how important is a sump?

[teds tank]

i've been looking at Glasscage.com at tanks(are they any good?)
i can get a 240g 96 x 24 x 25 with stand for $1085
or i could get a 120g 48 x 24 x 25 with glass overflow 2 holes, a cover, 2 bulkheas, a 38g sump tank and a stand for $990
so for about 100$ more i could get a tank with over 100g more also i woul need to buy pumps, pipes, ect to get the 120 working. but the 240g i would need a large hang on skimmer ( dose any one know a good one)
off the top of the memory i knoe a sump is good for hiding equipment(i don't care if poeple see my skimmer or fillter) and adding gallons to a tank. but in this situation i would think a 240g would be better.
ty for advise

 

[king_neptune]

get the 240g and then shop on craigs list for a 55 gal tank. convert that into a sump. you can pick up one for around 50 bucks. and for another 30 you can buy the baffles and silicon. voila!! you got a sump, built to your own personal needs.
you really dont want to have all your filtration up in the DT, it looks tacky and for minimal cost to benefit ratio you can do a nice sump.
you can save a ton of money shopping on CL. chances are you can find a complete system for around 400-500 in the 125g range. if anything its worth it to strip the equipment and use the 125 as a sump...then buy the brand new 240g. I saw a 300g tank and stand for $300 thismorning, so deals are there. use keywords like reef/saltwater/coral ect. you will get ALOT of results. people simply cant afford this hobby and will pawn stuff off .10 on the dollar ALL DAY

 

[rlablan]

I would buy everything on CL. That's what I just did and I got a smokin deal! The tank was a custom piece and there are no others like it. I got a custom 40 gal sump and all of my equipment (the equipment I bought new) and I payed about 3000 but my 240 gal build (that is with a pro plumbing it and working on it) and that is with a brand new overflow and a totally custom sump made by a builder. I know this tank will never crack and it will wear well. I met the original builder and he built my custom sump. I am very happy with my CL deal. I think you could find a whole system, sometimes with some live stock included for under 3k on CL. GOOD LUCK
And also with the importance of a HOB vs a sump. My original tank had a HOB. It was not productive and it was an eyesore. I hated it and that is why I recently upgraded. If you don't have a Sump, you may need an additional filter like a canister. I too had this and it was a total pain in the butt! I hated it too! All that equipment on the back is a total pain to get to, to clean and to maintain. If you were going to spend 3000+ on a tank and try to make it pretty, why not just go with the sump. Once you are in the hobby, you will care about people seeing your equipment and you will get tired of seeing it. You will end up spending the same or maybe 50 bucks more in the end. Go with the sump.

 

[vince-1961]

A year ago, on CL, I picked up a 225g DT, with stand, 65g sump, an old Iawki external pump, inadequately small protein skimmer, another smaller submersible pump, sand, rock and a fish, all in working order and plumbed, for $500.

 

[drtito]

I am sumpless and I plan to keep it that way. Should something leak and you could have 240 gallons of water on the floor(unlikly but possible).
Save yourself a head ache & some money. No sump. Keep is simple.
Good luck

 

[bulldog123]

How could a sump be the cause of 240g of water on the floor?
Go with the sump!

 

[drtito]

Originally Posted by Bulldog123
http:///forum/post/3121812
How could a sump be the cause of 240g of water on the floor?
Go with the sump!
IDK, since I have no sump I could not say, but a bulkhead could leak at the thread , a PVC fitting might slip/break/snap , power faliures ,who knows. i dont.

To say the least if you dont need dont buy it, but hay it there money and this is my honest opinon.
Good luck.

