Max E260 Sump Upgrade

[408Dartfish]

I think I've found it now which hopefully should be the end of it. How often are you filling up your ATO?

I only use my ATO for emergency. I usually top off nightly about 1 liter Ro water a day. Dustin

 

[Bossman]

I think I've found it now which hopefully should be the end of it. How often are you filling up your ATO?

Hi Neil,

Did you ever get your sump dialed in ok? I'm having the same issue with fine tuning the flow on the Red Sea under cabinet sump of my 260. I'm running a Reef Octopus varios 4 for return. I've tried speeds 2 thru 5 and find it better at the highest speed flow. But so sensitive on the valve. I think I get it and it's too little flow and then the opposite. Very frustrating.

 

[Neil Sherman]

Hi Neil,

Did you ever get your sump dialed in ok? I'm having the same issue with fine tuning the flow on the Red Sea under cabinet sump of my 260. I'm running a Reef Octopus varios 4 for return. I've tried speeds 2 thru 5 and find it better at the highest speed flow. But so sensitive on the valve. I think I get it and it's too little flow and then the opposite. Very frustrating.

Hi,

It was my ATO in the end I believe. I bought a Tunze Osmolator and I've never had to touch it since and it's been a good six weeks. I'm losing about 25 litres a week in evaporation which is a fair bit and this causes mayhem when trying to balance the return and the down pipe.

Honestly, the Tunze Osmolator is the best bit of kit I've bought for the tank as I can leave it alone and enjoy it as opposed to tweaking the down pipe valve 500 times a day. Just bear in mind when you tweak it literally a fraction of millimetre (I mean literally!) It can take a few minutes for it to adjust mate

 

[Bossman]

Hi,

It was my ATO in the end I believe. I bought a Tunze Osmolator and I've never had to touch it since and it's been a good six weeks. I'm losing about 25 litres a week in evaporation which is a fair bit and this causes mayhem when trying to balance the return and the down pipe.

Honestly, the Tunze Osmolator is the best bit of kit I've bought for the tank as I can leave it alone and enjoy it as opposed to tweaking the down pipe valve 500 times a day. Just bear in mind when you tweak it literally a fraction of millimetre (I mean literally!) It can take a few minutes for it to adjust mate

Thanks Neil!

I have a Tunze 3155 that I was using with the rear sump. I've got it down now, but about to put that back in. The float valve that comes with the Red Sea ATO is not that impressive. I love the Tunze 3155. I have one on my 170 in the rear sump too.

Yeah, I'm finding that valve is super sensitive too. If I can't get it tweaked right, I may put a gate valve on the return pump and use that instead. I'll open up the intake valve and then tune the flow with the return gate valve. We'll see. It seems like I get it almost there and then it's off again. Otherwise I love the system. But It's got to be able to run on it's own eventually.

 

[Neil Sherman]

Yeah, the ATO float is awful and that for me was the reason I couldn't balance mine. Hope it all works out!

 

[Abstractxx02191]

Hi guys.

I have this same tank but no sump. I’ve had it stock for 4 years and I think my protein skimmer just died because it’s plugged in and it’s not on.

I am not a pro nor even consider myself a handy man. Is there somebody I can reach out to on installing a sump ? I am located in the Los Angeles area.

I’m looking for help on what I need to purchase and paying somebody to install it for me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated , thanks so much in advance.

 

[408Dartfish]

Hi guys.

I have this same tank but no sump. I’ve had it stock for 4 years and I think my protein skimmer just died because it’s plugged in and it’s not on.

I am not a pro nor even consider myself a handy man. Is there somebody I can reach out to on installing a sump ? I am located in the Los Angeles area.

I’m looking for help on what I need to purchase and paying somebody to install it for me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated , thanks so much in advance.

You can buy the sump kit online for the E260 comes with everything you need. There’s instructions that come with it aren’t great, there’s a YouTube video I used helped me put it together. Wish I was closer would love to help. Dustin

 

[Abstractxx02191]

Thanks Dustin

Yeah I am not good at those things lol. I know to buy the kit. But I also want a new skimmer etc etc. don’t need fancy stuff but do u know where I can maybe find some body to install? I’ve tried Craigslist but nothing comes up. Man I would of fed u good, paid u decent lol and got you drunk lol.

