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Biggest Sump dummy in the world right here!


Gooburz

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So despite my dislike for sumps I'm thinking it might be time I did one for my 40 Breeder. Now I refuse to drill a tank so that is OUT of the question and from reading I've seen the ESHOPPS makes a good HOB overflow box that won't cause a flood in case of a loss of power which is my BIGGEST fear with using a sump.

 

Now picking a skimmer is the easy part for me and what I'll put in the sump is a sand bed with some live rock and chato in 1 chamber. What really puzzles me is how the dam thing actually works. What kind of return pump should I get and how to I get it to match the overflow box, what ESHOPPS overflow box would be good for a 40 breeder then what return pump would be best. I don't need a super fancy return pump either, just something simple and reliable is what I prefer.

 

I won't be using a ATO either, I will never trust them so I understand that I will have to top off from my sump and not the display tank but for water changes I just do the display tank and make sure it's all off right?

 

As far as the Sump itself goes should I just make one from a 20L tank or something like that or bigger? Do you use glass or acrylic and then what kind of silicone do you use for making the chambers?

 

Please dumb it down for me a lot, I've read up on them but still get lost so I could use some help guys.

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Ok... haven't been on here in a while, but i can give you some advice... Firstly... I use a top off with a peristatic pump connected to a reservoir with RO water. Peristatic pump has a float switch. it basically uses rollers to slowly push literally single drops of water through the line, no chance of overflowing, etc. plus with the water level marked in the sump you can tell if it's working or not. Your salinity will stay stable instead of dropping for a while then jumping up when you add fresh RO water. Plus, if it fails it will only release what's in the reservoir and we're talking it will take all day to pump a few gallons. Now... on the contents of the sump itself. I started years ago with Sand, Rock, and Cheatomorpha... i now use big pieces of rock and Cheato... the sand gets nasty, holds detritus.... I like to every 6-12 months pull the rock out, and shop vac the whole sump, put the stuff back.... the sand gets so nasty over time and when something stirs it up (pouring in water, etc) it releases some nasty stuff...... i'm not well versed on any HOB overflows, i like having tank drilled because i can control how much water can actually drain into the sump during a power outage. Power goes out, tank drains and sump still has 1/3 of it's space left.... The return pump doesn't need to be fancy like you said, i hooked up a ball valve on mine to control flow some... also want to put a backflow preventer on the return line so it doesn't drain backwards on a power outage. The most important thing i found with return (I'm married) is noise level... my wife was not happy hearing a low ominous humm while watching tv.

 

What i love about my sump is i can hide a GFO reactor, heater, bag of carbon, skimmer, cheato etc. and when people see my tank all they see is reef, not a bunch of equipment.

 

Long term, the simplest is the best... i used to test everyday, clean glass every other day, drive to the LFS for Saltwater every friday... i've found long term, automation and simplicity helps keep your interest because if your'e like me (you may not be) there's times when other stuff comes up in life and you can't devote time every single day to a fish tank, but you still want to enjoy it and not lose the $$$$$ you put into it.

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Ok... haven't been on here in a while, but i can give you some advice... Firstly... I use a top off with a peristatic pump connected to a reservoir with RO water. Peristatic pump has a float switch. it basically uses rollers to slowly push literally single drops of water through the line, no chance of overflowing, etc. plus with the water level marked in the sump you can tell if it's working or not. Your salinity will stay stable instead of dropping for a while then jumping up when you add fresh RO water. Plus, if it fails it will only release what's in the reservoir and we're talking it will take all day to pump a few gallons. Now... on the contents of the sump itself. I started years ago with Sand, Rock, and Cheatomorpha... i now use big pieces of rock and Cheato... the sand gets nasty, holds detritus.... I like to every 6-12 months pull the rock out, and shop vac the whole sump, put the stuff back.... the sand gets so nasty over time and when something stirs it up (pouring in water, etc) it releases some nasty stuff...... i'm not well versed on any HOB overflows, i like having tank drilled because i can control how much water can actually drain into the sump during a power outage. Power goes out, tank drains and sump still has 1/3 of it's space left.... The return pump doesn't need to be fancy like you said, i hooked up a ball valve on mine to control flow some... also want to put a backflow preventer on the return line so it doesn't drain backwards on a power outage. The most important thing i found with return (I'm married) is noise level... my wife was not happy hearing a low ominous humm while watching tv.

