Tell a beginner about sumps:

[Tinnerito]

I just recently got a tank with a sump and I love it. Started growing some cool macro algae’s. I had a bully in my tank so I jailed him in the sump. Water changes seem to be less messy for me. I have had the canister filters and all in one and sump seems to be the way to go in my opinion.

Thats funny lol. Aggressors go straight to the sump

 

[Tinnerito]

My sump is a near zero maintenance filtration center for my tank

The first compartment is where the water enters and houses a skimmer, that I don’t use. It’s there “in case” I need to remove something from the water - medication, a spill, etc. it also holds my heater and some probes

The second compartment holds my algae scrubber, live sand, and tons of live rock with live sponge. The rock and sponge are a cryptic zone with no light. This is also where dosing equipment draws water from.

Between compartment 2 and 3 are media trays with matrix, and chemi pure bags.

Compartment 3 is the return pump, more live rock, and a phosphate reactor, that I only use if I have a spike I need to take care of.

I have zero mechanical filtration to clean, no socks, filter pads, no fleece rollers, nothing.

The setup is hands off maintenance free, aside from emptying the algae scrubber every 7-10 days. Open lid, remove handful of algae, close lid. Done

Sounds very practical! What containers are typically used for sumps? Are there products made specifically for it?

 

[Fenral]

Tinnerito,
What do you want to put in the sump? Some people toss equipment, others it's a fuge, others it's just a place to stick some more live rock and circulation. They can be as simple as a bucket under the tank to as insane as systems as complex as the main display...

 

[Tinnerito]

Tinnerito,
What do you want to put in the sump? Some people toss equipment, others it's a fuge, others it's just a place to stick some more live rock and circulation. They can be as simple as a bucket under the tank to as insane as systems as complex as the main display...

I'm not sure. I kind of came here to see if I could figure that out. What all can go in a sump? What's all necessary? And what's just for support? I do really love the look of those sumps that have algaes, rocks and inverts.

 

[Rappa]

Sumps are cool!

 

[Tinnerito]

Sumps are cool!

Exactly.

 

[Rappa]

It's the heart of my system. All the filtration and equipment, heaters, probes, run in it. Auto water changes and auto dosing, as well as trident water testing. Auto top-off also, I could go on and on. Refugium... What else?

EDIT: Also add more water volume. Good for your particular setup I would think!

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Are there any local Reef Clubs where you live, if so, join it. Second you really need to view someone else's set up and see for yourself. There is a huge difference between reading about it, seeing pictures about it, watching it on YouTube and then looking at it with your own eyes and having someone pointing out all of the things that are important.

 

[Sdoutreefer]

Hello everybody! I am thinking about adding a sump to one of my tanks, which currently is just running on a canister filter. (Skimmer still to be added) but do I need a sump? What exactly do they do as opposed to using a canister? What all is inside of a sump? What should a sump setup look like and what should one have? I've seen a few before, and they look very cool and am thinking of setting one up myself.

A sump isn't necessary in my opinion BUT it does add some benefit to your tank, vs. just a canister filter. One benefit is you are increasing your water column, and by making that greater, your beneficial elements and minerals are also greater, leading to less fluctuation of the tank.

That's just one added benefit. There's a lot more, so hopefully someone will tag along!

 

[VintageReefer]

Sounds very practical! What containers are typically used for sumps? Are there products made specifically for it?

I use a trigger system Ruby 30

 

[Tinnerito]

Are there any local Reef Clubs where you live, if so, join it. Second you really need to view someone else's set up and see for yourself. There is a huge difference between reading about it, seeing pictures about it, watching it on YouTube and then looking at it with your own eyes and having someone pointing out all of the things that are important.

I agree with you on seeing sumps for myself. No clubs in my area though unfortunately. My closest LFS isn't even local. It's a 40 minute drive, since no one in my area really reefs.

 

[BryanM]

Thats funny lol. Aggressors go straight to the sump

if I could catch this dang mantis shrimp I'd banish him to the sump. Geezus

 

[Frags 2 Fishes]

Think of a sump as an extension of your display. A place to put all the ugly equipment that takes away from the beauty of your display. Sumps don't need to be complicated, functional and easy to maintain is key.

If you are trying to think of a size go as large as you can as it will increase the total water volume. But be sure it's easy to do maintenance. When it's difficult to do maintenance maintenance never gets done.

 

[bossman818]

if I could catch this dang mantis shrimp I'd banish him to the sump. Geezus

lol! Is the mantis shrimp small? I caught one before with a water bottle trick once.

 

[PotatoPig]

EDIT : What I really like about a sump is being to have a fuge. I'm a big fan of them for the benificial life forms that thrive there. Hiding heaters along with ato is nice also.

My 2c: This is it.

