Sump for 240g - limited space and size problem

[lost66]

Hi
I am setting up 240g and I am at the stage of selecting sump. I have limited space in my stand - 18" wide, ~18" height. Unfortunately I have limited budget and I am trying to find something cheap, like used aquarium but everything in this dimension is too small, like 29g or something.

Many will say bigger sump the better but I believe in a such big tanks where I don't want to put much flow, the size to put more stability in the system is not that important. As far as I read the most important factor is how much water it can hold in case of power failure. So, My DT will be 96x24 and 1 overflow on the side. I calculated that each inch of water level is 10g. I cannot imagine losing more than 2 inches. The key here is return line not to deep in the tank and with a hole for breaking up siphon. So I think the worst case scenario is 20g or so. What I was thinking is 40g long for a sump and have low water in refugium and return section (around 7" or so) and only first section little bit higher for skimmer.

That being said, and please correct me if I am wrong, 40g would be enough? 40g long is 48x13x16 so it is perfect but Petco doesn't have it in their offer so 1g/1$ deal won't apply. Online price for such tank is super high (~$250).

I am looking for something cheap, up to $100. I can handle creating inserts for baffles by myself. Any hints, tips?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Any way you can put it somewhere other than under the stand..... I would do that.

I am going to be destroying a $400 sump or whatever it was to remove from my stand just so I can move my sump to outside of the stand.

 

[lost66]

It has to be in the stand. Tank will be a room divider. My tank will be peninsula style and have 2 sides with doors (front and 1 side). I am building my stand by myself and I put a lot of support beams so I don't have super wide opening in front. I will have a door on the side with 18"x23" window so I can slide my sump there. I need to have some space above, so I think something around18" height.

 

[Antuan Daniel]

I have about the same size tank my sump at first was 2 20 gallon tall tanks but now I have 150 gallon sump I built my own stand for 80 bucks and found a guy with a rimless glass 150 tank I use as my sump with the 2 20 gallon longs I only ran over the tanks twice and of course sump now has never run over but my check valve went out on auto top off once and almost did it lol

 

[Antuan Daniel]

I have about the same size tank my sump at first was 2 20 gallon tall tanks but now I have 150 gallon sump I built my own stand for 80 bucks and found a guy with a rimless glass 150 tank I use as my sump with the 2 20 gallon longs I only ran over the tanks twice and of course sump now has never run over but my check valve went out on auto top off once and almost did it lol with that been said yes 40 gallon will absolutely work I think

 

[lost66]

2x20g tanks? How?

 

[Antuan Daniel]

In my case my return flow came from opposite ends of the tank which helped plumbing but I had to have two return pumps and no refugium and very limited filtration besides the 4 filter socks were my best friend a very small skimmer which the baffles were not able to hold water level steady enough because it went out just as fast as it came in I wasn't a very good method but it did work for the time being

 

[X-37B]

2x20g tanks? How?

I guess a 40 breeder wont fit as its 18 3/8".
Link to 20's by connecting with a bulk head on each end and fitted with a pipe.
Many lfs tanks are linked this way.

 

[Antuan Daniel]

Yes if you get the dollar deal at petco I'm almost sure those tanks are glass? Which it still can be done

 

[lost66]

I guess a 40 breeder wont fit as its 18 3/8".
Link to 20's by connecting with a bulk head on each end and fitted with a pipe.
Many lfs tanks are linked this way.

40g breeder is 40g long and it would fit. But it doesn't fit my budget, amazon has it fot $254, petco doesn't sell it at all.

 

[Arthacker87]

Try to find 40 breeder used. Who cares condition as long as it holds water.

 

[lost66]

This is what I have problem with no one in my region is selling such tank so I'm looking for alternative.

 

[X-37B]

40g breeder is 40g long and it would fit. But it doesn't fit my budget, amazon has it fot $254, petco doesn't sell it at all.

I got 3 at petco 36x18x16 is a 40 breeder $55 during dollar days.

 

[andrewkw]

If you're building the stand yourself why not use a design that does not require support beams like rocket engineers plan? Then you can just use whatever tank you find that will fit under the stand. You can also wait to put the doors in since you likely won't have to remove the sump for years if at all once it's up and running.

 

[lost66]

I got 3 at petco 36x18x16 is a 40 breeder $55 during dollar days.

Link?

 

[X-37B]

Its a standard size at all petco's at least on the west coast. If they dont stock one ask them to order one they are only like $100 full retail.
I will look for a link but go ask your local petco. You may have to talk to the manager.

 

[lost66]

If you're building the stand yourself why not use a design that does not require support beams like rocket engineers plan? Then you can just use whatever tank you find that will fit under the stand. You can also wait to put the doors in since you likely won't have to remove the sump for years if at all once it's up and running.

I used typical design, nothing fancy. But beams narrow it anyway to ~18".

 

[X-37B]

Here they are only $99.99 and any petco should be able to order one.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-standard-glass-aquarium-tank-40-gallon

 

[Goodair]

Definitely try for a bigger sump than a 29g. I got a 90g DP with a 29g sump, and wish I had more room (Equiptment is pretty tight and makes it more cumbersome to work on). Do you got an idea what equiptment and what size refugium you want to be using?

 

[andrewkw]

I used typical design, nothing fancy. But beams narrow it anyway to ~18".

I really don’t know much about diy stands but it seems way overbuilt. This is the only design I’ve ever used :

I’ve used it for up to a 180. Besides the fact it’s completely open it was designed by someone who knows more then I do.

I’m not trying to knock your design obviously it will hold the tank but if it’s limiting your sump perhaps it’s a good idea to rethink it before you go too far.