 

What i love about my sump is i can hide a GFO reactor, heater, bag of carbon, skimmer, cheato etc. and when people see my tank all they see is reef, not a bunch of equipment.

 

Long term, the simplest is the best... i used to test everyday, clean glass every other day, drive to the LFS for Saltwater every friday... i've found long term, automation and simplicity helps keep your interest because if your'e like me (you may not be) there's times when other stuff comes up in life and you can't devote time every single day to a fish tank, but you still want to enjoy it and not lose the $$$$$ you put into it.

 

I very much am like you, I like to keep it as simple as possible. I don't test hardly at all, I clean the glass when I can or for company so I can show it off.

 

Good to know about the sand, I'll run it without sand and just stick with the rock and cheato and maybe a bag of charcoal.

 

With the return pump wouldn't putting a ball valve on the pipe and restrict the flow affect the pump at all? And what size tubing are we talking about with the return pump, is it all PVC or flex tubing? As far as the overflow box I'll be going with the ESHOPPS because they will not cause an overflow from a power outage. Read over a hundred reviews & MANY videos of people testing them and they always start right back up with no issues.

 

Now would a 20L be good enough for a 40 Breeder? Also with using the ESHOPPS PF-800 overflow box (rated at 800gph) how powerful of a return pump should I use? And how far apart do you do the baffles (1 inch, 2 inch, 3 inch?)

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I have this and I'll say, I absolutely love it: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/deluxe-cpr-continuous-siphon-overflows.html

 

The awesome part of it is if power goes out, you don't have to worry about breaking siphon. When power comes back, the aqualifter restores the siphon automagically. (You could probably do that with any overflow.)

I drilled a hole in the output of the return pump, just at water level. That lets me fill the sump more so when power goes out, it doesn't overflow the sump because the hole breaks siphon in the return right away.

 

Here's my overflow in action:

 

nDKWc4X.jpg

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Dear Sump Dummy

 

I would never drill anything either. For my Red Sea Max I used the Life Reef overflow rated to be the absolute best. I used it without any problems for a good 3 years till the tank was up. In case of a power failure, it does not lose siphon. It cost more than any other HOB but there is a reason. Thing is also built like a truck.

 

http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html

 

NOT A SINGLE SIPHON LOSS IN 26 YEARS! NEED WE SAY MORE? YES, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT MAKES A SAFE AND RELIABLE PREFILTER BOX VS A CHEAP COPY OR POOR DESIGN......

If your prefilter relies on this pump ALpump.jpg you must replace your prefilter as soon as possible! This is the weak link in your safety, and these pumps do fail and when they do you may have water problems......

Why risk thousands of dollars of fish, corals, livestock, flood damage and cleanup on a cheap (both cost and materials) prefilter box or any other prefilter box of questionable reliability and design, and there are many......

The Lifereef Prefilter Siphon Box is an original, unchanged for 26 years. Designed in 1988 (long before any current reef company) to be a safe and reliable method to transfer water from the aquarium to the sump, or wet/dry as it was back then. If it wasn't for the prefilter box being a safe component many hobbyists would not have even set up an aquarium because the reef-ready aquariums were still years away. A safe and reliable hang-on prefilter box was the only thing you could use, and a SAFE AND RELIABLE DESIGN WAS PARAMOUNT!

The Lifereef Prefilter Siphon Box uses a single siphon tube (Double prefilters use two) and the benefit of this is that the water velocity through the siphon tube vs a large siphon wall is much faster so no air bubbles get caught and no cheap going-to-fail air-lifter pump is needed. So you say just increase the pump output to make the water move faster. Won't work. The siphon wall is so large in area compared to a siphon tube that you can never move the water fast enough to keep the air bubbles moving through.

