Trying to add water volume to my tank. Brute reef safe?

[Lyle Chipperson]

My sump is too small and I would like to add water volume to my tank, but mostly I want more room so I can add a ton more rocks for filtration. Would it be safe to add a brute can with some bulk heads or are these things prone to poisoning a tank and should only be used for water mixing stations and not be attached to the main system? I've posted a picture of my current sump and I've made a top level photoshop of how I would want the brute worked in. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Gtinnel]

I would think if it were going to leach anything into the water it would do it whether it was a mixing station or part of a sump. So I'd say it's completely safe.

 

[RichReef]

 

[RichReef]

I have a Brute plumbed right into my system similar to your idea. I use 1/4 inch RO tubing to siphon from the DT and overflow into my sump. I have wheels on 2 cans and swap them out every 2 weeks for my water change. It is also nice to dose into the container so nothing really shocks the system. I also keep a power head in the can.

Just keep in mind you will need a valve on the RO tubing and a valve on the overflow coming out of the can.

 

[KrisReef]

It’s a little known fact that Brutes were Created for the precise application of which you are contemplating. Not are they only safe they have been blessed as @RichReef has provided the documentation.

Just keep a lid on it!

 

[Gtinnel]

I have a Brute plumbed right into my system similar to your idea. I use 1/4 inch RO tubing to siphon from the DT and overflow into my sump. I have wheels on 2 cans and swap them out every 2 weeks for my water change. It is also nice to dose into the container so nothing really shocks the system. I also keep a power head in the can.

Just keep in mind you will need a valve on the RO tubing and a valve on the overflow coming out of the can.

Thats a clever way to do a big water change.

 

[sfin52]

Thats a clever way to do a big water change.

Thats an awesome idea.

 

[ScottB]

I like what you are trying to achieve and I have no doubts about the safety of Brute cans.

So the DT overflow will gravity feed to the top of the Brute, right? The Brute will become a detritus trap at the bottom which is not the end of the world, but I would have a plan for reaching and removing the gunk now and again. Maybe that suggestion about keep a circ pump in there will help resolve that.

 

[Lyle Chipperson]

I like what you are trying to achieve and I have no doubts about the safety of Brute cans.

So the DT overflow will gravity feed to the top of the Brute, right? The Brute will become a detritus trap at the bottom which is not the end of the world, but I would have a plan for reaching and removing the gunk now and again. Maybe that suggestion about keep a circ pump in there will help resolve that.

Thank you everybody for the responses. I'm new to this site and it's way more active and helpful than the subreddit where I lurk.

Yeah my plan is to gravity feed into the brute, probably with a bulkhead through the side of it. I have a hanger for filter bags that I want to try to macgyver into the can where it drains to help with the deitrus build up. This idea may not be perfect but I'm trying to figure it out as I go. I have a spare small pump somewhere on my shelf that could also be a solution for this as you suggested, and I hadn't thought of that.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Grey Brutes work great for this purpose. You can use a Standpipe so that the water flows from the bottom of the Brute rather than simply over flowing through a bulkhead. That will eliminate some of the detritus build-up issue.