Hide all the life support gear out of sight but easily accessible, while also providing habitat for critters and macroalgae. It’s just a really convenient and flexible space without any constraints that would come with trying to do the same but within the tank.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Hello everybody! I am thinking about adding a sump to one of my tanks, which currently is just running on a canister filter. (Skimmer still to be added) but do I need a sump? What exactly do they do as opposed to using a canister? What all is inside of a sump? What should a sump setup look like and what should one have? I've seen a few before, and they look very cool and am thinking of setting one up myself.

a sump is a huge difference. More water volume, hide equipment, oxygenate water with your overflow. extra biofilter media storage. Yes, very very worth it.

 

[jft]

HONESTLY I HAVE USED THEM ALL. SUMPS ARE GREAT but I have run REEF TANKS for 10 years with just Eheim Canisters 2217 and regular small water changes. To each his or her own!

 

[Fish Fan]

@Tinnerito As others have already mentioned, a canister filter (or a hang on back!) will absolutely work, no question. But it sounds to me like you've already made a decision to try a sump, and I encourage you to do so with good reason, as others have already commented on.

A sump can be almost as simple or complex as you'd like to imagine it, so there's lots of options from DIY to custom made. In the past, I have done DIY sumps using standard tanks and glass baffles I'd cut or have cut and silicon them into the tank. More recently, I purchased, but decided I don't want to use, a FijiCube 20" sump. I love it, it's bright, shiny acrylic and oh so "fancy" with its probe holders and such, but at the end of the day all the compartments are very small, in my opinion. I'm looking to sell it lol!

For my next build, I think I've decided that I like using standard tanks like a 40 breeder, and using a DIY acrylic sump baffle kit. If you don't mind a little DIY (and I'd be happy to try to help you), compared to the FijiCube and others, I think this sump baffle kit is the best one going. I had of their 20L kits, and I'm going to order a 40B kit for my next build, which would likely be a good size for your 60 gallon tank:

REFUGIUM KIT - 40 Gallon Breeder 5 Chamber Ultimate Adjustable Sump Kit | eBay

This is our all new Triple Filter Sock Holder 5 Chamber Sump/Refugium Ultimate baffle kit for 40 gallon Breeder Aqueon® glass tanks with adjustable water depth. Installation is simple. Using aquarium safe silicone, silicone the parts into your 40 gallon breeder glass tank and allow 24 hours to dry.

www.ebay.com

And if you're not going to drill your tank for an overflow, make sure to get a well reviewed HOB overflow, some of those can be a real problem. Best practice, I believe, is to drill (which is easier than you may be thinking) and go with the three drain hole "Bean Animal" style overflow.

Good luck!

Oh you want one of those cool techie looking sumps with cool gear and colored plumbing lol. This is one of mine. The only cool thing about mine is all the live rock makes for an almost instant cycle and zero ugly stage after starting in March even tho the tank was started barebottom with dry rock.

EDIT : What I really like about a sump is being to have a fuge. I'm a big fan of them for the benificial life forms that thrive there. Hiding heaters along with ato is nice also.

My sump is a near zero maintenance filtration center for my tank

The first compartment is where the water enters and houses a skimmer, that I don’t use. It’s there “in case” I need to remove something from the water - medication, a spill, etc. it also holds my heater and some probes

The second compartment holds my algae scrubber, live sand, and tons of live rock with live sponge. The rock and sponge are a cryptic zone with no light. This is also where dosing equipment draws water from.

Between compartment 2 and 3 are media trays with matrix, and chemi pure bags.

Compartment 3 is the return pump, more live rock, and a phosphate reactor, that I only use if I have a spike I need to take care of.

I have zero mechanical filtration to clean, no socks, filter pads, no fleece rollers, nothing.

The setup is hands off maintenance free, aside from emptying the algae scrubber every 7-10 days. Open lid, remove handful of algae, close lid. Done

Great looking setups! But are you guys not worried about having THAT MUCH rock packed into your sumps? In my experience, those kind of setups tend to collect detritus, but obviously you guys are not having a problem?

I'm currently just starting a 150 build, I'm going with a DIY 40B sump, and I very much want to embrace the large 'fuge methodology. I have so many questions lol! I don't mean to post over the OP's posts, but I'd love to know more about how you setup your sumps.

I like sumps so much I have them on my planted freshwater tanks in addition to my reef lol. Hides all equipment, adds extra water volume, extra space for media, space to float new fish or temporarily house fish, etc.

LOL! I have absolutely done this! I have gone in and out of saltwater over the years, so I have run systems with sumps as freshwater, and I have to say, I like it, lol! For all the reasons we like our saltwater sumps. I think the complexity involved with setting up and running a sump just doesn't appeal to a "typical" freshwater keeper, but I'm not sure why more advanced freshwater aquarists didn't get into sumps.

 

[VintageReefer]

Great looking setups! But are you guys not worried about having THAT MUCH rock packed into your sumps? In my experience, those kind of setups tend to collect detritus, but obviously you guys are not having a problem?

So what It becomes mulm which is an essential part of natural reef filtration. Leave it, it causes no issues. Doesn’t even affect my numbers

 

[Fenral]

if I could catch this dang mantis shrimp I'd banish him to the sump. Geezus

GOOD LUCK! God go with you...