FEATURES OF ALL THE LIFEREEF PREFILTER SIPHON BOX DESIGNS:

  • THICKER AND STRONGER ACRYLIC
  • STRONG ONE-PIECE BENT "BACKBONE" DESIGN INSTEAD OF GLUED PIECES
  • BONDED OUTPUT FITTING WITH A HOSEBARB CONNECTION OR OPTIONAL VACUUM HOSE CONNECTOR
  • TRUE MAXIMUM WATER FLOW VELOCITY OR GPH
  • REMOVABLE SIPHON TUBE THAT CAN BE CLEANED, SIPHON WALL PREFILTERS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN AND IF IT IS BLACK ACRYLIC THAT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE ALGAE WILL STILL GROW IN THERE.
  • INNER BOX ADJUSTABLE UP/DOWN AND LOCKED INTO A VERTICAL POSITION SO IT CANNOT BE KNOCKED SIDEWAYS
  • MANY MORE SLOTS/TEETH MEANING LESS WATER NEEDED FROM SUMP TO MAINTAIN FLOW RATE AND LESS DRAINDOWN WHEN POWER GOES OUT OR IS SHUT OFF.
  • REINFORCED WHERE STRESS IS THE GREATEST
  • VERTICAL ALIGNMENT TAB/SCREW SO BOX CAN BE ADJUSTED PARALLEL WITH THE AQUARIUM
  • INNER BOX CAN BE ADJUSTED UP/DOWN INDEPENDENT OF THE OUTER BOX WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE THE ENTIRE PREFILTER AS IN "TUBELESS" DESIGNS
  • SIPHON TUBE WILL NOT LOSE WATER WHEN POWER GOES OUT
  • CLEAR SIPHON TUBE FOR VISUAL SAFETY. SMOKE OR BLACK WILL STILL GROW ALGAE AND BLOCK FLOW.
  • SIPHON WILL RESUME WATER FLOW WHEN POWER COMES BACK ON
  • DOES NOT RELY ON ANOTHER CHEAP PRODUCT FOR SAFE OPERATION
  • OPTIONAL SILENCER AVAILABLE FOR PREFILTERS THAT MAY EXHIBIT NOISE. DEPENDING ON FLOW RATE, AQUARIUM SURFACE AREA, AND HOSE ROUTING, ALL HAVE AN EFFECT ON HOW MUCH IF ANY NOISE IS PRESENT.
  • ALL CORNERS AND EDGES RADIUSED TO PREVENT FISH DAMAGE, FLAME-POLISHING (AS OTHERS) LEAVES SHARP EDGES
  • CUSTOM SIZES CAN BE MADE FOR WIDE RIMS. LARGEST TO DATE WAS FOR AN AQUARIUM WITH A 12" RIM SPAN.
  • CUSTOM DEPTHS CAN BE MADE FOR AQUARIUMS WHERE THE WATER LEVEL IS MANY INCHES BELOW THE RIM
  • MADE FOR EURO-BRACE RIMS, RED SEA MAX AQUARIUMS, BIO-CUBE AQUARIUMS, ANY AQUARIUM CAN USE A LIFEREEF PREFILTER BOX
  • INNER BOX COLOR CHOICES OF CLEAR, BLACK, OR BLUE

It is the cheap copies and "tubeless" designs that have given all the good prefilter boxes a bad reputation. The Lifereef Prefilter Siphon Box is the original and only safely designed prefilter still being made today!

If you get any other prefilter box, make sure you get a wet-vac as part of your aquarium maintenance equipment, it will be needed eventually, some sooner than others......

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OK, I was initially defeated by the 1996-esque wall of text.

 

Who are those guys? I'm immediately turned off by the "ZOMG OURZ IS BESTEST ALL OTHERS WILL BREAK AND KILL YOUR DOG AND DRIVE YOUR CAR DRUNK AND GIVE YOU TEH HERPZ!" scare tactics at the beginning.

 

What's weird, is I do remember Lifereef from way back when having decent products. But that website and those statements just immediately make me want to look elsewhere.

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Dear Sump Dummy

 

I would never drill anything either. For my Red Sea Max I used the Life Reef overflow rated to be the absolute best. I used it without any problems for a good 3 years till the tank was up. In case of a power failure, it does not lose siphon. It cost more than any other HOB but there is a reason. Thing is also built like a truck.

 

http://www.lifereef.com/siphon.html

 

NOT A SINGLE SIPHON LOSS IN 26 YEARS! NEED WE SAY MORE? YES, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT MAKES A SAFE AND RELIABLE PREFILTER BOX VS A CHEAP COPY OR POOR DESIGN......

