sump help

[matt.radich]

Hello, I just got a 20 gallon long fish tank to use as a sump for my 40B, but it just the tank, with a skimmer and a return pump, with an hob overflow.

I have not a clue in the world on how to make a sump and everything i need. I will take attach a picture shortly to show you guys what I have with it.

I need all the help I can get with this proect, so any help is GREATLY appreciated!

 

[Haulin Oates]

What do you want in your sump area? You need a place for water to come into from the overflow, a place for the skimmer to sit, and a place for the return pump. You'll probably want to make a bubble trap before the return pump, and your options are extra areas for filtration media, and/or a refugium.

 

[deadrock]

Just measure the width of the tank and the heigth of the lines on the tank, go to lowes .get the glass cut get some 100% silicone , silicone them in on the lines I drew on the tank and then let it dry for 24hours . I would use black silicone it looks better

 

[matt.radich]

I got a diagram drawn out for me from deadrock. it has an insump skimmer, a place for a refugium, and then a place for media to be put. So in all i think that there will be three baffles in total, do the two that enclose the refugium go on the bottom for the tank so water flows over, and then the 3rd baffle be elevated so water goes underneath and then into the return pump?

I have a pic now, look towards the back, there is some sort of trap looking thing in there, and there will be a pic of the diagram i was drawn for me.

 

[Dbarnes]

Its better to have your glass cut at an actual glass company, same price as Lowes but they will sand the edges making it much less likely you will slice your hand when you move something or mess around in the sump. Just my opionon.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk

 

[matt.radich]

[attachment=61189:name]

 

[matt.radich]

@deadrock, would you suggest 11 7/8" for the baffles? And what was the thing that looks like what goes around the overflow tube? The black thing, there is one more idk what it is haha. I'm way new to this

 

[Haulin Oates]

That what the bubble trap looks like from my sump. The return pump is on the right on this picture.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

^^^ a great resource.

Everything you wanted to know:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/gt/index.htm
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-04/gt/index.htm
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/gt/index.htm

Be careful if you buy non-aquarium silicone. There is a specific type that works great, i think its GE5000 but DO NOT QUOTE ME on this. I know you can find the answer on google. I used the specific GE type found through google and it has been fine.

 

[matt.radich]

awesome I just looked at that and that helped a ton, thank you for the help on that. Should i build like a little stand to just elevate the sump a little off the stand bottom?

 

[Wicked Color]

You here in longmont!, I would be happy to come help if you need it!

 

[matt.radich]

I may bring it by to you so you can show me what to do, i got that heater from you a few days ago haha. But yeah, maybe ill bring down the tank so you can tell me if the layout is good

 

[AlgaeBarn]

I used enamel paint inside of my stand. I think he recommends buying a piece of stiff foam in case there is a flood/spill. I would definitely enamel the inside of your stand, your going to have increased humidity plus salt which will increase the rate of wood rot and decay.

 

[matt.radich]

I have done that already, plastered it with enamel and then painted it haha. So the inside of the stand is protected, so i'm going to assume that i should do that if i build a mini stand right? How many of you people do that? Or do you just set it on the base of your stand