Dream Sump

[reefinginBD]

Hi there, I will be setting up a 60x24/26x24 inch tank (LxWxH) not sure on the width yet. It will be 500-600 litres. I will need a chiller which will take up about 24 inches off the stand. I want to leave an extra 6 inches for a small ato and then I plan to keep the rest of the things on top of the chiller. So, I have about 30 inches of length area for a sump. I want a BM roller mat (probably large size) then a BM Curve 9 elite protein skimmer (I want some place for the reactors in the chamber with the protein skimmer. I plan on running carbon in the beginning and then Kalk (as it will be mostly lps corals) and gfo (if necessary). Then I want some space for a refugium, I do not plan on adding chaeto unless I need to do it will be semi cryptic in the beginning. Then finally the return pump which will be Maxspect Jump 8k. So what do you think of the sump? I know I don’t have a picture yet, but do you think I will need anything else? Is this enough? Will I be able to fit all of this in a 30 inch long sump? Will this be enough for a tank if that size? Please let me know, thank you! I will design a sump after I get the replies on this thread and then give a picture for you guys to tell me if it is ok or not! Thank you so much again!

 

[1ocean]

I was in your position also. I think 30 inch maybe to small as you will find out you will be adding to your sump as I had to...I was shopping for sumps and was shocked at the prices but I do understand the reason for the cost, supplies, tools and the talent to make things out of acrylic. I have always been a guy to do things with my hands out of wood, metal etc. So when a friend said why don't you just make your own sump, I did.
I started out with a 24X30 and in a short time out grew it.
So I built this 60x24x18 sump. My tank is a 300 and is 96x30x24 so it fits great under my tank.
I bought the acrylic, the filter cups and it was a cost of about $250.00 and about 2 weeks of my time from plan to end of build...I learned alot and now making sums for friends and local clients...Also now working on 5 gallon design ato,kalk or what ever some one wants to use it for. Foot print will be small like 10 inches x 10 inches...too bad you not close, I could have saved you big $$$...But if your gonna try and build yours, I am here for advice ..

 

[reefinginBD]

I was in your position also. I think 30 inch maybe to small as you will find out you will be adding to your sump as I had to...I was shopping for sumps and was shocked at the prices but I do understand the reason for the cost, supplies, tools and the talent to make things out of acrylic. I have always been a guy to do things with my hands out of wood, metal etc. So when a friend said why don't you just make your own sump, I did.
I started out with a 24X30 and in a short time out grew it.
So I built this 60x24x18 sump. My tank is a 300 and is 96x30x24 so it fits great under my tank.
I bought the acrylic, the filter cups and it was a cost of about $250.00 and about 2 weeks of my time from plan to end of build...I learned alot and now making sums for friends and local clients...Also now working on 5 gallon design ato,kalk or what ever some one wants to use it for. Foot print will be small like 10 inches x 10 inches...too bad you not close, I could have saved you big $$$...But if your gonna try and build yours, I am here for advice ..

I see, thank you so much! Did you make any sumps between 30-36 inches? If so, can you please show me some pictures? Also um would you suggest going with a roller mat or filter socks? Also which is a better combo?
a) Filter socks, protein skimmer, refugium
b) Roller mat, Protein skimmer
I am leaning more towards the second option as I really don't want to keep algae in the tank. I want a small refugium where i will just keep bio media and thats about it. I plan on adding an algae reactor or ats if and when I need to.

 

[1ocean]

I see, thank you so much! Did you make any sumps between 30-36 inches? If so, can you please show me some pictures? Also um would you suggest going with a roller mat or filter socks? Also which is a better combo?
a) Filter socks, protein skimmer, refugium
b) Roller mat, Protein skimmer
I am leaning more towards the second option as I really don't want to keep algae in the tank. I want a small refugium where i will just keep bio media and thats about it. I plan on adding an algae reactor or ats if and when I need to.

yes just made a 30x15x16 for a client for a fresh water 180 tank..he saw my 300 gallon and my big sump and was like to bad I could not use a sump on a fresh water tank. I told him yes you can it would just be a little different..I had a refug and threw it away...way to much work ..Built a sulfur reactor and then did not like whole mess and so now I am doing a large bio pellet reactor, a large black out reactor with siporax in it with water pushing threw it fast. Now I am building 3 black out reactors, one for carbon, one for GFO, one for what ever I want. They have a 1 inch window so you can see inside. The reason for the black out is grow bacteria that grows in the dark. What are you planning to keep in the tank?

