I.m 100 ext help choosing sump

[Steamreefer]

Hello! Purchasing an i.m 100 ext which comes with the rsf39 sump. It looks beautiful but not that functional.

I'm trying to figure out what sump I can swap in place of it which is about 30 inches long so retain cabinet space and hopefully use a fleece roller.

I'm brand new to this and still learning, but the rfs sump has 4 lines going to it, 2 on each side. Do I need to find a sump to accommodate the same 4 pipes? Or will any sump work with only minor pipe length adjustments.

 

[slogan315]

If you plan on a filter roller, skimmer, and return pump with a little extra room for extra small pumps incase you want UV or media reactors, you don’t need a complicated sump. The filter roller hangs on the side or sits on the bottom, a skimmer, a baffle to keep the water level consistent in the skimmer section, and a return chamber.

You could go as fancy as a full acrylic sump with an integrated filter roller and lots of bells and whistles, or as budget as a petco tank or rubbermade tote. Style points aside, the purpose of a fancy acrylic sump with lots of sections is to be the equipment in some cases. What I mean is a well designed drain section with sock holder means you can get good, silent, mechanical filtration for $5 a sock. Or a large partition with well deigned flow patterns can be a refugium for the price of chaeto and a grow light.

The point is, if you’re buying the equipment like filter roller, skimmer, media reactors, etc. you don’t NEED to buy a complex and expensive sump. You’ve paid for the filtration equipment standalone. But don’t let me stop you from getting something you enjoy looking at and working in. I’m just saying focus on how you want to tackle filtration, and get a watertight box that has enough room to fit that equipment.

For plumbing, you have a bean animal style overflow and a single return line. There’s plenty of better resources than me for configuring that, but that second line going to the return is an emergency drain for if something is seriously wrong. It can be replumbed to go anywhere in the sump. Just make sure it makes splashing noises if it’s draining to alert you something is blocking your primary or secondary drains.

 

[edsbeaker]

Just curious what isn’t functional about it? It will not accommodate a fleece roller, but other than that what are you looking for in a sump?

 

[Steamreefer]

Basically the biggest issue is it's length at 38 inches. It leaves me no room in the cabinet and I have extremely limited space on the sides of the cabinet in addition to not being able to fully remove the sock section to accommodate a roller. I think 30 inches long would be perfect. The main thing I don't understand is if all sumps can accommodate the dual returns, emergency over flow and return line.

 

[Steamreefer]

But I'd have a budget of around $500usd give or take a bit

 

[edsbeaker]

Just to confuse you even more, LOL, have you considered getting the larger IM 150, which you can buy without the sump, return pump or plumbing piping for virtually the same cost as the 100? If you aren’t going to use the sump anyway, it might be easier to plump a tank your way to the configuration and sump you want. This way you are not forced to buy a sump that needs to be fitted to the plumbing that comes with the tank. Here’s a link for the INT, but up you can also get the EXT
If you have the space for a tank that is bigger from front to back, this may be an easier solution then to retrofit the 100.

https://www.innovative-marine.com/s...um-w-APS-Stand-Black-Made-to-Order-p184982392

 

[Steamreefer]

Just to confuse you even more, LOL, have you considered getting the larger IM 150, which you can buy without the sump, return pump or plumbing piping for virtually the same cost as the 100? If you aren’t going to use the sump anyway, it might be easier to plump a tank your way to the configuration a d sump you want. This way you are not forced to buy a sump that needs to be fitted to the plumbing that comes with the tank. Hers a link for the INT, but up you can also get the EXT

https://www.innovative-marine.com/s...um-w-APS-Stand-Black-Made-to-Order-p184982392

I appreciate the thought but the 100 already maxed out the spot for the tank and I got a really good deal on it (30% off)

 

[Steamreefer]

Anyone have sump suggestions?

 

[DrkNMighty]

Anyone have sump suggestions?

Maybe Fiji or Trigger. I just purchased a used IM 75ext a few weeks ago and it has a Fiji sump in it. You might just have to modify the plumbing to make it work with whatever sump you choose.

 

[X-37B]

Hello! Purchasing an i.m 100 ext which comes with the rsf39 sump. It looks beautiful but not that functional.

I'm trying to figure out what sump I can swap in place of it which is about 30 inches long so retain cabinet space and hopefully use a fleece roller.