My tank is full too so more reason for me to NOT try to be a hero and do it myself.

 

[408Dartfish]

Thanks Dustin

Yeah I am not good at those things lol. I know to buy the kit. But I also want a new skimmer etc etc. don’t need fancy stuff but do u know where I can maybe find some body to install? I’ve tried Craigslist but nothing comes up. Man I would of fed u good, paid u decent lol and got you drunk lol.

My tank is full too so more reason for me to NOT try to be a hero and do it myself.

Might try somebody at a local fish store might be helpful.

 

[Bossman]

Hi guys.

I have this same tank but no sump. I’ve had it stock for 4 years and I think my protein skimmer just died because it’s plugged in and it’s not on.

I am not a pro nor even consider myself a handy man. Is there somebody I can reach out to on installing a sump ? I am located in the Los Angeles area.

I’m looking for help on what I need to purchase and paying somebody to install it for me? Any advice would be greatly appreciated , thanks so much in advance.

I installed the under cabinet sump in my 260 3-weeks ago. I would love to help you, but unfortunately I'm in Michigan.

I believe you should intimately know and understand how the system works if you're going to live with it day in and day out. If something goes awry, breaks or is leaking you may not be able to get anyone to help you quickly. Saying that, this sump has been a bit of a headache for me. Installing and set up was easy but I've had issues getting the sump level to stay consistent. Just yesterday I was able to remove the Red Sea sump intake valve and replace with a Spears gate valve and this has helped but I'm not quite there yet.

If you don't want to tackle the sump install on your own, maybe replace the rear sump skimmer. I have a used red sea skimmer I could help you out with. Or, better yet IMO, install a HOB skimmer. I removed the original Red Sea skimmer and hung on a Reef Octopus Classic 2000 skimmer. I put this on the back of the Red Sea sump. It fit perfect and did what I thought was a much better job removing gunk from the tank then the red sea skimmer did. I also installed a RO Classic 1000 HOB skimmer on my Red Sea 170. BTW, I'm about to install a under cabinet sump in that tank too.

FWIW On the 260 I used a Reef Octopus Varios 4 pump for return and a Reef Octopus Essence 130 for skimmer and am happy with both of those choices. They fit in perfect and both are quiet and functioning as good as I could have expected.

 

[Neil Sherman]

I've still got my skimmer unused and new and I'd be happy to sell it to you if you'd like. Only issue maybe high shipping as I'm in the UK mate

 

[Gary Ellis]

I installed the under cabinet sump in my 260 3-weeks ago. I would love to help you, but unfortunately I'm in Michigan.

I believe you should intimately know and understand how the system works if you're going to live with it day in and day out. If something goes awry, breaks or is leaking you may not be able to get anyone to help you quickly. Saying that, this sump has been a bit of a headache for me. Installing and set up was easy but I've had issues getting the sump level to stay consistent. Just yesterday I was able to remove the Red Sea sump intake valve and replace with a Spears gate valve and this has helped but I'm not quite there yet.

If you don't want to tackle the sump install on your own, maybe replace the rear sump skimmer. I have a used red sea skimmer I could help you out with. Or, better yet IMO, install a HOB skimmer. I removed the original Red Sea skimmer and hung on a Reef Octopus Classic 2000 skimmer. I put this on the back of the Red Sea sump. It fit perfect and did what I thought was a much better job removing gunk from the tank then the red sea skimmer did. I also installed a RO Classic 1000 HOB skimmer on my Red Sea 170. BTW, I'm about to install a under cabinet sump in that tank too.

FWIW On the 260 I used a Reef Octopus Varios 4 pump for return and a Reef Octopus Essence 130 for skimmer and am happy with both of those choices. They fit in perfect and both are quiet and functioning as good as I could have expected.

Is the Reef Octopus Varios 4 pump a good choice for the E260

 

[Bossman]

The Reef Octopus Varios 4 was a good fit for my 260. I installed the same return pump in my red sea 170 over the weekend. I have it on speed 4 for the 260 and 3 for the 170. You can't hear either of them running they're so quiet.

