Reef Sump

underwateroasis · #1 12/23/2007, 08:50 PM

I have a 125 gallon reef tank and wanted to do a sump on it. Would this be a okay setup for now since the money is pretty tight. I will post link so you guys can check it out. Thanks for all your help and Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/300-Gallon-Aquar...QQcmdZViewItem

killingseed · #2 12/24/2007, 01:32 AM

i'm not sure i would put that on a 300 gl. but in your case you should be ok to start out with. the Dimensions of Sump: 32'' X 12'' X 22'' are ok for your tank. not sure how long those pumps might last and that might cost you. over all if you get it before i get mine it problem far better , lol grrr

underwateroasis · #3 12/24/2007, 04:26 AM

Thanks John, so the sump for 300 gallons and my tank is 125 gallons so it should be good enought and upgrade pumps later when i get some more cash just to get it started.

underwateroasis · #4 12/30/2007, 04:14 PM

i actually found a sump with dimensions 36L X 18W X 22T is that good. im gonna run another tank size 10 gallons with mangroves that the water goes through first before it drops into the skimmer and refugium.

killingseed · #5 12/30/2007, 11:13 PM

where did you see that one? i might know where you can get one local.

seems i am at a lose with my mine. the cc gave me back my money, but acylic man says he has a tracking number. so if i get it i need to return the money. so i am still at a lose due this issue but will have better answer closer to the end of the week on what i will be doing.

also he gave me a tracking number but i think its fac.

underwateroasis · #6 12/31/2007, 02:48 AM

PM Sent

mitchellmoto · #7 12/31/2007, 06:31 AM

Why not just make one? Super simple and you can make it as simple or as complex as you want? Just an idea.
A 40 long is 48x13x17 and pane glass from lowes or Homer depot is cheap to buy or you can have a glass shop cut you some 1/4 inch glass.
There are hundreds of DIY refugium plans on line as well.
I just believe DIY refugium/ sumps are the way to go. Next best is to have it made to your specs but it just cost so much to have them built. Pre made one will not give you everything you want in a sump refugium. Once I learned that I will never buy a pre made one again unless I have it built the exact way I want it.
Also just to give you some idea when I first started out I bought that sump you have a link to and I installed it on my 55 gal. No way would I put it on a 125.
Skimmer is junk works but not very good. the light is also junk and my bulbs keep burning out and the pumps failed quikly. The only thing I had good to say about it was the tank was built like a tank. No flimsy glass my was all thick glass and it seemed to weight a ton when carrying it.
I'm assuming you 125 isn't reef ready since you are buying a kit with an overflow. Use caution mine lost syphon and soaked my carpet.

I'm sure anyone could help point you in the right direction on building one your self

killingseed · #8 12/31/2007, 11:32 AM

pm's have been sent: underwateroasis, underWoasisjake.

let me know.

sam hole me one of those 40 gl breaders. i will be in town on tue but not sure i will get down there till wed.

underwateroasis · #9 12/31/2007, 04:48 PM

Thanks for the input mitchellmoto. Thats what i was thinking about the already made one on that link i posted. I dont have a reef ready tank so have to get overflow box. I want to make it where if it does loose suction my rc jr will shut everything off and not flood room if there is any malfunctions at all i want my RC JR to catch it. I want to custom make a 36by18by22 in my closet then a 10 gallon a little above it that i will have mangroves in and just flow down into sump.

mitchellmoto · #10 12/31/2007, 06:43 PM

More input for you...
10 gal is a little small for mangroves. They don't grow tall fast but their roots need as much room as you can give them, and even though I personaly haven't seen it I've heard of the roots actually breaking glass. I'm certain it only happens on thin glass tanks but it somthing you should look at.
I have several mangroves growing i my two tanks and I can tell you their roots spread out quite a bit and you may run into problems with such a small tank for them. Also I just saying this incase you didn't know but mangroves won't help you much as far as filtration. They are too slow of growers to export any measurable amount of unwanteds. They are more for visual asthetics. I personaly love them but just thought you might want to know that they won't help much in filtration but they sure do look cool growing out of your sump!

Also when you plan out your sump/ refugium one thing I would suggest is to make the first chamber big enough for your skimmer
and higher than the other chambers. It helped my skimmer more than you can imagine and was the best part of my sump/ refugium upgrade I did.
If it is higher than the other chambers it will always be a constant level and won't flucuate like the rest will and your skimmer won't be subjected to the rise and fall of the sump.

I can't telll you how much better my skimmer works now, before I had to constantly adjust it and it would make a cup of light skim every 3 to 4 days now every other day it is almost full of nice dark crap. And it is almost set it and forget it I don't have to constantly adjust any more.

It is great!!

underwateroasis · #11 12/31/2007, 07:43 PM

What Skimmer do you have if ya dont mind me asking?? I just wanted the mangroves for look and to eat some of the nitrates think that is okay?

mitchellmoto · #12 01/02/2008, 07:50 PM

I have an asm what model I don't know and also a skimmer from vivaAqua. The vivaAqua isn't as good but came with my tank when I bought it. I let it dry skim and I let the ASM wet skim becasue even whith a wet skim it is a rich dark thick skim.

As far as the Mangroves removing nitrates they won't remove anything quilkly enough to tell. They will not help like some cheato or caulerpa will. They just don't grow fast enough to remove anything on a large scale.
By all means try to use them. If you are trying to reduce nitrates you would be far better of useing cheato or some other algea or possibly a RDSB. Or maybe try a denitrator. I've never usd on but have read up on them and the are stupid easy to make and very easy to get working. either buy one from some one or just make it your self. I've thought of making one for a while and now that I have the room under my tank I'm looking to make one in the near future to try out.
A coil denitrator is simply roughly 200 feet if airline tubing or icemaker tubing coiled in a bucket with a plactic valve to control out flow. You can find many plans online.
Anyways
later

underwateroasis · #13 01/05/2008, 07:42 PM

I just ordered my custom sump of 36by18by22 and will be getting it in about a week or two. Jake and I got all the pipes ran for the sump so everything is almost ready to be hooked up.

jmait769 · #14 01/05/2008, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by underwateroasis

http://cgi.ebay.com/300-Gallon-Aquar...QQcmdZViewItem

Did you get the one you listed on your first post or another one? I'm sure you are excited!!

Jay

underwateroasis · #15 01/06/2008, 03:08 AM

I had them custom make it 36by18by22. Im really excited gotta take pics for you i have all the pipes ran and everything.