Anyone set up a sump/fuge for non-drilled tank?

cjworkman

cjworkman

Member
Has anyone set up a sump/fuge for a non-drilled tank? Is this possible? could an large canister filter w/ some LR in it serve that purpose?
I've been trying my best to keep an algae free tank without a sump/fuge set up for 2 years now.
Have only kept the tank free of it for a total of 3-4 months in that time.
 
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bonita69

Guest
HELL NO!!! why would you buy a tank that was not drilled
 
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bonita69

Guest
Just kidding you
we do it all the time I did it with my 92 bowfront.
Working great and my tank has never looked so good.
 
nycbob

nycbob

Active Member
of course its possible. u just need an overflow box with a pumps to get the water out of ur tank and back into the tank. they sell this setup at many lfs and online. personally, i dont like canister fitler. i hv kept my reef tank sump free for over a year now with nothing but lr and water movement. i hv many sps and 5 clams.
 
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bonita69

Guest
I would say no on the filter part.
you would use the sump/fuge with skimmer.
Use a hang on type overflowbox and a return pump
 
cjworkman

cjworkman

Member
Thanks all.
Have any good links for the set up for this?
Already have an Aqua C Remora pro so just need to order the overflow box.
 
str8salt

str8salt

Member
You can definatly run an algae free tank with out a sump or refugium. I have for over two years on my newest tank and did it for years with anything from a 10 gallon on up. The canister is very useful and all of the Salt Creeps(the local salt water junkies suuport group) uses them. Most have refugiums and use the canister mainly for carbon but I have used mine also with phosphate remover at times. If you have any questions about the best way to set up a sump we have some members that are very talented at creating systems and I will point them in your direction. I don't think putting the live rock in the filter will work as well as using in a refugium, If that is waht you were planning. Hope this helps and just holler if you want the posse.
 
natclanwy

natclanwy

Active Member
I just redid my sump/refugium system last weekend and I have a non-drilled 55 that I have had for about 3 years. I can provide some pics if you need some ideas on how to set it up.
Not sure if running a sump will eradicate your algea problem, no matter what type of filtration you are using you can have an algea problem if you don't control the source of nutrients in your tank.
Bonita69 did you come up with a solution to quiet your overflow? I just built a stockman type standpipe for mine and it works great.
 
cjworkman

cjworkman

Member
Thanks all.
I'm having issues with hair algae that i can't track down. (is not from nitrates, phosphate (unless its from frozen food), or water (use RO/DI)
I'll sift through the info and see if I can set something up.
Hints on keeping a closed system algae free would also be helpful. Mine has been up and running for 2 years, only about 3/4 months has been algae free.
 
natclanwy

natclanwy

Active Member
You can still have a nitrate and phosphate problem even if your test kits show you don't have any because the algea in the tank is using it up. If you are feeding exclusivly frozen food try rinsing the food before you add it to the tank and cut back on feeding for a while and see if the algea problem starts to go away. Not sure what your water change frequency is but you might try increasing the frequency but utimatly you will want to control the source.
 
cjworkman

cjworkman

Member
yeah i can't identify the source.. frozen food is the only thing I can think of.
I don't feed much.. half cube in the morning and half cube at night.
I could try rinsing it though, just rinse the frozen cube before thawing?
I have a pretty intense amount of hair algae growth for just the food to be the source IMO though.
I've used LFS bought mixed water and my own RO/DI water, both with same results.
I do large water changes... 10 gallons a week on a 75 gallon tank.
Thinking of running phosban in the canister for awhile and see if anything changes.. if it does, at least I know it is phosphate coming from somewhere.
 
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bonita69

Guest
Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2498227
I just redid my sump/refugium system last weekend and I have a non-drilled 55 that I have had for about 3 years. I can provide some pics if you need some ideas on how to set it up.
Not sure if running a sump will eradicate your algea problem, no matter what type of filtration you are using you can have an algea problem if you don't control the source of nutrients in your tank.
Bonita69 did you come up with a solution to quiet your overflow? I just built a stockman type standpipe for mine and it works great.
Yes I did it was just temp at first but worked so well I left it there.I can here just a little when working in the tank. It is 94% improved!!
I took a piece if 2"thick styrofoam from my Skimmer packing. take a look at my drawing.
 
natclanwy

natclanwy

Active Member
You should definetly look into the stockman it fits well in external overflows and is very simple to build and now the noise from my overflow is zero I can't even tell its running anymore even when I'm right next to it. All I can hear now is the hum from my quiet one pump didn't even know it made any noise at all until I reworked my sump system and made everything quieter.
 
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