I'm sure there are other good options out there, but I'm familiar with Reef Octopus. I also have some of their skimmers sand like them just as much. I used the RO Essence 130 skimmer for both my 260 and 170.

I have a 425xl on the way and bought a Reef Octopus Varios 8 return pump and Regal 6" Varios skimmer for that tank.

 

[Gary Ellis]

Thanks... I have both the pump amd skimmer on the way and I'm getting the red sea sump on Thursday. I never used a sump so this will be a new expirience for me. there is a pretty good video on line that pretty much explains everything. My tank is already set up and running with live stock. I'm just not sure how much water I'm going to need to drain and how....

 

[Bossman]

Thanks... I have both the pump amd skimmer on the way and I'm getting the red sea sump on Thursday. I never used a sump so this will be a new expirience for me. there is a pretty good video on line that pretty much explains everything. My tank is already set up and running with live stock. I'm just not sure how much water I'm going to need to drain and how....

The water is syphoned from the rear sump after you remove the skimmer and any other media you may have in the rear sump. The rear sump will be drained but you'll notice the display tank will also go down considerably. The water level will fall below the two side pump outlets because water syphons through those as well.

Do not switch out the plugs for vented plugs on the two side pumps until after you have all the plumbing installed and have tested the rear sump for leaks. If you do, the display tank water will enter the vented plugs and flood the rear sump. As long as you have the plumbing installed and have no leaks, no problem.

I didn't measure the amount of water I removed but it was 15-20 gallons. When starting the system up, you have to put back all the water you removed plus the amount needed for the new sump. I would have at least 25 gallons on hand. You could save some of the water you removed but I used this as an opportunity for a water change as well.

 

[Gary Ellis]

The water is syphoned from the rear sump after you remove the skimmer and any other media you may have in the rear sump. The rear sump will be drained but you'll notice the display tank will also go down considerably. The water level will fall below the two side pump outlets because water syphons through those as well.

Do not switch out the plugs for vented plugs on the two side pumps until after you have all the plumbing installed and have tested the rear sump for leaks. If you do, the display tank water will enter the vented plugs and flood the rear sump. As long as you have the plumbing installed and have no leaks, no problem.

I didn't measure the amount of water I removed but it was 15-20 gallons. When starting the system up, you have to put back all the water you removed plus the amount needed for the new sump. I would have at least 25 gallons on hand. You could save some of the water you removed but I used this as an opportunity for a water change as well.

Wow the water goes down that much. That doesn't leave much for the fish. Wait.. are you saying the water level will go below the outlet nozzels or the 2 plugs below? If it's the outlet nozzels that won't be so bad. Do you remove the plugs from the sump side or display. Which side do you unscrew from?

 

[Bossman]

Wow the water goes down that much. That doesn't leave much for the fish. Wait.. are you saying the water level will go below the outlet nozzels or the 2 plugs below? If it's the outlet nozzels that won't be so bad. Do you remove the plugs from the sump side or display. Which side do you unscrew from?

The water level drains down to the outlet nozzles.

The plugs are removed from the rear sump side. There is a gasket on each plug. My replacement vented plugs did not come with gaskets so I took the ones off the old plugs and put them on the vented plugs.

My 170 sump kit did not come with any vented plugs (it only has one). So, I took one of the old solid plugs I had and drilled holes in it and it worked fine.

 

[Gary Ellis]

Thanks, you have been a big help... The sump will be here on Thursday and the skimmer and return pump will be here on Monday. You said check for leaks, how do you check the piping for leaks if there is no water in the back sump?

 

[Bossman]

Thanks, you have been a big help... The sump will be here on Thursday and the skimmer and return pump will be here on Monday. You said check for leaks, how do you check the piping for leaks if there is no water in the back sump?

The Red Sea instructions will tell you to put a small amount of water in the back sump after you install the plumbing. And then check for leaks before filling.

 

[Gary Ellis]

OK I'm sure once I get all the parts things will seem more understandable. Going to pickup the sump today. Thank you... you have been a big help.