If your prefilter relies on this pump ALpump.jpg you must replace your prefilter as soon as possible! This is the weak link in your safety, and these pumps do fail and when they do you may have water problems......

Why risk thousands of dollars of fish, corals, livestock, flood damage and cleanup on a cheap (both cost and materials) prefilter box or any other prefilter box of questionable reliability and design, and there are many......

The Lifereef Prefilter Siphon Box is an original, unchanged for 26 years. Designed in 1988 (long before any current reef company) to be a safe and reliable method to transfer water from the aquarium to the sump, or wet/dry as it was back then. If it wasn't for the prefilter box being a safe component many hobbyists would not have even set up an aquarium because the reef-ready aquariums were still years away. A safe and reliable hang-on prefilter box was the only thing you could use, and a SAFE AND RELIABLE DESIGN WAS PARAMOUNT!

The Lifereef Prefilter Siphon Box uses a single siphon tube (Double prefilters use two) and the benefit of this is that the water velocity through the siphon tube vs a large siphon wall is much faster so no air bubbles get caught and no cheap going-to-fail air-lifter pump is needed. So you say just increase the pump output to make the water move faster. Won't work. The siphon wall is so large in area compared to a siphon tube that you can never move the water fast enough to keep the air bubbles moving through.

FEATURES OF ALL THE LIFEREEF PREFILTER SIPHON BOX DESIGNS:

  • THICKER AND STRONGER ACRYLIC
  • STRONG ONE-PIECE BENT "BACKBONE" DESIGN INSTEAD OF GLUED PIECES
  • BONDED OUTPUT FITTING WITH A HOSEBARB CONNECTION OR OPTIONAL VACUUM HOSE CONNECTOR
  • TRUE MAXIMUM WATER FLOW VELOCITY OR GPH
  • REMOVABLE SIPHON TUBE THAT CAN BE CLEANED, SIPHON WALL PREFILTERS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN AND IF IT IS BLACK ACRYLIC THAT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE ALGAE WILL STILL GROW IN THERE.
  • INNER BOX ADJUSTABLE UP/DOWN AND LOCKED INTO A VERTICAL POSITION SO IT CANNOT BE KNOCKED SIDEWAYS
  • MANY MORE SLOTS/TEETH MEANING LESS WATER NEEDED FROM SUMP TO MAINTAIN FLOW RATE AND LESS DRAINDOWN WHEN POWER GOES OUT OR IS SHUT OFF.
  • REINFORCED WHERE STRESS IS THE GREATEST
  • VERTICAL ALIGNMENT TAB/SCREW SO BOX CAN BE ADJUSTED PARALLEL WITH THE AQUARIUM
  • INNER BOX CAN BE ADJUSTED UP/DOWN INDEPENDENT OF THE OUTER BOX WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE THE ENTIRE PREFILTER AS IN "TUBELESS" DESIGNS
  • SIPHON TUBE WILL NOT LOSE WATER WHEN POWER GOES OUT
  • CLEAR SIPHON TUBE FOR VISUAL SAFETY. SMOKE OR BLACK WILL STILL GROW ALGAE AND BLOCK FLOW.
  • SIPHON WILL RESUME WATER FLOW WHEN POWER COMES BACK ON
  • DOES NOT RELY ON ANOTHER CHEAP PRODUCT FOR SAFE OPERATION
  • OPTIONAL SILENCER AVAILABLE FOR PREFILTERS THAT MAY EXHIBIT NOISE. DEPENDING ON FLOW RATE, AQUARIUM SURFACE AREA, AND HOSE ROUTING, ALL HAVE AN EFFECT ON HOW MUCH IF ANY NOISE IS PRESENT.
  • ALL CORNERS AND EDGES RADIUSED TO PREVENT FISH DAMAGE, FLAME-POLISHING (AS OTHERS) LEAVES SHARP EDGES
  • CUSTOM SIZES CAN BE MADE FOR WIDE RIMS. LARGEST TO DATE WAS FOR AN AQUARIUM WITH A 12" RIM SPAN.
  • CUSTOM DEPTHS CAN BE MADE FOR AQUARIUMS WHERE THE WATER LEVEL IS MANY INCHES BELOW THE RIM
  • MADE FOR EURO-BRACE RIMS, RED SEA MAX AQUARIUMS, BIO-CUBE AQUARIUMS, ANY AQUARIUM CAN USE A LIFEREEF PREFILTER BOX
  • INNER BOX COLOR CHOICES OF CLEAR, BLACK, OR BLUE

It is the cheap copies and "tubeless" designs that have given all the good prefilter boxes a bad reputation. The Lifereef Prefilter Siphon Box is the original and only safely designed prefilter still being made today!

