Gifted sump tank

[reefingsailor]

Hello friends!

BLUF: I need to know if it’s safe to use my gifted sump or if it’s worth the risk or transitioning from my fluval canister.

Long time follower and researcher, first time poster. I’ve got a 75 gallon display tank that I’m currently running with a fluval canister filter but my mother’s friend gifted me their old sump tank to use if I wanted to. I have it sitting in my garage right now because I’m incredibly anxious about potentially causing harm by swamping my newly established tank over from canister to sump; especially given it’s a gifted tank that I cannot fully clean.
My mother gifted me a ton of rock from her old tank when I first set up my DT and it stalled my cycle for weeks. The rocks seemed to be leeching nitrites because I just could not get them to go down. I replaced the rock with new rock from my LFS and now, two months later, I have a beautiful late ugly stage display tank with a goby and small cleanup crew in there. (Bumble bee snails because I can’t seem to properly acclimate a shrimp and I refuse to lose another one because I’m not doing things right)
Should I attempt to establish the sump while I have minimal livestock? Is there a risk to using an old tank similar to how the rock stalled my system?

 

[Subsea]

Hello friends!

BLUF: I need to know if it’s safe to use my gifted sump or if it’s worth the risk or transitioning from my fluval canister.

Long time follower and researcher, first time poster. I’ve got a 75 gallon display tank that I’m currently running with a fluval canister filter but my mother’s friend gifted me their old sump tank to use if I wanted to. I have it sitting in my garage right now because I’m incredibly anxious about potentially causing harm by swamping my newly established tank over from canister to sump; especially given it’s a gifted tank that I cannot fully clean.
My mother gifted me a ton of rock from her old tank when I first set up my DT and it stalled my cycle for weeks. The rocks seemed to be leeching nitrites because I just could not get them to go down. I replaced the rock with new rock from my LFS and now, two months later, I have a beautiful late ugly stage display tank with a goby and small cleanup crew in there. (Bumble bee snails because I can’t seem to properly acclimate a shrimp and I refuse to lose another one because I’m not doing things right)
Should I attempt to establish the sump while I have minimal livestock? Is there a risk to using an old tank similar to how the rock stalled my system?

First post. Welcome to r2r. Considering starting a tank journal on members tank forum.

Instead of nitrite leaching from old rock, phosphate is a more likely inorganic mineral to leach out.

Shrimps are sensitive.

For certain, set up sump. What does “can not fully clean mean”?

First, fill sump with water and test for leaks, outdoors. Moma don’t like no wet floors in the house.

Second, sanitize sump with hydrogen peroxide or chlorine (not my preferred method to sanitize)

 

[Subsea]

@reefingsailor

‘BLUF: I need to know if it’s safe to use my gifted sump or if it’s worth the risk or transitioning from my fluval canister.“

I do not consider it a transition, to use a sump. It’s an add on that is very valuable if you use it properly. I like cryptic refugium which is a sump with live rock. In addition to cryptic sponges which recycle DOC & POC into energy rich detritus as food for the microbial loop which provides multiple nutrient pathways to move carbon up the food chain; cryptic refugiums are a zooplankton generator for pods & detrivore larvae

 

[reefingsailor]

First post. Welcome to r2r. Considering starting a tank journal on members tank forum.

Instead of nitrite leaching from old rock, phosphate is a more likely inorganic mineral to leach out.

Shrimps are sensitive.

For certain, set up sump. What does “can not fully clean mean”?

First, fill sump with water and test for leaks, outdoors. Moma don’t like no wet floors in the house.

Second, sanitize sump with hydrogen peroxide or chlorine (not my preferred method to sanitize)

Thank you! “Not fully clean” is in reference to what looks like some sort of build up between the layers of acrylic/glass. It has been sitting in storage for around ten years apparently with no water in it. How would you recommend using the h2o2 to sanitize?

 

[reefingsailor]

@reefingsailor

‘BLUF: I need to know if it’s safe to use my gifted sump or if it’s worth the risk or transitioning from my fluval canister.“

I do not consider it a transition, to use a sump. It’s an add on that is very valuable if you use it properly. I like cryptic refugium which is a sump with live rock. In addition to cryptic sponges which recycle DOC & POC into energy rich detritus as food for the microbial loop which provides multiple nutrient pathways to move carbon up the food chain; cryptic refugiums are a zooplankton generator for pods & detrivore larvae

This is really what I’d love to have. I just have so much sticking out of my display tank right now. I’d ultimately like to set up my monitors in the sump so that the only things sticking out aside from the filter would be the thermometer and wave makers. Are you recommending continuing to run the canisters alongside the sump?

 

[Subsea]

Thank you! “Not fully clean” is in reference to what looks like some sort of build up between the layers of acrylic/glass. It has been sitting in storage for around ten years apparently with no water in it. How would you recommend using the h2o2 to sanitize?

Get a pint of 12% hydrogen peroxide and pour it on all surfaces. Then fill with tap water and let sit for a day.

 

[Subsea]

This is really what I’d love to have. I just have so much sticking out of my display tank right now. I’d ultimately like to set up my monitors in the sump so that the only things sticking out aside from the filter would be the thermometer and wave makers. Are you recommending continuing to run the canisters alongside the sump?

yes to running canister along side of sump. I am sumpless and skimmerless with several systems using canisters. If you don”t want it, allow your sump to mature into its own ecosystem, then remove canister. However, I find it easy to hide canister hoses behind the tank.

 

[bushdoc]

You are safe as far as some unwanted creatures in a sump, buildup is probably remnants or coralline algae and it is only cosmetic issue.
Best method is to clean it with vinegar, which should dissolve most of coralline algae and some other calcium base build up. Good luck!