Buy Prefab sump?

[tb582]

To the OP, others have suggested that you use your 75 gallon tank as a sump. FijiCube makes sump baffle kits, they have one that fits 40 gallon tanks. A 40 gallon should be the same width as your 75, so I would think - but I don’t know for sure - that this baffle kit would fit your 75.

FijiCube Sump Baffle Kit 40 Gallon

Just a suggestion.

Thanks - yes I've thought about it but that also assumes I'm ready to upgrade to a bigger tank at the exact same time which I'm not sure I'm going to be.

 

[Fish Fan]

Thanks - yes I've thought about it but that also assumes I'm ready to upgrade to a bigger tank at the exact same time which I'm not sure I'm going to be.

Ah yes, that is true, I didn't think that part through

 

[BeanAnimal]

I just stumbled upon this site https://www.lifereef.com/home.html which seems interesting though the site isn't built for newbies so I'm a bit lost

LoL - the site time traveled from the 1980s - but the owner (Jeff) is honest, the products are great and time tested and the the customer service is stellar.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Where is the sump going? If you have a fish room, basement or whatever, then you can't go wrong with a rubbermaid stock tank. Cheap, indestructible, flexible, etc.

 

[tb582]

Where is the sump going? If you have a fish room, basement or whatever, then you can't go wrong with a rubbermaid stock tank. Cheap, indestructible, flexible, etc.

yep in the basement - that seems sooo hacky lol I like DIY but that won't even look nice

 

[BeanAnimal]

yep in the basement - that seems sooo hacky lol I like DIY but that won't even look nice

Far from "hacky" - but certainly up to you - but inexpensive, bullet proof and configurable in any way you wish.

I have no clue what your DIY skills are... I can fabricate just about anything and do it properly with commercial or better quality... if I had a basement sump, that last thing I would do is build the thing. I would have 1 (or more) rubbermaid stock tanks setup.

Function over form... Sure, if you are making the sump part of your gameroom and bar, then form counts... otherwise spend your time and money elsewhere.

Search a bit and you can find scores of examples.

 

[bblumberg]

I just stumbled upon this site https://www.lifereef.com/home.html which seems interesting though the site isn't built for newbies so I'm a bit lost

Lifereef makes great sumps, skimmers, etc. Jeff will customize the design to your exact specifications. Much more costly than DIY, but worth it if you want a premade sump.

 

[tb582]

Far from "hacky" - but certainly up to you - but inexpensive, bullet proof and configurable in any way you wish.

I have no clue what your DIY skills are... I can fabricate just about anything and do it properly with commercial or better quality... if I had a basement sump, that last thing I would do is build the thing. I would have 1 (or more) rubbermaid stock tanks setup.

Function over form... Sure, if you are making the sump part of your gameroom and bar, then form counts... otherwise spend your time and money elsewhere.

Search a bit and you can find scores of examples.

you make some good points here worth considering seeing how its just in the basement so who cares!

but I gotta wonder that sumps are made a certain way for a reason vs big open tubs ?

 

[BeanAnimal]

you make some good points here worth considering seeing how its just in the basement so who cares!

but I gotta wonder that sumps are made a certain way for a reason vs big open tubs ?

What is there to wonder?
Sumps server various functions and are built to accommodate those functions. Decide what you want to use the sump for and go from there.

The sump may provide one or more of the following functions
1 - extra system water volume
2 - place to run equipment
3 - place for chemical filtration
4 - place for mechanical filtration
5 - place for extra live rock or media
6 - place for refugium
7 - place for frag grow out
8 - place for fish "jail" or acclimation
9 - place for water changes
10 - larger area to accommodate extra evaporation volume
11 - place to force evaporative cooling
etc.

 

[RocketEngineer]

The advantage of a sump with baffles is control of water height/pressure. Skimmers are easiest to tune when the water level doesn’t fluctuate with evaporation. In a big tub, that’s hard to control but in a sump with baffles, theoretically only the return pump section fluctuates. The disadvantage is cost and sumps typically fit under tanks much easier. It’s a trade off. Both work.

 

[BeanAnimal]

The advantage of a sump with baffles is control of water height/pressure. Skimmers are easiest to tune when the water level doesn’t fluctuate with evaporation. In a big tub, that’s hard to control but in a sump with baffles, theoretically only the return pump section fluctuates. The disadvantage is cost and sumps typically fit under tanks much easier. It’s a trade off. Both work.

Water height is easy for a skimmer in a stock tank. The skimmer sits in a box that outflows into the tub.

That said, I would (without question) run an external skimmer. Far fewer problems and not prone to overflowing when the return pump stops and the sump backfills.