If you get any other prefilter box, make sure you get a wet-vac as part of your aquarium maintenance equipment, it will be needed eventually, some sooner than others......

 

HAHA I just found them right before you posted this and thank you for understanding about not wanting to drill a tank. I am sold! So I'll go with the Single Prefilter box for the overflow box. What would you suggest for a return pump as far as GPH/rating?

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OK, I was initially defeated by the 1996-esque wall of text.

 

Who are those guys? I'm immediately turned off by the "ZOMG OURZ IS BESTEST ALL OTHERS WILL BREAK AND KILL YOUR DOG AND DRIVE YOUR CAR DRUNK AND GIVE YOU TEH HERPZ!" scare tactics at the beginning.

 

What's weird, is I do remember Lifereef from way back when having decent products. But that website and those statements just immediately make me want to look elsewhere.

He's old school. But I'd trust him with my reef any day. His website isn't ultra modern either. I'm a fan girl.

 

HAHA I just found them right before you posted this and thank you for understanding about not wanting to drill a tank. I am sold! So I'll go with the Single Prefilter box for the overflow box. What would you suggest for a return pump as far as GPH/rating?

Jeff, the owner, will suggest the GPH based on your pre-filter size and other factors. The brand he recommends is a Danner Mag. I went with his suggestion but I bought the mag5 elsewhere. The mag pumps are heavy duty, mine was good till the day i sold it but they do add noise and heat. For my new system I went with a Jebao.

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I also have HOB overflow boxes and never have floods either. On the 30g seahorse tank is an Eshopps nano rated for 200gph. There are never even any air bubbles. I think my pump is pretty close to the 200gph but I am not exactly sure. I use a mag 9.5 but it has 2 returns split between 2 tanks. I timed the return in a bucket for 1 minute and that is my estimate.

All that to say I would match the return pump, (taking in consideration head loss) as close to the capacity of the overflow box.

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The only matching I would do is using a pump with an adjustable flow. My Sicce has that. And I can adjust to deal with head pressure loss so everything just works. The design of the Aqueon sump I have means I get flushing in the overflow if I don't dial down the return pump.

 

Note to self: Don't buy a sump with a designed in submerged overflow ever again. Good for getting rid of bubbles, bad for flow.


He's old school. But I'd trust him with my reef any day. His website isn't ultra modern either. I'm a fan girl.


Jeff, the owner, will suggest the GPH based on your pre-filter size and other factors. The brand he recommends is a Danner Mag. I went with his suggestion but I bought the mag5 elsewhere. The mag pumps are heavy duty, mine was good till the day i sold it but they do add noise and heat. For my new system I went with a Jebao.

 

 

I don't understand the anti-aqualifter sentiment. There *ARE* situations where even his overflows could break siphon. They would be very rare, but possible. An aqualifter could be added to the Lifereef designs easily, and wouldn't harm anything.

 

For me, maintaining an aqualifter is cheap security against even the most unlikely scenarios. OTOH, I understand the dislike of the new "square wall" designs. Corners do not a smooth flow make. But they seem to work ok regardless.

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I don't understand the anti-aqualifter sentiment. There *ARE* situations where even his overflows could break siphon. They would be very rare, but possible. An aqualifter could be added to the Lifereef designs easily, and wouldn't harm anything.

 

For me, maintaining an aqualifter is cheap security against even the most unlikely scenarios. OTOH, I understand the dislike of the new "square wall" designs. Corners do not a smooth flow make. But they seem to work ok regardless.

I've owned 2-3 aqualifters in my few years in the salt hobby (not for an overflow) - they clogged or stopped working for some reason. I think Life Reef is just saying if your pump stopped working the air bubble would build up and might cause trouble. The model that used the lift pump loses siphon. Life reef does not lose siphon. This is because the design of the U tube (from owning one) sits below the natural level of the water on both sides of the wall. That's how he has designed it. In the event of a power outage, when the pump comes back on, the siphon starts automatically.