 

[reefinginBD]

yes just made a 30x15x16 for a client for a fresh water 180 tank..he saw my 300 gallon and my big sump and was like to bad I could not use a sump on a fresh water tank. I told him yes you can it would just be a little different..I had a refug and threw it away...way to much work ..Built a sulfur reactor and then did not like whole mess and so now I am doing a large bio pellet reactor, a large black out reactor with siporax in it with water pushing threw it fast. Now I am building 3 black out reactors, one for carbon, one for GFO, one for what ever I want. They have a 1 inch window so you can see inside. The reason for the black out is grow bacteria that grows in the dark. What are you planning to keep in the tank?

I see thank you so much! I plan on putting Maxspect bio blocks (4x4x1 inch) between the baffles of the sump. Do you think it will do a similar job? I will have a total of 4 plates. I plan to keep 3-5 tangs, some wrasses, clowns, cardinals, etc. it will be a mixed reef tank.

 

[1ocean]

Like your fish list, that is some of what our 300 has. I did a bare bottom tank with about 15 pounds of sand in a back corner for the wrasses. The blocks are a good idea I have brightwell blocks in a area in my sump for extra bacteria area. When I build and modify the 300 sump I will send some pictures.

 

[reefinginBD]

Like your fish list, that is some of what our 300 has. I did a bare bottom tank with about 15 pounds of sand in a back corner for the wrasses. The blocks are a good idea I have brightwell blocks in a area in my sump for extra bacteria area. When I build and modify the 300 sump I will send some pictures.

I see thank you so much! Btw this is my stocking list, let me know if it is ok for a 150 gallon tank. Thank you in advance! Looking forward to seeing the build!
Fish:
2 Clownfish
2 Banggai Cardinal
1 Tomini Tang
1 Yellow Tang
1 Purple Tang
1 Blue/Gold Rim Tang
1 Coral Beauty Angelfish
1 Royal Gramma
1 Yellow Coris Wrasse
1 Melanurus/Vrolik’s Wrasse (male)
1 six line wrasse
1 Pink/Purple Firefish
1 Randall’s Prawn/Yellow Watchman Goby
Invert:
1 Blue Tuxedo Urchin
1 Blood Red Fire Shrimp
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp
24 Nassarius Snails
6 Cerith Snails
20 Trochus Snails
2 Tiger Conch

 

[1ocean]

I see thank you so much! Btw this is my stocking list, let me know if it is ok for a 150 gallon tank. Thank you in advance! Looking forward to seeing the build!
Fish:
2 Clownfish
2 Banggai Cardinal
1 Tomini Tang
1 Yellow Tang
1 Purple Tang
1 Blue/Gold Rim Tang
1 Coral Beauty Angelfish
1 Royal Gramma
1 Yellow Coris Wrasse
1 Melanurus/Vrolik’s Wrasse (male)
1 six line wrasse
1 Pink/Purple Firefish
1 Randall’s Prawn/Yellow Watchman Goby
Invert:
1 Blue Tuxedo Urchin
1 Blood Red Fire Shrimp
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Candy Stripe Pistol Shrimp
24 Nassarius Snails
6 Cerith Snails
20 Trochus Snails
2 Tiger Conch

