No SUMP? No problem! You don’t need it. What else do you not need?

[BKLYN651]

I use a canister and protein skimmer On 55 gallon. Sometimes both run and then I will remove one to do maintenance on it. Right now my canister is running. Skimmer has been off since May. Will be using soon and take canister apart to clean.

 

[LPS Bum]

I've had a reef aquarium for 15+ years, and I've never had a sump. It's always been fine for me.

If you keep LPS and softies (as I do) you really only need a few pieces of equipment. The water has to move (powerheads or pumps) and it has to be heated to 75-80 degrees (likely necessitating a heater, at least half the year). You need full spectrum (albeit not intense) lighting and a way to export nutrients on a regular basis (large weekly water changes). That's really it for equipment.

I'd add an efficient hang on the back protein skimmer for nutrient export, a 4 stage RODI system for clean water, and an ATO to keep salinity stable, but none of these are absolutely necessary. And that's my exact set up. Things like media reactors, refugiums, controllers and dosing pumps really aren't necessary for tanks like mine. But if I was keeping Acros, I'd have all of those things.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Many ways to have a successful aquarium!

My preference is always a sump - gives you many options on the setup and equipment, and can make the aquarium look less cluttered.

Hard to say whats not needed. Again my preference is not to use filter socks.

What no socks! Thats crazy, what do you use for mechanical?

 

[PeterC99]

What no socks! Thats crazy, what do you use for mechanical?

3D printed small cups with holes in bottom where socks would go. Put very small piece of filter floss in there and change every 5 days.

 

[CavalierReef]

IMO an AIO has a built in sump, so does not count as a no-sump tank.

My Biocube has a "compartment" in the back that holds my heater and some filter floss. I guess we would have to define "sump". Is it a sump when it mechanical filtration? If I ran an HOB with carbon and floss on a non-AIO, would that be a sump? Just curious as to what actually constitutes a "sump".

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

My first tank was sumpless and I hated it. I started with a cannister filter (as recommended by my LFS...I hear they are converting to a freshwater only shop now) and dutifully cleaned it every week. Managed to spill water on the hardwood floors every time. I dreaded water change day. The cannister made things like adding carbon very difficult and the filter pads were a unique and complex shape so I either had to pay way too much for filter pads or I had play art class every week cutting out new ones. I finally ditched the cannister for a Tunze Comline filter and skimmer. Big improvement on maintenance however I never was happy with so much stuff in my display. Of course I was also terrified of the idea of HOB equipment and potential floods so it was the best I was going to do. Still, it was only a year before I moved to an AIO tank. I'll never do a setup like that again.

As for the debate about whether or not an AIO has a sump, I'll side with it being a built in sump on my 50g. At the same time, I don't really use the back chamber in my 10g for anything other than filter floss, a place to hide my heater, and a return pump to create flow so in that case it almost becomes less built in sump and more built in HOB filter.

 

[Justin_Casper]

I currently run a sumpless reef with minimal equipment. Only uses 5 plugs (Light, MP10, Tunze 9004, Inkbird, Doser).

It’s actually an Innovative Marine 25 Lagoon that I ripped the back chamber out of.

 

[Appoloreefer]

I ran my first reef tank without a sump for a long time and some of you may have as well. I also ran my first successful reef tank without a ton of gadgets and gear and had a pretty nice reef! Sumps are great because it gives you more water volume, conceals equipment and gives you more options but the fact is you don't have to have it. Today let's talk about stuff you don't have to have to keep a successful reef aquarium.

1. Have you ever had a reef tank with no sump and how did it go?

2. What other items, gear, equipment or gadgets do you NOT NEED to have a nice reef tank?


Sumpless reef tank image via @myzislow

I have a 125 gallon reef with soft corals and I have just a heater, wave makers, and a protein skimmer along with lights. and my parameters are good. I was thinking about putting in a sump but decided against it. We shall see.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Currently running on a power filter. It's not as bad as people say, but you do get some algae issues within the first year; then, things do really well. I'd even recommend if you're on a budget.

 

[zuri]

this channel will really help those who are in to minimal equipment

 

[CJ13]

I ran my first reef tank without a sump for a long time and some of you may have as well. I also ran my first successful reef tank without a ton of gadgets and gear and had a pretty nice reef! Sumps are great because it gives you more water volume, conceals equipment and gives you more options but the fact is you don't have to have it. Today let's talk about stuff you don't have to have to keep a successful reef aquarium.

