2 sumps???

[dirty_south87]

Been tossing around the idea of using 2 sumps, one for skimmer and the other for chaeto. I have thought of linking them together either by pipe between or a decent pump that can keep up the flow. Any suggestions on that idea or against?

 

[MoshJosh]

I would not connect them via pump, would likely be difficult to match flow (flow from sump to sump and flow from sump to display), also if one of the pumps fail you could cause an overflow.

Think best option would be big sump with baffles, adding a baffle or divider to existing sump, or making your 2 sump set up work with gravity.

Also you can just put the skimmer in the fuge. . . my skimmer is.

 

[dirty_south87]

I would not connect them via pump, would likely be difficult to match flow (flow from sump to sump and flow from sump to display), also if one of the pumps fail you could cause an overflow.

Think best option would be big sump with baffles, adding a baffle or divider to existing sump, or making your 2 sump set up work with gravity.

Also you can just put the skimmer in the fuge. . . my skimmer is.

Good point on the pump.

I would put a skimmer in with the five but the space is limited unfortunately.

I found a used sump real cheap is why I looked in on the idea of doing this. I’m also unable to pull out the current sump without draining my display.

 

[MoshJosh]

Could add HOB fuge and put skimmer in sump or get an external skimmer as well.

 

[afrokobe]

Could add HOB fuge and put skimmer in sump or get an external skimmer as well.

this is what im doing, have a hob cpr fuge that I am no longer using. was worrying about light spill and chaeto getting everywhere, but this should keep it contained.

 

[dirty_south87]

Could add HOB fuge and put skimmer in sump or get an external skimmer as well.

I don’t have a good spot (canopy) for a HOB although that would have been the best option.

I didn’t think about an external skimmer to be honest. I could look into that for sure.

 

[dedragon]

what size sump are you using right now? Usually it is better to run one very large sump and have some material (i use lifeguard filter mesh) to stop any algae from making it to the skimmer section. There are some external refugiums as well that can be connected like the one from lifereef, but i dont know much about it and dont like to have extra points that can fail and cause a leak

 

[dirty_south87]

what size sump are you using right now? Usually it is better to run one very large sump and have some material (i use lifeguard filter mesh) to stop any algae from making it to the skimmer section. There are some external refugiums as well that can be connected like the one from lifereef, but i dont know much about it and dont like to have extra points that can fail and cause a leak

I think it’s roughly 20-25 gallons. I would have love to get a bigger sump altogether but where I was pressed to replace my 180 when it leaked I didn’t get to replace the sump at the time.

I’ll look into those external setups. I’m assuming based off the replies it’s not a good idea to have 2 separate sumps haha

 

[dedragon]

what size tank are you running now and what space do you have for the sump area? Might be better to just diy a sump out of a slightly larger tank. It is pretty easy to just swap the sump out once it is drained

 

[xcountryx]

I ran 2 sumps on my 100 gallon 4 years ago. It was 2 20 longs. The first was raised 4 to 6 inches and I had drilled the side and put a bulkhead in it. This drained into the second 20 long. Had no issues.

 

[MoshJosh]

I ran 2 sumps on my 100 gallon 4 years ago. It was 2 20 longs. The first was raised 4 to 6 inches and I had drilled the side and put a bulkhead in it. This drained into the second 20 long. Had no issues.

This is what I meant by "making your 2 sump set up work with gravity".

 

[dirty_south87]

This is what I meant by "making your 2 sump set up work with gravity".

I understand that, basically one of the choices I gave but I didn’t included raised up some. I just figured where a lot of the suggestions were mostly hob or externals I thought maybe that the 2 sump plan isn’t a very good process. I’m looking for any suggestions to do this due to the limited space I have in my current sump and all

 

[slojim]

My main sump is a rubbermaid box. I segregate a portion with a cut down bucket to make a skimmer section with stable height. A drilled 12g old aquarium on a pedestal is refugium that spills back into the sump via 2 pipes, a main and a normally dry emergency, bypassing the skimmer. The fuge has a small powerhead. Flow comes in off a portion of the overflow box drain. This 2 box set-up allowed me to fit both in my stand. Some of my plumbing irritates me, but even if I shut it down for a day in the future to replumb, I'd keep this 2-box arrangement. Note that my ATO reservoir is in an adjacent stand, and things like power bricks are on a board on the wall behind it - I used up all my under-DT stand room.

 

[dirty_south87]

My main sump is a rubbermaid box. I segregate a portion with a cut down bucket to make a skimmer section with stable height. A drilled 12g old aquarium on a pedestal is refugium that spills back into the sump via 2 pipes, a main and a normally dry emergency, bypassing the skimmer. The fuge has a small powerhead. Flow comes in off a portion of the overflow box drain. This 2 box set-up allowed me to fit both in my stand. Some of my plumbing irritates me, but even if I shut it down for a day in the future to replumb, I'd keep this 2-box arrangement. Note that my ATO reservoir is in an adjacent stand, and things like power bricks are on a board on the wall behind it - I used up all my under-DT stand room.

Would you be willing to show a picture of it? Sounds pretty nifty to me

 

[Dan_P]

Been tossing around the idea of using 2 sumps, one for skimmer and the other for chaeto. I have thought of linking them together either by pipe between or a decent pump that can keep up the flow. Any suggestions on that idea or against?

I have two, the second I call the Ulva pond. I fill the pond off the main manifold and the pond drains to the main sump via a 1 inch pipe. The flow to the algae pond is low. I found that a powerhead in the algae pond is necessary to maintain healthy algae.

 

[dirty_south87]

I have two, the second I call the Ulva pond. I fill the pond off the main manifold and the pond drains to the main sump via a 1 inch pipe. The flow to the algae pond is low. I found that a powerhead in the algae pond is necessary to maintain healthy algae.

Would you be willing to show a picture?

Where did you put your filter sock (or roller if you have that) at? I seen some pics of them I. Different locations would that make a difference?

 

[Dan_P]

Would you be willing to show a picture?

Where did you put your filter sock (or roller if you have that) at? I seen some pics of them I. Different locations would that make a difference?

You won’t like my design. The tank is in the basement. The Ulva pond is in the space behind aquarium sitting on stand slightly higher than the sump. Practical but not pretty.

 

[dirty_south87]

You won’t like my design. The tank is in the basement. The Ulva pond is in the space behind aquarium sitting on stand slightly higher than the sump. Practical but not pretty.

It’s not always about the look, If it works it works. With my situation my wife is ok with me doing this hobby but her only stipulation was that it has to look good since it’s gonna be in a spot seen by all visitors to our house.

 

[xcountryx]

How much room under the stand do you have to work with? I looked for pictures of my setup from 4 years ago but couldn't find any. I could draw a pic of how I had it designed. But I know 100% the 2 sump design I had worked with no issues. And it was all contained in the stand.

 

[dirty_south87]

How much room under the stand do you have to work with? I looked for pictures of my setup from 4 years ago but couldn't find any. I could draw a pic of how I had it designed. But I know 100% the 2 sump design I had worked with no issues. And it was all contained in the stand.

I can fit 2 sumps under the stand with the ato tank as well. It was originally holding my 180 til it leaked so it’s holding a 90 gallon tank now.