This is what a sump is supposed to look like...

[Graham's Aquaculture Verified Sponsor]

 

[ReefAddict16]

Do you run your sump lights opposite of your display?

 

[Sean Clark]

A sump should look like it is the life suport system of your display tank. It should not look like a frag tank or a grow out tank. It looks like you might have some life support off in the distance but stating "This what a sump looks like" is pretty vain.

 

[Graham's Aquaculture Verified Sponsor]

A sump should look like it is the life suport system of your display tank. It should not look like a frag tank or a grow out tank. It looks like you might have some life support off in the distance but stating "This what a sump looks like" is pretty vain.

I'm just having fun with it. Lighten up. There's lots of different ways to be successful with reefing...

 

[Sean Clark]

I'm just having fun with it. Lighten up. There's lots of different ways to be successful with reefing...

I totally agree that there are lots of different ways to be successful with reefing. That is not reflected in your title "This is what a sump is sopossed to look like" though.
Not sure what you mean by just having fun with it lighten up.

 

[Colt13]

do you have a build thread? what are your params? what is your reefing method? any acro tips?

 

[Lavey29]

Sump looks decent so how about the DT?

 

[SamMule]

Your sump looks better than my DT :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[ScottB]

For those unfamiliar with @gws3 , he raises some pretty special acropora. Apparently even in his sump.

Jawdropper, Rainbow Splice kinda stuff. Plus all the classics.

What are your current favorites @gws3 ?

Might come calling once this thing settles down.

 

[blaxsun]

It's very nice, although I'm not sure my wife would let me setup a sump the size of a paddling pool (nor could I necessarily pull it off).. I'd also like to see the tank(s) that go along with this.

 

[Dave1993]

A sump should look like it is the life suport system of your display tank. It should not look like a frag tank or a grow out tank. It looks like you might have some life support off in the distance but stating "This what a sump looks like" is pretty vain.

i think OP was joking and wanted to show off abit nothing wrong with that :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Looking clean graham! I remember seeing John c’s sump on his medium sized tank was a big acrylic beast filled with a few 3’ monti cap colonies, I guess everything he likes to do is big :) Some might think rubbermaids are not nice sumps, although I have been known to enjoy using them as coral tanks and sumps. Revisiting that idea now that I am looking to get something going again, the 300’s are a nice roomy cheap tank for sure! Only negative is not being able to see the underside of the acropora and power heads are a little louder on the rubber tanks.

 

[A Young Reefer]

you sure you are not confusing your display with the sump?
jokes aside nice looking frags.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Geez, here I was thinking my frag tank was finally starting to look good. I guess I'm a few steps behind, lol

 

[Graham's Aquaculture Verified Sponsor]

Do you run your sump lights opposite of your display?

No, I used to run my ATS opposite but it didn't really make much difference with pH. Conveinence of being able to see the corals during normal hours outweights the benefits of reversing the photo period for me.

I totally agree that there are lots of different ways to be successful with reefing. That is not reflected in your title "This is what a sump is sopossed to look like" though.
Not sure what you mean by just having fun with it lighten up.

Don't take it too seriously, I am just joking around and having fun.

do you have a build thread? what are your params? what is your reefing method? any acro tips?

No build thread, sorry. I keep it simple and as natural as possible. Alk 8, Ca ~440, Mg ~1350, NO3 0.5-2.5 (wouldn't mind if it was higher, but this is where it settles naturally), PO4 0.05-0.10.

Sump looks decent so how about the DT?

The display tank on that system is small, a 425xl:

I have a larger DT on another system that's a 300 gallon.

Daytime:

actinic:

For those unfamiliar with @gws3 , he raises some pretty special acropora. Apparently even in his sump.

Jawdropper, Rainbow Splice kinda stuff. Plus all the classics.

What are your current favorites @gws3 ?

Might come calling once this thing settles down.

Lots of potential with that tank there!

