clowns, a mature diamond goby, two cleaner shrimp, 35 hermits, and 35 snails.

I have had a 30 gallon SPS tank for almost 2 years without a sump. I think it is doing well. I'm getting very good growth and not bad colours.

I have a 65 reef (mostly SPS) with no sump and no problem; certinly not a requirement at all. However, my next setup will have a sump for a lot of reasons but none of them are for water quality. (mostly to get stuff out of my tank..heaters, HOB skimmer, HOB refug, etc)

Might be ok but I would keep the Acro's at the top of the tank with that lighting.

Good luck!

A sump is not a *requirement* for a successful tank, it mainly makes things easier. A few advantages of a sump are it increases the overall volume of the system, provides additional area to remove wastes (i.e. LR, DSB, macroalgae) that is out of sight. Is a great place to "hide" pumps, skimmers, dosing equip etc. and provides a location to top off etc.

Of course the display tank can function for any of these, so basically I would say that you don't *need* a sump, but it might require a little more work, and not be as clean looking.

Since your tank isn't drilled, if you want a sump you could try some of the siphon overflows like this to set up a sump [url]http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CR1511.html[/url]

Yeah my only real beef with having no sump is having the heater and the skimmer hanging in the tank. They take up a lot of space and are not aesthetically pleasing.

I am considering sticking a bunch of cheato back behind some of my rockwork in an area that gets some light but not a place that a coral would go.

Currently I am growing out some dragons tongue algae and hoping to weave it throughout all of my rockwork for a unique look.