Without the air lifter on your overflow it will not start itself again

If it does those air bubbles at the top of the you tube will be there.

Pump fails. air bubble stays. Overflow.

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That's the way most of the overflows I checked out work. The thing is that if the outage is long enough for evaporation to break the siphon (days, not hours) it's still a problem. Remember, the building airconditioning will also fail if there's a power outage, increasing evaporation in the summer.

 

The aqualifter requires maintenance, which is its downside. If the thing is cleaned out and diaphragm replaced as recommended (clean every 6 months, replace diaphragm every 18 IIRC? I could have that wrong, I'm at work not at home) then it's very reliable.

 

I will say the CPR overflow I have will grow bubbles during normal usage. I didn't wait long enough to see if they would actually break siphon, but I suspect it's a function of the sharp corners.

 

Anyway, we're hijacking this thread. ;) I don't think there's anything wrong with the Lifereef. I would still add an aqualifter though just for insurance. ;)

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Nanofreak79

So despite my dislike for sumps I'm thinking it might be time I did one for my 40 Breeder. Now I refuse to drill a tank so that is OUT of the question and from reading I've seen the ESHOPPS makes a good HOB overflow box that won't cause a flood in case of a loss of power which is my BIGGEST fear with using a sump.

 

Now picking a skimmer is the easy part for me and what I'll put in the sump is a sand bed with some live rock and chato in 1 chamber. What really puzzles me is how the dam thing actually works. What kind of return pump should I get and how to I get it to match the overflow box, what ESHOPPS overflow box would be good for a 40 breeder then what return pump would be best. I don't need a super fancy return pump either, just something simple and reliable is what I prefer.

 

I won't be using a ATO either, I will never trust them so I understand that I will have to top off from my sump and not the display tank but for water changes I just do the display tank and make sure it's all off right?

 

As far as the Sump itself goes should I just make one from a 20L tank or something like that or bigger? Do you use glass or acrylic and then what kind of silicone do you use for making the chambers?

 

Please dumb it down for me a lot, I've read up on them but still get lost so I could use some help guys.

Eshopps is great, no flooding from there overflow and you can make a silencer for them as well to cut down on noise. 700 gph overflow would be good with say a mag pump if your looking for cheap 5 or 7 mag. I prefer lower flow through sump and create flow with power heads ect. There is a small airline tubing to start the flow by sucking out the air as you've turned on the pump. Once primed, you normally don't need to do it again, say after a water change or power outage.

 

 

 

Use a ATO, either a gravity fed, with no moving parts to get funked up, or a reliable tunze 3155. I've had that for years with no,issues, plus useing a timer would help as a back up. Or,like you said don't use one at all. The fluctuating levels in the sump will cause,the skimmer to not operate at the same , if you've dialed it in at six inches of water, but it drops just a little can cause,performance issues.

 

 

 

A 20L is a great size sump for a 40 breeder, you can always go bigger, just depends what fits under your stand. I,personally wouldn't go bigger than a 40 breeder, JMO. Acrylic doesn't stick to silicone, so I recommend getting dimensions and either having a glass shop cut your baffles or DIY. And use 100% pure silicone. You can get it at HD or just to be safe if your unsure use a branded silicone made for aquariums.

 

 

 

When doing water changes mark a height your sump level is normally while running and when power is shut off. This way you can clean the sump and the display, while knowing how much water needs to be added. Don't think I missed anything, but do,some research on the overflow, as I'm not sure which model number is the right fit, just shoot for something that can handle your amount of water the pump pushes, after head loss.

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Hey i have a overflow package if u are interested from eshopps perfect for 40 tank.ill post today in equipment forum.for return i wud recommend eheim compact return pump with adjustable option whic works beautifully with my sump.

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Eshopps is great, no flooding from there overflow and you can make a silencer for them as well to cut down on noise. 700 gph overflow would be good with say a mag pump if your looking for cheap 5 or 7 mag. I prefer lower flow through sump and create flow with power heads ect. There is a small airline tubing to start the flow by sucking out the air as you've turned on the pump. Once primed, you normally don't need to do it again, say after a water change or power outage.

