Sump/skimmer Perormance

[Sea Turtle]

I have set my tank up and am almost ready to go. All I need is live rock. However, I am not sure if I have set up my sump properly. I have an overflow box 1200 gph going straight down in to my 30 gal sump. In this sump I have the protien skimmer, the heater and the return pump 900 gph. Is this fine? Am I going to get bubble's in my tank? Will the return water be cleaned properly? Etc.... I really don't have much more space to work with or money to spend but I want a top of the line professional reef tank. Help.

 

[SkiFletch]

Depends, what else is going on in that sump tank? Are you using any bubble-catching devices (bubble walls, filter socks, etc)? Also, ever thought of a refugium? Would really help things out. And what about check valves or other protection for the return side?

Pics would really help

 

[weathermen]

Hi Sea Turtle,

if you are using check valves go with the flapper or ball version, spring versions will drive you mad, TRUST ME! also ball valves will help with flow rates etc!
all my sump has is heaters, filter foam, skimmer, return pump, two baffles and some bio balls, this will do you for now then move onto bigger things later once you have spare cash! refugium are a good way to go but could also be project number two!

 

[Sea Turtle]

Depends, what else is going on in that sump tank? Are you using any bubble-catching devices (bubble walls, filter socks, etc)? Also, ever thought of a refugium? Would really help things out. And what about check valves or other protection for the return side?

Pics would really help

I don't have any pics availabe right now. All that is in there is the skimmer, heater and return pump. Are you saying that this is not good? What are bubble walls, filter socks, etc? Is this something that I can easily add to the sump?

 

[SkiFletch]

Absoloutely. I'll try and get a pic up tonight of my own sump to show you what I mean. Perhaps someone can post one of their own with bubble walls installed in the meantime. All they are essentially are some glass dividers set into the sump tank at creative places to guide water flowing through the sump into places that force bubbles to collect on the surface instead of sitting around in the water column . If you have a tank with no means of bubble catching you will get microbubbles in the display from where the water enters the sump. So what you have is the shell of an apropriate sump tank, a couple additions and you'll be all set.

Is this sump tank a standard glass 30g tank? Or is it acrylic?

 

[Sea Turtle]

Absoloutely. I'll try and get a pic up tonight of my own sump to show you what I mean. Perhaps someone can post one of their own with bubble walls installed in the meantime. All they are essentially are some glass dividers set into the sump tank at creative places to guide water flowing through the sump into places that force bubbles to collect on the surface instead of sitting around in the water column . If you have a tank with no means of bubble catching you will get microbubbles in the display from where the water enters the sump. So what you have is the shell of an apropriate sump tank, a couple additions and you'll be all set.

Is this sump tank a standard glass 30g tank? Or is it acrylic?

The sump is a 30 gal rectangular tupperwear container I bought at target. I am not sure how I will add dividers to it and in what positions I should put them in.

 

[SkiFletch]

Ah, in that case, get yourself a pair (or more) of filter socks . Your overflow drains into the filter sock which catches the bubbles. These need to be cleaned usually weekly. You just turn them inside out, run water through them to get the major gunk out, then toss them in the washing machine with your whites and bleach only. Once out, rinse a few times more, and put them back into service. Its a good idea to have a couple/handful of them just in case.

What model skimmer do you have? And what model return pump is it?

 

[Sea Turtle]

Ah, in that case, get yourself a pair (or more) of filter socks . Your overflow drains into the filter sock which catches the bubbles. These need to be cleaned usually weekly. You just turn them inside out, run water through them to get the major gunk out, then toss them in the washing machine with your whites and bleach only. Once out, rinse a few times more, and put them back into service. Its a good idea to have a couple/handful of them just in case.

What model skimmer do you have? And what model return pump is it?

I have a ASM G-2 protein skimmer which has the foam sleeve on the exiting overflow pipe. Does this foam sleeve do the work of the filter sock?

As for the return pump, I have a "Rainbow Quiet One Aquarium Pump 4000HH" 980 gph.

That is all I have iin the sump.

 

[SkiFletch]

The sleeve will prevent the skimmer from adding microbubbles to the aquarium. You still need the sock for the drain lines

 

[Sea Turtle]

The sleeve will prevent the skimmer from adding microbubbles to the aquarium. You still need the sock for the drain lines

Ok, will do. When you say that I need the sock for the drain lines, do you mean over then end of the overflow lines coming into the sump? Also, should these lines be submerged in the sump or above the water level?

Thanks for your help.

 

[SkiFletch]

They should be near the waterline, rather high up in the sock. And a majority of the sock should be underwater. You'll know when it's time to clean the sock cause it'll start overflowing over the sides when it gets clogged . The socks come with straps so it's usually easiest to just hang them on a hook/string/etc fom the top of the stand