six line wrasse almost all get to be bad and aggressive. I had one gave it away...finally got my hands on a leopard wrasse and she gets along with our yellow coris wrasse and the sleep together...Fire fish do better in groups of 2 or more. I wanted a coral beauty also but most stories I hear is that they tent to lie to nip on Zoa's or sps..Kinda hit or miss I you get one that does or does not have this habit. I also just found out that you can keep more then one RG in a tank. I know someone who has 5 in one tank and 2 in another. We are buying his two for our 300. Is your tank acrylic or glass... From all I have spoken too, urchins can do a lot of scratches to acrylic...I have two blenny, a bicolor and a tail spot they are very amusing.We love how they back into hooes in the rocks and have their heads sticking out.. Also have a jestor goby,also called court jester( koumansetta rainfordi) sometime called Rainfordi Goby, very beautiful with its gold/yellow stripes.

 

[reefinginBD]

six line wrasse almost all get to be bad and aggressive. I had one gave it away...finally got my hands on a leopard wrasse and she gets along with our yellow coris wrasse and the sleep together...Fire fish do better in groups of 2 or more. I wanted a coral beauty also but most stories I hear is that they tent to lie to nip on Zoa's or sps..Kinda hit or miss I you get one that does or does not have this habit. I also just found out that you can keep more then one RG in a tank. I know someone who has 5 in one tank and 2 in another. We are buying his two for our 300. Is your tank acrylic or glass... From all I have spoken too, urchins can do a lot of scratches to acrylic...I have two blenny, a bicolor and a tail spot they are very amusing.We love how they back into hooes in the rocks and have their heads sticking out.. Also have a jestor goby,also called court jester( koumansetta rainfordi) sometime called Rainfordi Goby, very beautiful with its gold/yellow stripes.

I see thank you so much! Yeah I was not sure abt the six line wrasse, or the angel. This is why I don’t plan on adding a foxface as well. My tank will be made of glass. I am still not 100 percent sure on this list, it might change. Also the urchins, are they worth it? I heard that they can move around corals and cause problems. And other than that does the whole fish and invert list seem ok?

 

[1ocean]

yes everyone says urchins can be "movers" or relocators of stuff not nailed down...I like your starter list. I am sure it will change with time...We have a group of Anthias, they add so much movement to the middle of the tank. Yes sometime they like to chase one another but nothing serious...Our blonde naso tang is 6 inches now and has become so colorful.....

 

[reefinginBD]

yes everyone says urchins can be "movers" or relocators of stuff not nailed down...I like your starter list. I am sure it will change with time...We have a group of Anthias, they add so much movement to the middle of the tank. Yes sometime they like to chase one another but nothing serious...Our blonde naso tang is 6 inches now and has become so colorful.....

Thank you so much for the help!

 

[1ocean]

Thank you so much for the help!

I am always here to share and learn...Have a super great day.

 

[Pntbll687]

I think you will have a hard time fitting all that equipment you want into a 30in sump, especially one that is premade.

I would go with the filter roller and protein skimmer. Choose the largest aquarium you can and add just one set of baffles for the return pump, and keep the rest open. You can easily add a fuge later on with a small light and a basket to keep the macro in, it doesn't have to have a dedicated section.

Adding multiple sections to a sump seems logical at first, but then you severely limit equipment options.

If you're set on using reactors, I would plan on using a manifold from the return to save on space and equipment in the sump.

Keep it simple and open. You'll never look back and say "man, I really have too much open space in my sump"

I like how @Reef Builders set this one up.

 

[reefinginBD]

I think you will have a hard time fitting all that equipment you want into a 30in sump, especially one that is premade.

I would go with the filter roller and protein skimmer. Choose the largest aquarium you can and add just one set of baffles for the return pump, and keep the rest open. You can easily add a fuge later on with a small light and a basket to keep the macro in, it doesn't have to have a dedicated section.

Adding multiple sections to a sump seems logical at first, but then you severely limit equipment options.

If you're set on using reactors, I would plan on using a manifold from the return to save on space and equipment in the sump.

Keep it simple and open. You'll never look back and say "man, I really have too much open space in my sump"

I like how @Reef Builders set this one up.

I see thank you so much! I take this into consideration!