1. Have you ever had a reef tank with no sump and how did it go?

2. What other items, gear, equipment or gadgets do you NOT NEED to have a nice reef tank?


Sumpless reef tank image via @myzislow

I’m on my first/second tank, LFS told me to get a fluval fx4 and no sump, i should not have listened to him lol, it is a pain to clean, just recently got a pro clear 150 (120, 30 gallon sump) after getting it all setup and waiting for it to cycle now, seems like it will be much easier

 

[Diesel 2021]

As for right now I'm sticking with the two HOB's,little green algae machine and two power heads I have running, and It seems to be really working well for me.

 

[rusty hannon]

I said yes and no problems but there must b a reason or excuse. We always had fish even if it ment throwing goldfish n a bowl or catfish n the horse through. So we had fresh w tanks. Then we met some friends that owned a marine fish store and from there one by onevwe changed over to salt and added tanks. No sump and no pretien skimmer, no reactor. I still say today we were successful since we kept fish ( same ones) for a few years, clown, blk, vol. Lion, a snowflake eel and a grn Mandarin(seriously, he was 2 when we moved. We also kept some corals, a brain 9 no. Gorgs. And sunflower { 6 no, died). So it wasn't so much that it was easy. We did w/c constantly from tank 2 tank and it was what it took so we had nothing else.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I have never ran a reef without a sump. My first "reef" in the mid-90's used a converted wet-dry filter as a sump. Yep... they all scoffed when I took the bioballs out of it. It had a DIY Venturi skimmer, a heater, and a float valve controlled gravity feed ATO in its sump. It was a sad reef by today's standards. Today I use a 30 gallon DIY sump for my 90 gallon "soon to be reef". Interestingly, the only things in it right now are a skimmer, a heater, and most importantly, the float switches for my gravity fed/solenoid. But, I have reactors for GFO & GAC, a Calcium Reactor, dosing pumps, a remote fuge for Cheato, additional pumps to run the reactors, & other equipment I've collected over the years.

Much of what might or might be "required" has to do with the expectations for the system... high or low bioload... softie or SPS reef, or somewhere in between... in a stable temperature controlled environment or out in the garage... new tank or mature... 20 gallon or 200 gallon... and etc.

I have yet to decide exactly what my reef will be when it grows up, but I have lots of options.

 

[Fredinva]

I have 55 gal with fluval g3 canister, 30 gal lowboy fluval canister, and 7 gal with hob.

(1) YES, and it was just fine.

(2) OTHER - you stand a chance of electrocuting yourself if you use glass heaters and you like to rearrange your rock work. It wouldn't be the first time it happened...

Humm, I've been using Supreme glass heaters since 1970. I'm using a 100w Supreme in my current 32 Fiji AIO. Still kicking!

 

[SaltwaterGuruNeeded]

Definitely not needed....I view the sump as just a place to hide equipment and add extra water volume. Sure makes things easier though.

What about a safe place for pods to breed?

 

[Belgian Anthias]

A sump? Since the sixties and seveties we used a big bio with compartment in most cases situated below the tank. In the US commercialized as the Dutch system in the eighties and nineties. In such a bio there was room for a skimmer. This must have been the sump you are talking about. Do we need a sump? Not for putting in a skimmer as one does not need a skimmer.
A sump is also a refuge which can be used for a lot of things. Having a sump, a refuge, has a lot of advantages, for example the use of a refuge, a biofilter, makes active nutrient management an easy task. Maintaining a high load mixed reef without a refuge, a sump, I would not know how to start.

 

[ClownWrangler]

A sump? Since the sixties and seveties we used a big bio with compartment in most cases situated below the tank. In the US commercialized as the Dutch system in the eighties and nineties. In such a bio there was room for a skimmer. This must have been the sump you are talking about. Do we need a sump? Not for putting in a skimmer as one does not need a skimmer.
A sump is also a refuge which can be used for a lot of things. Having a sump, a refuge, has a lot of advantages, for example the use of a refuge, a biofilter, makes active nutrient management an easy task. Maintaining a high load mixed reef without a refuge, a sump, I would not know how to start.

One place to start might be aqua scaping with large amounts of ornamental macro algae in the display tank for nutrient export. Wouldn't work if you have a tang though. I have even thought about just putting a saltwater "planted" tank next to the main tank at the same level with water exchange. Not fighting gravity is a huge advantage. Your refugium would essentially be another display tank.

 

[Will_WhatIsThis]

I run my 40 gallon with a aqua clear 110 hob filter and modded it to have a refugium. Been working like a charm.

 

[Buckster]

My 180 has a sump. The 32 biocube has more or less a rear chamber which would be considered a sump. The 30 gallon has no sump and all reef related items grow just as well.....