Best sump features to date

[Mebeknob]

I love sump innovations and the unique things people and companies do with them. Or if your sump is "normal" design but is made of unique materials or colors. I want to gather all of these things in one place!

If you have an idea unrealized, you can also post. Pictures are worth 1000 words.

To get the ball rolling

Built in media reactors

Center section bypass. This allows the center to be drained for cleaning or water change but the DT still gets flow through the first and last chamber

Filter sock silencers

 

[Mebeknob]

Custom lid covers for equipment

 

[Mebeknob]

Water height indications

 

[Dramad1]

Not a Geo......

but I like it,
Adjustable water level, built in ato cord/probe and doser tube holders

 

[Mebeknob]

Remote sensor thingy

 

[Mebeknob]

White sides around refugium area so algae won't grow in the other chambers

 

[billwill]

What brand it is this one?

 

[Mebeknob]

What brand it is this one?

Not sure. Think it's an eBay sump

 

[Mebeknob]

I like how the water has to come up and over into the filter socks. These almost seems standard in most sumps today.

 

[chema]

I like panels adjustable in height, so you can adjust water level.

 

[Fin]

My new Elite Aquatics sump. I like the clear viewing panes on the front and the solid white sides, back and bottom. Also has an extra large equipment section for skimmer and reactors and larger than many return section. They used translucent blue acrylic for the baffles, per my request.

 

[NeverlosT]

Drain hoses coming into a dedicated filter sock bubble catcher, which overflows into the filter socks.
A emergency drain from the filter sock area (slits cut high in the wall) in case the socks clog
A separate drain input for the emergency drain that goes into the skimmer chamber (where the water level is lower) so that you can hear the water splashing in and you know that the emergency drain is in use.
Putting the refugium segment on the other side of the return pump segment (so on the end of the sump) this way you can control how much water flows through your fuge. If you put the fuge between the skimmer section and the return section, then all of the water flowing through the sump has to flow through the fuge (too much flow if you don't have a bypass).
I would like to see a doser tube input into the filter sock area so that calcium reactor users can drip their effluent into the turbulent and bubbly sock section which then goes into the skimmer section (best chances to dissipate the leftover CO2).
I think making sumps from PVC is significatly more durable than Acrylic, and welded seams look good.
Viewing windows are a plus.
The lights in the DreamBox sumps are cool to have but just for looks.
The heater brackets that hold heaters off of the bottom of the sump are pretty sweet.
Integrating one of those auto-roll-style pre-filters instead of filter socks is kind of cool.
Having a low flow area to house bio-media like MarinePure Blocks or balls is a good idea. I am using it now and my nitrates and phosphates stay low without GFO and even with heavy feeding.
Definitely like the evaporation and sound blocking lids.

I'll try to find some pics. I love sumps!

 

[bif24701]

Holds water

 

[Elementalj]

Holds water

[emoji106]

 

[Maritimer]

What brand it is this one?

Pretty sure that's Trigger Systems' "Tideline" series, which is only supposed to be available through brick-and-mortar fish shops. (I've seen a few such shops marketing the sump via ebay, though . . .) It's a nicely constructed sump - my LFS has had them in.

~Bruce

 

[Leslie Tabor]

White sides around refugium area so algae won't grow in the other chambers

This is the sump I have! I have a question...not to hijack the thread...but does anyone use this and if so what do you do with the sponge that lays in the tray between the refugium and the return section??? It is a freaking nightmare!

Oh and it is the Trigger Tideline, not an "ebay" sump it is supposed to be sold by LFS.

 

[Maritimer]

I think that sponge is supposed to help eliminate bubbles from the skimmer, but I can easily imagine it becoming a detritus magnet as well.

If that were my sump, I might consider replacing it with a bag of carbon / GFO, or eliminating it entirely.

~Bruce

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I think that sponge is supposed to help eliminate bubbles from the skimmer, but I can easily imagine it becoming a detritus magnet as well.

If that were my sump, I might consider replacing it with a bag of carbon / GFO, or eliminating it entirely.

~Bruce

Thanks Bruce, I was thinking of taking it out but as a newbie I was hoping for a second opinion. I do run carbon and GFO already...it catches a lot of debris from my refugium, little algae bits and such. This is why I struggle, I can see some benefit of it!

 

[revhtree]

What brand it is this one?

That looks just like a Planet Aquarium sump. I have one.

 

[revhtree]

The things I love are the filter sock area where water has to pass through, adjustable skimmer area, and lids!!