Rainbow smoothskins are my current favorite... flamethrower, tusi's, hung's. I have a few ones just as nice that don't have names.

The rainbow tenuis are nice too, but the market got so flooded with them. Lucky charms, Prom Queen, Jackpot and a few others stand out to me.

It's very nice, although I'm not sure my wife would let me setup a sump the size of a paddling pool (nor could I necessarily pull it off).. I'd also like to see the tank(s) that go along with this.

Buy two! And then she can have one that's a classy looking hot tub for her and the kids:

i think OP was joking and wanted to show off abit nothing wrong with that :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

You got it!

Looking clean graham! I remember seeing John c’s sump on his medium sized tank was a big acrylic beast filled with a few 3’ monti cap colonies, I guess everything he likes to do is big :) Some might think rubbermaids are not nice sumps, although I have been known to enjoy using them as coral tanks and sumps. Revisiting that idea now that I am looking to get something going again, the 300’s are a nice roomy cheap tank for sure! Only negative is not being able to see the underside of the acropora and power heads are a little louder on the rubber tanks.

Best thing about rubbermaid is you can go pick them up at Tractor Supply the same day. I have a 150 I was using as a frag tank. It developed a hairline crack and started a very slow leak due to being under halides for years. That same day I was able to pick up a replacement, drill it, plumb it in and move everything over before dinner time.

you sure you are not confusing your display with the sump?
jokes aside nice looking frags.

This started as an overflow because I ran out of room in my other tanks. But the higher light acros love getting blasted by the G5 Radion XR30s at the water surface. I also have four Tunze 6105s in the sump. I have eggcrate a few inches off the bottom so the very bottom layer of the tank is open. A bunch of live rock sits on this, then another layer of eggcrate a few inches from the surface and the corals sit on top of this. The tunzes blow across the very bottom of the tank. They alternate between pairs and then all come on as well every few minutes. This creates a reversing gyre that actually has three directions and is all indirect flow. The acros really love this.

 

[Graham's Aquaculture Verified Sponsor]

Oh, and a shout out to @jfox for this idea. He suggested it one time when he was over and we were talking about having run out of room. I think he said it half jokingly, but I ran with it, haha.

 

[REEFTIDE]

Looking pretty awesome sir!

 

[Lavey29]

Awesome tanks. Hey you only run 2 MP40s on the back wall on the 425? I have XL300 and have them side mounted but love the clean look with back wall mounts. Obviously you are successful with this. Think it work on mine with the similar scape?

 

[Graham's Aquaculture Verified Sponsor]

Awesome tanks. Hey you only run 2 MP40s on the back wall on the 425? I have XL300 and have them side mounted but love the clean look with back wall mounts. Obviously you are successful with this. Think it work on mine with the similar scape?

Yeah absolutely. I've always run the smaller 4' tanks (90/120 gallon type size) this way. On the 425XL the MP40s only run about 50% otherwise all the substrate blows to the back and the torches don't like the laminar undertow being too strong. I'd run the MP40s higher if it was all SPS and barebottom. I wish it was to be honest. Too much detritus settles with the current set up.

Having them mounted on the end may result in more random flow which would be good. But for this set up the left side of the tank is highly visible and I was going for an extremely clean looking set up with no cords. So I have them in reefcrest model so the flow at least varies some.

 

[Nonya]

A sump should look like it is the life suport system of your display tank. It should not look like a frag tank or a grow out tank. It looks like you might have some life support off in the distance but stating "This what a sump looks like" is pretty vain.

No need to insult the OP. "Vain" is when someone tries to put down someone who does things in a way another person feels is not "pure".

A "sump" is whatever you want it to be. If you have room to make it multi-purpose, more power to you. There are no rules or standards when it comes to what you put in them. They can be a basic sump (a pit or hollow in which liquid collects), or include heaters, ATO, skimmer, various probes, a DSB, algae scrubber, chaeto area, etc., and in this case, a really nice frag area.

Well done, GWS3!