Freshwater Sump

[heymickey94]

Hi guys. Well I'm having an 11 foot tank made and I was told that I would need a freshwater sump. Ok this will be my first reef ready tank so I'm very confused. The tank that I'm buying has these available upgrades (please let me know what I will need off of this list):

-reef ready (2 glass overflows, 2 holes for each overflow)

-acrylic covers for overflows

-bulkheads for overflows

-sump tank (75 gallon acrylic aquarium customized sump tank)

So here are my questions:

1. What exactly is a reef ready tank? What is the point of it?

2. Do I need acrylic covers for the overflows?

3. How the heck do I set up a sump tank? How would you cycle a sump tank would it take longer/shorter or the same time as cycling an external canister filter?

4. Between the sump and the reef ready (don't know what that means) will the tank have enough filtration?

This tank is going to be stocked with all fish from the Amazon River/South America. Stingrays, Angel fish, cardinal tetras, discus etc. (will ask about fish in the proper forum)

Thank you in advance and sorry about all of the questions.

 

[andywg]

1. What exactly is a reef ready tank? What is the point of it?

A reef ready tank is one that is already drilled with weirs installed so it can quickly and easily be installed wihtout having to drill and make things.

2. Do I need acrylic covers for the overflows?

Yes, these will prevent your entire tank draining into the sump when the return pump is turned off.

3. How the heck do I set up a sump tank? How would you cycle a sump tank would it take longer/shorter or the same time as cycling an external canister filter?

The sump is the filter. Cycling should be a similar time

4. Between the sump and the reef ready (don't know what that means) will the tank have enough filtration?

Put in a trickle tower for the sump (so it is wet dry) and you will have fantastic filtration. All my FW tanks run solely on sumps with trickle towers.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Basically Reef-ready means it is ready for a Marine/Saltwater setup.

I don't have any experience with such a large tank but I would imagine that putting in a sump is going to be the best filtration method. So in short yes you want the overflows (these drain water to the sump tank underneath). Covers are a good idea (stops fish jumping/swimming in), no idea what bulkheads are...

I have never used a sump before (as primary filtration) but normally on a FW setup they are used with something like a trickle filter to act as filtration or can be set up like a big external canister filter. You have a pump in the sump to take the water back to the tank.

Like I said I have never set up a really big tank and the sumps I have used where in addition to normal canister filters and for me was purely to add the volume of water to the tank. Someone with more experience should be able to offer more useful advice to how effective they are and the best way to set them up.

Edit: Someone already has

 

[heymickey94]

Wow thanks for the quick response and for all of the help, Andy. Do you have a picture of one of you tanks with a trickle tower? I'm interested in seeing it. Is it worth the extra money to buy the tank reef ready? Also I am assuming that for media I would use bio balls? How high would I fill the 75 gallon (sump tank) with bioballs? And is that the only media that is use? Also 1 last question- since the 75 gallon sump adds more surface area will I be able to add more fish? Sorry about all of the questions I just want to make sure that I will know what I'm doing before I spend all of this money. Thanks again

Thanks Barney, I will also be purchasing glass covers, an oak canopy and oak stand along with the tank, I just listed the upgrades that I was asking about.

 

[andywg]

Wow thanks for the quick response and for all of the help, Andy. Do you have a picture of one of you tanks with a trickle tower?

I have some pics somewhere at home, but they are of a rack where two tanks drain into the same trickle tower which is 2 feet tall and sits on a 2 foot long sump tank, not really the sort of design you will be using...

Is it worth the extra money to buy the tank reef ready?

That depends, do you mind drilling the tank and installing weirs and designing the plumbing? If you d then you will probably save money, but it is nice and easy to buy it all done for you.

Also I am assuming that for media I would use bio balls? How high would I fill the 75 gallon (sump tank) with bioballs? And is that the only media that is use?

I only use bioballs for the biological filtration. I have the drain from the sump flow onto filter floss sitting on a drip plate. The water flows through the drip plate onto the bioballs and into the sump. From the sump it is pumped back to the tank.

As to how many bioballs to use, I don't know. I just sort of guess and build as big as I can safely fit and stuff it full. What are the dimensions of the 75?

Also 1 last question- since the 75 gallon sump adds more surface area will I be able to add more fish?

It will also add more water, so yes, you will be able to stock heavier. Most of my tanks are at or over 2" per gallon

 

[heymickey94]

Wow thanks for the quick response and for all of the help, Andy. Do you have a picture of one of you tanks with a trickle tower?

I have some pics somewhere at home, but they are of a rack where two tanks drain into the same trickle tower which is 2 feet tall and sits on a 2 foot long sump tank, not really the sort of design you will be using...

Is it worth the extra money to buy the tank reef ready?

That depends, do you mind drilling the tank and installing weirs and designing the plumbing? If you d then you will probably save money, but it is nice and easy to buy it all done for you.

Also I am assuming that for media I would use bio balls? How high would I fill the 75 gallon (sump tank) with bioballs? And is that the only media that is use?

I only use bioballs for the biological filtration. I have the drain from the sump flow onto filter floss sitting on a drip plate. The water flows through the drip plate onto the bioballs and into the sump. From the sump it is pumped back to the tank.

As to how many bioballs to use, I don't know. I just sort of guess and build as big as I can safely fit and stuff it full. What are the dimensions of the 75?

Also 1 last question- since the 75 gallon sump adds more surface area will I be able to add more fish?

It will also add more water, so yes, you will be able to stock heavier. Most of my tanks are at or over 2" per gallon

The measurments of the 75 gallon are 72 x 18 x 13 in inches.

 

[andywg]

Is the 18 height or width?

Assuming it is height, I would recommend having about 8" of it above the water line and have about 3 foot of the tank the wet dry part.

 

[heymickey94]

Actually the 13 inches is the height.

 

[andywg]

In that case, you will probably have a bit of height room in your cabinet, yes? You could install a trickle tower that sits on top of the sump.

 

[heymickey94]

Yes I will have extra room in the cabinet. I am having trouble looking for pictures of this on the internet. Do you have any sites that you would recommend for freshwater sumps? And would I be able to keep fish in the sump, temporarily? I plan on breeding stingrays and would want to put the pups in the sump tank. Can I do this? Thanks for all the help.