What's A Sump For?

[KeeperOfFishyPeace]

In the future i'm planning on going marine and have alot of good info. But, i need to know what in the world a sump is for and if you really need it.

please help

thanx

 

[Lynden]

A sump is basically a small tank underneath your display tank. You don't need it, but they are incredibly helpful because you can put all of your equipment in the sump and hide it from the main view, as well a use it as a fully funtional filter or refugium.

Melev's reefs.com on Sumps (stole this link from a post of FishQueen1's )

-Lynden

 

[FishQueen1]

its a great site super helpful.

 

[KeeperOfFishyPeace]

So, if i'd get a canister filter i could put it in the sump? And what's all the water there for? Can fish and lr be put in their? Can a skimmer be put in there? Again, why all the water?


please help, thanx

 

[N1z]

No you couldnt put a eheim in there lol.
Basically a sump is designed to put all different things in there, here is a link showing a pic of one...
Sump
As for fish not really no need and mean tbh. You can put extra LR in there i know my LFS has a huge square tank full of LR then in its huge sump below loads again!

 

[Pheonix]

if your going for a basic marine setup its not ESSENTIAL at first but as everyone else has said its a great help!! also it increases the overall volume of water in your system which in turn makes it more stable!! ie the more water in your system the less radical the water changes are!

you can put your skimmer in there depending on the one you buy most accomodate sumps these days

live rock and certain algea's in there are great!! no fish though!

Be aware though if you are thinking of going for a sump you may have to cut holes in your display tank and overflow weirs can get a little noisey, sounds like a toilet flushing lol!

Sumps are normally quite expensive aswell needing return pumps media live rock etc.
All things to keep in mind

Andy

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, great place to hide usightly equipent, great for filtration with a refugium, helps increase overall water volume leading to greater stability, and much more. Sumps are good, but complicated and sometimes expensive. They are more beneficial on larger tanks as they are much easier to work with when you have some room under the stand

 

[KeeperOfFishyPeace]

could I add a sump to my tank later? also, you're talking about water volume so it means that the water from the tank is pumped into the sump and from there back from the pump to my tank? also, if the water gets there that way, i could have a skimmer in there because its the same water that gets pumped around.

please help

 

[Pheonix]

yeah the water goes round the sump much as it would a canaster filter but on a bit more of a complex scale where its not just filter media the water is passing through!
you could add a sump to your setup at a later date but this would be a pain as i said earlier as you may have to drill holes in your main tank to accomodate it and this is much easier done when it empty

 

[KeeperOfFishyPeace]

for a 75 gallon with some basic fish and soft coral and lr, would it be beneficial? also, how beneficial is it really. everyone says its important but really how? would i have to do any extra water changes? be careful with levels of other toxins?



is this an ok example of a sump?: ok, you've got a regular 20 or so u.s. gal glass aquarium with no dividers, just a tank. i can put a skimmer in there, i know, and is it really just water pumping around or is there some kind of extra filter involved or safety device if water starts overflowing and one side can't process the water?


im a total noob at this......

 

[Pheonix]

to be honest i wouldnt bother with what your putting in there, ive kept all that in an "un-sumped" tank with no problems at all!! just make sure you have a good filter and skimmer and ur hot on your water parameters and changes and you will be fine

the sump tanks isnt as easy as a plain tank it needs dividers and all sorts to regulate the flow or you will have all sorts of overflowing issues they are alot of work so unless u really no what you ant from it id leave it for now, add one later if your keeping needs require it

 

[SkiFletch]

Heh, yeah I cant explain it better than the diagram on this page off of melevsreef.com does.

 

[KeeperOfFishyPeace]

you know, I think a sump is not the way for me to go. my lfs said the same thing as Pheonix said. just check water conditions, have nice slightly beefed-up filter and skimmer and you're fine. i'm not to happy on spending that much money out of my tight budget and i can always add one later. i know, i know, it will be easier now but come on, i'll lower the water level drill the holes add hardware and ta da! sump! some of the fun part about fish keeping is the maintenance and checking all the parameters, asking q's here and there. as i've learned before it's all about care and maintenance!

thanx for your help!

 

[Tommy Gunnz]

I am new to the saltwater side of this hobby as well, but I am a couple steps further in my progress than you seem to be keeper, so I thought I could help a little on the sump question.

My set up was designed and purchased through a company who makes custom aquarium set ups, however, my tank is not fully customized as far as being built into the wall or something, but I did have them drill some holes in the bottom of my tank for a sump hook up and some very hidden powerheads.

My understanding is that sumps are very benificial for larger tanks (mine is a 90 gallon bowfront, which is a 72 gallon bowfront, which are more common to see in stores, only mine is taller) and they are much more than just a place to hide equipment. My basic fear was with having kids, I did not want the tank to be anthing near tip-able and so I wanted to put my tank directly against the wall. This cannot really be done without a sump since I would most likely have to hang my skimmer and/or fiters on the back of the tank or at least allow room for pluming to a canister filter. This was a major benifit to me, but it may not be for you.

My second concern was how to keep my water well oxygenated, and at the time I was under the impression that putting airstones in a salt water tank was a bad idea (I have heard some contrary opinions on this lately though). Anyways, my sump also contains a good number of bio-balls on top of which water is casscaded. This helps put air into the water which is important.

I also keep all my mechanicals in my sump (i.e. heaters, skimmers, chiller, water pumps...) and my tank is secured to the wall with no worry about having the need to get to anything I cannot reach. I find them very convient and adaptable so that I can, in the future, create most any type of tank I desire (reef or FOWLR)

You are right though that expense is a big factor in this hobby. I did catch a few breaks that allowed me to afford more than I normally would have been able to, but keep in mind that you can add a sump later on in life. I would stick to what you can afford so that you do not have to skimp on quality equipment just to 'have it all' right away. I would certainly listen to the knowledgable people on sites like this one and do enough research to decide what exactly you need and what will help you have the most success and I am sure you want to have.