29 gal/10 gal sump?

beaver

beaver

Member
Iv got a new 29 gal that just got done cycleing, I was thinking of useing an old 10 gal tank I have to make a sump type set up but Im newb so im not shure what all I would need to set it up. Im asumeing a pump to pump from the sump to the 29, and some way to get the water back down to the 10 gal. Drill a hole? use another pump? I was thinking of turneing my "hang on the side" piguin 75 filter into the pump that sents water to the sump. What do you think about that? Aside from that I was thinking of putting a pice of live rock from the 29 into the 10 and replaceing it in the main with just a pice of base rock. Could I move my heater to the sump also? Could I use a power head (wanting to install one any how) to move the water from the sump back up to the 29? My main concern is that Ill have too much water comeing up or going down and over flow one of the tanks. How do I regulate this? Sugestions? Ideas on cost? Is this a good Idea or a bad one?
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
Well you can buy a overflow which will work with no drilling required.
Search for wetdry filters, they are sold with them and can be bought seperate.
I would get a stronger pump, atleast 400 , 600gph sounds good.
The more the better.
More gph means more flow for the tank and faster cleaning.
Just check overflows rating is enough for the pump.
You lose gph each foot of hosing, some pumps have charts.
My 600gph came out around 500 with 4 ft head.
Simple pump feed and gravity design.
I wish i had enough room in my 29 stand.
 
beaver

beaver

Member
I dont have a stand but, my tank is set up in a "window" that connects the liveing room to the kitchen. (dose that make sence?) I can put the sump in a cubord in the kittchen right behind the tank. Ill run the water lines thought a hole that is already in the counter top.
So, to get your drift, there is an over flow box type thing that hangs on the side and will gravity feed the water to the sump as fast as its poring out.. so then its just a matter of pumping the water back up as fast as I like? The faster the better? Do I need lights in the sump.. Im asumeing I do to keep the small criters alive... What about a filter for the sump.. sugestions? should I get a skimmer.. im not shure what the diff between a skimmer and a normal filter like the one I have? I was thinking of just putting some bio balls in it and the live rock.?
As far as a pump for sump to tank.. would a power head rated at 700ish gph work? it wouled be about 4feet from sump to main tank.. I could just set the sump tank on something to bring it up a few feet closer also. Ideas?
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
As long as you overflow can handle the the return pump or ph it should be fine.
Most overflows are rated for 600gph.
As long as its under 600 true gph.
I would use some bioballs too.
To get some good pics, checkout the famous auction site.
Search for refugium, wetdry, and overflow.
Lights would depend on what kind of critters.
Unless you want a refugium setup.
 
beaver

beaver

Member
I was thinking of makeing a seperation in the sump and haveing the live rock and some plants perhaps on one side, and on the other I was thinking of puting some bio balls and the pump. dose that sound about right. What are the advantages of haveing a refuge area vs. not haveing one? Would this negate the need of a skimmer? It would be like a big skimmer would it not?
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
Well i like to get everthing larger so i can use it if i upgrade to a bigger tank which happens alot in this hobby.
An insump would be best but make sure it will fit.
Well a refugium can house a deepsandbed and macroalgae plants which reduce nitrates . The macro also produces more oxygen and feeds off of nitrate and phosphate.
 
beaver

beaver

Member
Ok, so going on what you have said my plan is to, put a divider in my 10 gal and put an in sump skimmer in one side and make the other a refuge. Would I have to cycle my tank again if I put new live sand in the sump? I have a few fish and some inverst in my 29 already so I dont want to kill them.
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
Live sand is fine to add right away because it has bacteria already.
Plus you are not adding any ammonia.
You can cycle just the refugium if you want to be extra safe. Shouldn't take long with ls.
Also would be a good idea to run your original filter for a little while. Because it will take some time for the bacteria to build in the refugiums bioballs.
If you can have a prefilter(goes on the pvc intake tube on the overflow) and pad(on top of the bioballs in a box) before the balls that would be better. Both are on most wetdrys.
That would be 2 stage mechanical filtration.
 
beaver

beaver

Member
You are so helpfull, thank you so much for your responce. I think I have it under controll now, I was puting my 10 gal where I wanted it today and cracked it :( oh well im out 15 bucks or so on that one lol. Its a good 5 or 6 feet pump to my main I think now that I look it over so im going with a biger pump then 600 gph as I planed. I bid on a nice over flow from e bay so I hope I win that one, it has filters. They wanted 85 bucks for one like it at LFS so would be a nice score.
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
I cracked one of my tens a while ago. Had 3 tens at one time. The glass is pretty thin.
This is making me want to setup one on my 29 also.
I have my 55 setup with a 125 wetdry and 10g instand refugium.
My problem with the 29 stand is i have a board going down the middle.
I am thinking of using 2 small tanks or containers and plumbing both together.
Would be a little tricky.
I really like wetdry/sumps over hangon filters.
 
shiby1510

shiby1510

Member
"I really like wetdry/sumps over hangon filters."
Why is that?? J/W :notsure:
Oh btw... i was thinking about getting a 29g and then put one of my old 10g as a sump but i heard its not even worth using a 10g as a sump cuz its too small and u only get like 6g out of it max and then if u wanna throw a fuge and stuff then u don't have any space for ur heater and etc etc
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
I like both wetdry or sump. I think there is not much difference from a sump and wetdry besides size . Maybe just some bioballs. If i did make a sump it would be setup like my wetdry but alot longer with added dividers.
If i had the room it would have been fuge/sump all in one.
But due to my limited space in my 55 stand i went with a 125 wetdry and 10g acrylic bow fuge setup. No glass tank would fit besides a 5g.
Well i was thinking a 10 would be kind of packed too. Still might be possible with just floating chaeto. A 20g long would be better.
Bigger is always better.
Here is a pic of my setup.
 
dmc888

dmc888

Member
I myself have had no problems in 3 years.
Big debate topic.
Most people that hate them admit to never cleaning them.
Never had problems with high nitrates, even before the fuge.
 
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