Need help with sump size

rommelgin · #1 08/07/2007, 03:14 PM

I am getting closer to getting my 150 up but i need some help with my sump. im not sure what size i should get. my skimmer will be the octo nw200 so i need something that it will fit in. im thinking of having the intake with a bubble tower to the left with the skimmer next to it....then the baffles to a refugium then another baffle to the return chamber.

First time using a sump so im a little lost as to what size to go with. i would like something that can hold a decent amount of water without spillage in case of a blackout and not have to worry about a flood. i live in a condo and i dont think my neighbors downstairs would appreciate that.

all opinions welcome! Pleeeeeaaassseeeee!!!

JJ21 · #2 08/07/2007, 04:00 PM

i'm currently setting up a 50 gallon tank, and i am going to use a 25 gallon tank for the sump. Half the size of the main display tank. So for a 150 gallon id recommend a 75 gallon sump. But of course, bigger is always better

rommelgin · #3 08/07/2007, 04:16 PM

Is half the size of the display the main rule of thumb when deciding on sump size? i was thinking either 40g or 60g.

afelder · #4 08/07/2007, 04:46 PM

A 40 or 60 gallon tank would be ok but as JJ21 said the bigger the better. I would get whatever you can fit in your stand with whatever extra equipment you want underneath.

nyvp · #5 08/07/2007, 06:22 PM

easy answer. as big as you can fit. the more water volume you can have the better. I have an old scratched 240/g sump on my 560/g if I could fit 1000/g under there I would

rommelgin · #6 08/08/2007, 01:22 AM

ok, i will look into 75 gallons or what i can fit in my stand. makes sense to have more water volume. any recommendations to sump lay out and return pump? im thinking either mag 9.5 or ehiem 1262. return will be split into 2 1/2'' or 3/4'' sea swirls, forget which ones i have. Thanks again for the feed back!

hawaiianwargod · #7 08/08/2007, 01:01 PM

Mel,

You can have either of those two pumps...btw, you have the 3/4 swirls.

I would prefer the ehiems pumps though.

Shaun120 · #8 08/08/2007, 01:34 PM

Use the RC sump calculator...it works really well and you can determine the size you will need to hold water from the tank when the power is out and water drains into your sump.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/sump.php

rommelgin · #9 08/08/2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hawaiianwargod
Mel,

You can have either of those two pumps...btw, you have the 3/4 swirls. I would prefer the ehiems pumps though.

Thanks J, which one would put less heat into the tank?

rommelgin · #10 08/08/2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shaun120
Use the RC sump calculator...it works really well and you can determine the size you will need to hold water from the tank when the power is out and water drains into your sump.

http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/sump.php

Thanks shaun120, i forgot about that calculator!

Entropy · #11 08/08/2007, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nyvp
easy answer. as big as you can fit.

I 100% agree. Get the biggest sump you can fit while still leaving your self enough room to work in the sump and fit equipment. You can have a sump much bigger than your tank. I see this all the time with Nano's. 12g nano, with a 60g sump for instance. All the affordability of a nano, with the water volume of a 75g.

rommelgin · #12 08/08/2007, 02:55 PM

I will take measurements of the inside of my stand tonight and see what i can fit. I know for a fact though i can fit a 75 gallon for sure! Thanks entropy! I have seen some tanks on here with the sump much larger than the actual display. i just wish i had that option other wise my display would be much larger than the 150!

hawaiianwargod · #13 08/08/2007, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rommelgin
Thanks J, which one would put less heat into the tank?

From my experience, Mag pumps puts more heat than Ehiem pumps.

Btw, I DIY some fans for my rimless tank...some IC fans and some other materials..works great so far! I'll show you how to make them...you could easily lower your heat by 2 degrees.

Although I don't need it, because my chiller is way oversize for my tank....I just added some fans anyways for redundancy.

rommelgin · #14 08/08/2007, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hawaiianwargod
From my experience, Mag pumps puts more heat than Ehiem pumps.

Btw, I DIY some fans for my rimless tank...some IC fans and some other materials..works great so far! I'll show you how to make them...you could easily lower your heat by 2 degrees.

Although I don't need it, because my chiller is way oversize for my tank....I just added some fans anyways for redundancy.

I was planning on adding fans because i dont want to use a chiller. been thinking whether to have it under the stand with the sump because i want a clean open top but if i decide to build a canopy i'll probably set it there.