I'm brand new to this and still learning, but the rfs sump has 4 lines going to it, 2 on each side. Do I need to find a sump to accommodate the same 4 pipes? Or will any sump work with only minor pipe length adjustments.

Since you're new, I would suggest you use the rs sump. I run mesh socks in my ext 170 and 50 and have never had the need to run a roller.
I built an 8020 frame behind my 170 to hold equipment so that may be an option for you.
You will need to modify the plumbing to fit a different sump since it's matched up with the current sump.

 

[Steamreefer]

Maybe Fiji or Trigger. I just purchased a used IM 75ext a few weeks ago and it has a Fiji sump in it. You might just have to modify the plumbing to make it work with whatever sump you choose.

If you don't mind me asking how far did.you set your tank from the wall? I'm wondering if I'll be good at 4 inches

 

[edsbeaker]

If you don't mind me asking how far did.you set your tank from the wall? I'm wondering if I'll be good at 4 inches

It will be a little bit more than that. The overflow is 4”, but the plumbing down by the union sticks out 5 1/2” from the back of the tank, so I’d say closer to 6”

 

[Steamreefer]

It will be a little bit more than that. The overflow is 4”, but the plumbing down by the union sticks out 5 1/2” from the back of the tank, so I’d say closer to 6”

Really? The brs website says 3.75 from wall

 

[TeeSquared1214]

So you can fit one of two specific types of fleece rollers in the sump. I didn’t realize I would have this issue until I already had it set up. Others have done it. It may be better to just stick with it and ride it out and upgrade later after you have a deeper understanding of what you want or need. I’ve had my 100 INT since roughly August of last year, and just change filter socks. I bought a skimmer I have to have off because it keeps robbing nutrients from my tank. I have yet to be a refugium light or chaeto since I’m worried about too many nutrients being exported. These are all things I thought I would want right away. But now I’m waiting it out for the right time and saving for when that time comes.

 

[edsbeaker]

Really? The brs website says 3.75 from wall

I think you may have misread it. The description says the size of the overflow is 3.75”, but does not say anything about how far from the wall the tank needs to be. I just measured mine again. The union from the returns are the widest part of the piping. They stick out 5.5” from the back of the tank. They come further out from the back of the tank than the overflow.

 

[Steamreefer]

 

[Marco_99]

Fiji -30 is probably about the best sump out there for the money in that size range. If you want it even more room in your cabinet you could go Fiji-24 easily.

They and BRS have sales on them regularly. They’re well built and very good quality.

 

[edsbeaker]

That photo does not show the plumbing that is included with the complete reef package. The included plumbing is gray. The included plumbing parts that come with the tank that you purchased has the measurements that I posted, 5 1/2” out from the back of the tank.

If you toss out all the plumbing and DIY, then you can arrange it so that it doesn’t stick out any further than the overflow.

Here is a side view of my IM 75 gallon before I upgraded to my 170. You can see how much further back the return pipe is from the overflow box, and that’s without the union attached.

 

[Steamreefer]

Fiji -30 is probably about the best sump out there for the money in that size range. If you want it even more room in your cabinet you could go Fiji-24 easily.

They and BRS have sales on them regularly. They’re well built and very good quality.

Thank you ill check em out

 

[Steamreefer]

That photo does not show the plumbing that is included with the complete reef package. The included plumbing is gray. The included plumbing parts that come with the tank that you purchased has the measurements that I posted, 5 1/2” out from the back of the tank.

If you toss out all the plumbing and DIY, then you can arrange it so that it doesn’t stick out any further than the overflow.

Here is a side view of my IM 75 gallon before I upgraded to my 170. You can see how much further back the return pipe is from the overflow box, and that’s without the union attached.

Yeah, dang.

I emailed the company and asked to switch my order to an int tank. I think it will just allow me to have more freedom of where to place the tank. I don't want to be able to see a 6 inch gap personally. Hussain at aquarium depot canada has been absolutely amazing. I emailed them at about 830pm my time so 1030 their time and he texted me less than 5 minutes after I emailed. He then sent me a screen shot of I'm assuming innovative marine asking when he'll have stock which was an eta of end of march. So perfect. But he did mention their may be tariffs now but he wasn't sure.

I'm in the boat that a company should honor the advertised price which I already paid.