Can you do sump with non drilled tank?

wilecyote007 · Mar 3, 2017

Hey everyone! Just started reefing a couple months ago. Everyone has been very helpful on here.
For Christmas i received a 75 gal tank with no drill holes. I don't think it can be drilled. What would be a good way to cycle water out of my aquarium to a sump underneath if i want to go this route?
I ask because i keep seeing things about carbon reactors and i want to give it a shot.
Thank you for any advice.
75 gal
20 lbs live rock
1 clown
3 snails
Been doing great for a month now and ready to add more slowly with a couple corrals.

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Water Dog · Mar 3, 2017

Why don't you think you can drill your tank? Unless the back glass panel is tempered, drilling affords you the best solution. If you don't want to drill, you can get an overflow box with a U-tube, creating a siphon to get water to a sump below the tank.

http://www.marinedepot.com/Marine_D..._Aquariums-Marine_Depot-MD8139-FIOFEB-vi.html

jmerideth1 · Mar 3, 2017

It's possible to put a "sump" above your tank pumping to it and allowing it to overflow back to your display.

beaslbob · Mar 3, 2017

Yes you can.

look up diy pvc hob overflows. about $20 worth of pvc and a powerhead to help keep the air for collecting can form a safe, reliable HOB overflow. From that point on it's just a normal sump.

azbigjohn · Mar 3, 2017

Yes, as mentioned, you can use an over-the-back overflow, and bring your return over the back as well. Many people worry about overflowing the tank if the siphon breaks in the "U" tube in the overflow, but I used one for 5 years, and as long as I had it in use, I never once had a siphon loss...

Brian W · Mar 3, 2017

you can buy its not advised. If you lose siphon you may cause a flood. If you lose power you may also cause a flood. I was in this dilemma for quite a while. Its best to drill the tank and no longer worry about any flooding.

glb · Mar 3, 2017

I would find out if you can drill. If you can, I highly recommend it. None of the pipes will show in the display tank, and drilled tanks are safer IMO.

wilecyote007 · Mar 3, 2017

Those are great ideas. Jmerideth thinking outside the box. The glass had a do not drill sticker on it. Would it be wise to get a HOB carbon reactor? I have high expectations but own a tank that will require deterring from normal reef operations. Still excited though. Thank all again for the info....it all goes to my action plan for a successful tank

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beaslbob · Mar 7, 2017

Jimmy Lee said:
you can buy its not advised. If you lose siphon you may cause a flood. If you lose power you may also cause a flood. I was in this dilemma for quite a while. Its best to drill the tank and no longer worry about any flooding.

This is not necessarily true.

One of the adjustments (and the one I forgot on my first system) is to simulate a drain failure. Either a syphon break or blockage. You adjust the sump water levels such that the pump runs dry before the display (or upper container) floods.

IMHO that adjustment should be done with any system be it hob or drilled.

my .02

ps I also use a maxijet with the "bubbler" attachment to constantly suck out the air in the hob. It can reestablish syphon in 30-60 seconds with no water in the hob u tube.

Roy 9121 · Mar 7, 2017

jmerideth1 said:
It's possible to put a "sump" above your tank pumping to it and allowing it to overflow back to your display.

I'm sure It's possible, but I've never heard of anyone doing it.

Roy 9121 · Mar 7, 2017

A little off topic, but why only 20 lbs. of live rock?

smh254 · Mar 7, 2017

I've used an Eshopps overflow for 3 years now with no problems. Like mentioned above if your sump is laid out right it will not overflow.

smh254 · Mar 7, 2017

http://www.eshopps.com/products/overflowboxes/pf300/

beaslbob · Mar 7, 2017

Roy 9121 said:
I'm sure It's possible, but I've never heard of anyone doing it.

Not only is it possible but it does have advantageous. for instance pods flow back to the display without being ground up by the pump.

FWIW With the refugium above the display tank, the tank itself is technically the sump. Which by definition is the lowest container.

In that system the display/sump is where the water level will fall with evaporation.

And you still must adjust for drain failures. The higher container is the one that possible floods with a drain failure. Which could be critical with a smaller upper container.

One club member had a 10g with a Mandarin Dragonet that was fat and happy with the higher container with live rock, macros, and lotsa post.

my .02

beaslbob · Mar 7, 2017

actually getting back to the non drilled theme, with an upper container you can "drill" the container avoiding the entire question of drilled/hob display tank.

just a thought.

worth at most .02

wilecyote007 · Mar 15, 2017

Roy 9121 said:
A little off topic, but why only 20 lbs. of live rock?

Its all i had money for. I wanted to get started cycling. I am currently curing 20 more lbs of dry rock separate. I still only have my 1 clown. I want more fish but decided to wait until my new rock goes in and levels stay same

Fin · Mar 15, 2017

Was the sticker that said do not drill on the bottom glass, or on the back or side glass panels? Many tanks that use tempered glass, only have tempered bottoms. I just drilled about 4 holes in a 40B that had a bright orange do not drill sticker on the bottom glass.

You can look on YouTube and find numerous videos showing you how to determine if you are dealing with plain glass or tempered glass.

Personally, I am not a fan of the HOB overflows. I guess that comes from when I used to babysit one of my friends 135 gallon tank (with a HOB overflow) when he went out of town. The stupid thing overflowed twice while I was watching it. That cured me of ever considering using those.

beaslbob · Mar 15, 2017

wilecyote007 said:
Its all i had money for. I wanted to get started cycling. I am currently curing 20 more lbs of dry rock separate. I still only have my 1 clown. I want more fish but decided to wait until my new rock goes in and levels stay same

understand completely.

To my mind $5 worth of macro algae would have been more effective.

But that just me and my .02

SteveSTL · Mar 15, 2017

You can also get a HOB 'fuge and compartmentalize it for carbon, etc. The only bad part of having it above tank level is that you can't throw in your crabs and other nasties that are fun to watch for fear that they'll get back into the display.

wilecyote007 · Mar 15, 2017

Fin said:
Was the sticker that said do not drill on the bottom glass, or on the back or side glass panels? Many tanks that use tempered glass, only have tempered bottoms. I just drilled about 4 holes in a 40B that had a bright orange do not drill sticker on the bottom glass.

You can look on YouTube and find numerous videos showing you how to determine if you are dealing with plain glass or tempered glass.

Personally, I am not a fan of the HOB overflows. I guess that comes from when I used to babysit one of my friends 135 gallon tank (with a HOB overflow) when he went out of town. The stupid thing overflowed twice while I was watching it. That cured me of ever considering using those.

This is huge help. I did have a sticker but only on bottom. At first i hadn't planned anything crazy but it gets more fun and interesting with every post or video. I want to drill and have reactors and skimmers. Thank you for the post. Huge help