 

 

 

Use a ATO, either a gravity fed, with no moving parts to get funked up, or a reliable tunze 3155. I've had that for years with no,issues, plus useing a timer would help as a back up. Or,like you said don't use one at all. The fluctuating levels in the sump will cause,the skimmer to not operate at the same , if you've dialed it in at six inches of water, but it drops just a little can cause,performance issues.

 

 

 

A 20L is a great size sump for a 40 breeder, you can always go bigger, just depends what fits under your stand. I,personally wouldn't go bigger than a 40 breeder, JMO. Acrylic doesn't stick to silicone, so I recommend getting dimensions and either having a glass shop cut your baffles or DIY. And use 100% pure silicone. You can get it at HD or just to be safe if your unsure use a branded silicone made for aquariums.

 

 

 

When doing water changes mark a height your sump level is normally while running and when power is shut off. This way you can clean the sump and the display, while knowing how much water needs to be added. Don't think I missed anything, but do,some research on the overflow, as I'm not sure which model number is the right fit, just shoot for something that can handle your amount of water the pump pushes, after head loss.

 

Sounds great! This has really simplified my thinking behind sumps in general. I'll have to shop around for a return pump for one that I really like that isn't crazy expensive, the mag sounds good though.

 

Now all I gotta do is wait another 5 or so months till I'm done with this deployment and can actually be back home with my reef tank! My poor wife is going to have so many packages waiting for me upon my return. Going to be building a new gaming/media PC for the family room, getting a 60-70" TV, building a new tank stand, and now adding a sump!

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Nanofreak79

So basically everything you need to indulge a little for being a soldier, which I much appreciate for your service!

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Cencalfishguy56

Why not just install a check valve on your return line then you won't have to worry about a back siphon on your return incase the power went out and a ball valve on the overflow to shut it off while changing out stuff ect ect well actually idk you have an overflow box, my tank is drilled

I also have an acrylic 10 gallon sump for my 20L rimless tank

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So basically everything you need to indulge a little for being a soldier, which I much appreciate for your service!

 

Woah, no soldier here, 100% Navy Sailor! But thank you, I love my job and what I do. Saw an amazing aquarium in Italy which was a real treat! And the corals I saw at the pier in Jordan in the Red Sea were just amazing and such beautiful water. Once I get this sump installed in the new stand I'm building I have a lot of ideas for rock scape I'd like to do. I want to go with a minimal rock amount in the display tank with a free standing rock shelf.

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Nanofreak79

Sorry, Navy, didn't know. I guess your sig pic gives it away. Thank you still, as we need the navy just as much.

 

 

 

I think a bonsai type structure would look cool. You could build the tree out of dry rock and the shelves out of shelf rock. It would be cool to drill holes in the shelf or tree branch structure for frags if needed.id say find a tank online or what you've seen and try to do your own thing with at scape in mind. JMO !

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Cencalfishguy56

 

Woah, no soldier here, 100% Navy Sailor! But thank you, I love my job and what I do. Saw an amazing aquarium in Italy which was a real treat! And the corals I saw at the pier in Jordan in the Red Sea were just amazing and such beautiful water. Once I get this sump installed in the new stand I'm building I have a lot of ideas for rock scape I'd like to do. I want to go with a minimal rock amount in the display tank with a free standing rock shelf.

Cool man I have a lot of sailor friends along with marines and army

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I do have a very good idea on how to do one and talked with that member (Drama125 build), it was his shelf idea that I love and will try to do something very similar in my tank.

 

And after 8 years in the navy I've made a lot of friends in all the services. But always remember GO NAVY BEAT army. muwhahahaha

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Also one last dumb question, how deep of water can a in sump skimmer be in? does that really matter much?

 

Most skimmers need 8-10" or so of water depth to function (thinking for a skimmer one might typically use for a 50-150+ gallon tank). The recommended ranges are usually stated by the manufacturers though. I usually err on the side too high because if for example I run my sump at 12" water depth in that chamber and the skimmer needs 8-10" I can make a little stand from plastic or whatever to raise the skimmer a little. Just make sure you have the head room for that though - it's not good to have a sump that's tall enough to make it difficult to get your hands in there.

 

Good luck

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