40B with this sump

[VR28man]

So I have this sump - built off a standard aqueon type 10 gallon tank. The skimmer, etc. compartment on the left is 15x8x9 inches, or about 4.8 gallons by my reckoning.

I've looked online, and people say that this is good enough for up to a 40 gallon tank.

BUT, if I were to use this with a 40B with the eshopps prodigy m overflow box installed (https://www.eshopps.com/overflowboxes/prodigy-m I'm not set on this but I'm just using this for now as a concrete example), would it be enough?

I'm a bit dubious. I WAG that the teeth on the prodgy are 2". 40B is 36.25" x 18.25" x 17", so if there's a failure at least 36x18x2" of water will go down. That's 5.6 gallons, or that's REALLY pushing it with this design? (granted that the overflow box is adjustable, so if i moved it up even half an inch i should be fine?)

 

[piranhaman00]

10 gallon sump is really pushing it imo, you would only be able to use about half the volume, get a 20H

 

[lilgrounchuck]

Tune it. The overflow won’t run to the top of the teeth. It should run at the bottom. I had a sump made from a 5 gal bucket on a 50. The “off” level was 4 gallons. The “on” was about 2, but it kept the level my skimmer needed. If the pump failed, the bucket would only fill back to 4 gal. If the drain clogged, there was enough space in the DT to accommodate all the water in the sump without flooding.

 

[SDK]

I have a standard 20 long with a Fiji Cube DIY sump kit installed for a sump on my 40B.

It comes with two socks/holders and water level adjustment for $125 all in, including the tank. I have plenty of volume in case of backflow, and room for a generous skimmer area and refugium.

As others have stated, I would not go with a 10G solution. Even forgetting flood issues, I think you will regret the tight quarters once you start up and want to add good equipment into it...

 

[lilgrounchuck]

I have a standard 20 long with a Fiji Cube DIY sump kit installed for a sump on my 40B.

It comes with two socks/holders and water level adjustment for $125 all in, including the tank. I have plenty of volume in case of backflow, and room for a generous skimmer area and refugium.

As others have stated, I would not go with a 10G solution. Even forgetting flood issues, I think you will regret the tight quarters once you start up and want to add good equipment into it...

If the levels are tuned properly flooding won’t be an issue. The tight space could be an issue depending on the equipment being used.

 

[SDK]

If the levels are tuned properly flooding won’t be an issue. The tight space could be an issue depending on the equipment being used.

Yup. Proper tuning is part of it, but other things can happen like a stuck ATO. My 20 is also planned so my ATO can fully empty into it without causing a flood. It's never a bad thing to have some spare volume.

Between my desire for as many failsafe's as possible, and wanting flexibility for additional equipment adds, I would never recommend a 10g sized sump for a 40 gallon tank. Once you spend the same money to plumb it in, it then becomes a huge hassle to upgrade once the system is up and running. It's one of those things to better plan out, and spend a few extra dollars up front.