Sump!!

[wastememphis]

Hey !

 

Still pretty new here, I have a 29gallon tank... set up 3months ago. It has a fluval 204 on it and I was wondering if it would be better or not to just use a sump. I don't want to risk drilling my tank so I'd buy a hang on over flow and was wondering if that would be a good one to buy, or how I could build one myself... and what the sump would consist of? I just grasped the idea that a sump is just a tank underneath that the water just goes into? I dont know why it would be better than a canaster filter... but I do have 50lbs of live rock and was told that live rock is a good filter. I also wanted to read some feed back on hang on and in sump skimmers any difference other than location?? Thanks... one more thing is about a refguium for pod growth, i know nothing about this and how you would bring the pods back into your tank. thank you!!!

[drewmd.]

the use of a sump is basically up to you. there are benefits with using a seperate tank for a sump rather than the hang on type. for one it's a good place to put a protein skimmer, heater, filtration units ect. (which basically take up space when added to your main tank.) and it saves time between water changes. no need to top off your water and your water will stay pretty clean. though you still need to do water changes, just not as often. also if you ever need to add chemicals you can simply add them to your sump which will filter and clean the water before it goes into your main tank. that way no chemicals are in your main tank which will harm many corals. and you are correct as far as the live rock goes. it does filter a lot of wastes in your tank. i wouldn't rely soley on just using your live rock as a filtration device. though some aquarists do it. as far as how to get the pods from the refugium to the main tank is simple. by means of a return line.

[wastememphis]

Thanks drewmd!

 

I know id need some filtration which I was planning on with the skimmer. i meant using a septrate tank for the sump but the hang on thign was the over flow to get the water down there. I was wondring if you could tell me why it isn't a good ieda to use bio balls if you already have live rock. If i had a sponge in the overflow before it went into the bioballs would they still gradually become a "nitrate factory"? famous term i have yet to understand. At my lfs they have an overflow going into a wet/dry with a skimmer in the sump. They the same set up for their live rock tanks, and they water quaitly appears to be great. I guess I dont know what to do, I want to make sure its being filtered so I wanted a wet/dry going into a sump where I could house the heater and skimmer. But wasn't sure if that was a good idea becuase of everyone talking about nitrate buildups. For the refugium is it good to have it under the tank or next to the tank... because i thought the pods might die when being sucked up a tube into the tank??? No idea though, thanks for anwsering. Is that link i put up a good investment or should i try to build one?!

[drewmd.]

don't rely on just the skimmer for filtration. and yes the hang on overflow is a good piece of equiptment. i personally built mine. (cheaper) as far as using a sponge before the water hits the bio balls the answer is no. it will not help. i would just take the bio balls out. are you familiar with the nitrogen cycle and how it works? if not i would prefer you read up on it. nitrates are good to some extent. you don't want to much in your tank. all it is is ammonia that has converted to nitrites and then converted to nitrates. nitrates are pretty much safe for fish unless you let it get into high numbers then it becomes acidic. you don't want that. the best way to decrease nitrates is to do water changes. you can hang your refugium on the side of your tank or inside your sump. either way is fine.

[wastememphis]

what kind of filtration should i use then? still my fluval 204 but run it into the sump????

[drewmd.]

yep you got it. with this set up and proper care you will be on your way to enjoying a beautiful and thriving tank.(as long as you maintain it well.)

[wastememphis]

thanks drewmd...!

[wastememphis]

would anyone recomend buying a new tank and drilling it over buying an overflow for almost the same price of a new tank? or could i drill my tank with stuff in it... water level down?? i read posts of people using a Drimmel with a few special bits could do it. but i'm weary of doing this without a spare tank incase something terrible happens.