 

[king_neptune]

Ya, that is perplexing.
My sump doesnt spill my 125DT on the floor. If I lose power, then it can only drain as far as the return lines, which are about 1" below the surface on my DT. I get about 8g drain back into the sum, which I compensate by keeping it a few inches from the top.
Here are some headlines I got on Craigs list jsut now:
100 Gallon Acrylic Tank - $450 - Fully stocked system,plumbing,lights,LR, filtration everything!
Complete Acrylic Saltwater Reef Aquarium with Live Rock - $1400 - A little pricy, but this one has supreme oak stand, calcium reactor, tons of corals 240lbs of LR, 105G tank.
100 gallon Saltwater tank/setup - $425 again lotta nice gear.
120 Gallon Aquarium Tank - Salt Water Ready, Custom Stand/Hood, Extras - $400 - This one was bare bones, so not worth it compared to the others.
- **225gal w/ stand MUST SEE! - $1000 - This one was PRIMO!
Had no Livestock, but a fabulous mahogany/maple finish stand and large tank, and dual sumps up top:

Had to show shots, this one was too nice!
As you can see, Craigs list isnt a bad place to get smoking deals. If nothing else, you can get it for the equipment, and start over on the Livestock yourself. And still come out saving tons of money.

 

[geckoxp]

Being a newbie in this hobby I am currently using a HOB protein skimmer, filtration system etc and its a HUGE pain in the butt doing water changes etc for my 90G tank. Also I am getting microbubbles in the tank from the skimmer...just enough to annoy me but not enough to do harm in the tank.
I have a ASM G2 protein skimmer coming along with the overflow system, 25G sump tomorrow. I will not be able to pump the water directly into the sump instead of taking things off of the top of the tank and disturbing my livestock. Also chemical mixing will go into the sump instead of directly into the tank along with the protein skimmer, heater etc...I should take a before picture and after picture when I set everything up...
I honestly can't wait to convert my HOB stuff under the tank with the sump!!
Oh and the issue with the water flowing back out of the tank...just make your min and max water settings on the sump and turn off the water and have it all drain out to measure it. LAfishguy on youtube does a real nice setup and example of this...makes an idiot like myself almost confident enough in doing things myself

 

[drtito]

Originally Posted by GeckoXp
http:///forum/post/3121826
LAfishguy on youtube does a real nice setup and example of this...makes an idiot like myself almost confident enough in doing things myself

I watched all his vids, good stuff, I liked the reef with the surge device best.

 

[rlablan]

HOB filters are what leaks onto the floor. They work off a siphon system with the pump and when you loose power, the water continues to go in, w/o going out and it leaks on the floor. Also, they can crack like everything else, and will still continue to take water from the tank. not only will you have water on the floor, you will have an empty tank and all your live stock will be stressed/dead. That would suck. Spend the money up front, and get the right setup. Going sumpless on a large tank, is a bad choice, IMO. I got away with it on my 45 but only just. And I hated it. If you decide you want a sump later, it's LOADS more work, then doing it before hand... It's your tank, your wallet, your decision.

 

[xcali1985]

Originally Posted by rlablan
http:///forum/post/3122416
HOB filters are what leaks onto the floor. They work off a siphon system with the pump and when you loose power, the water continues to go in, w/o going out and it leaks on the floor. Also, they can crack like everything else, and will still continue to take water from the tank. not only will you have water on the floor, you will have an empty tank and all your live stock will be stressed/dead. That would suck. Spend the money up front, and get the right setup. Going sumpless on a large tank, is a bad choice, IMO. I got away with it on my 45 but only just. And I hated it. If you decide you want a sump later, it's LOADS more work, then doing it before hand... It's your tank, your wallet, your decision.

Would agree 100%. If you can afford it buy it and i mean everything, chillers, reactors, ROs, etc. Usually the more you spend in the beginning the less you spend in the end. I haven't lost a fish yet, however, i will sooner or later. Im currently running sumpless but im upgrading saturday and along with the bigger tank comes the sump. They are pretty easy to build and inexpensive.
As far as the flood threat. Simply make sure that you don't fill the sump to much. A sump will allow you to house pods an algae plant, live rock & sand. Things that will help with filtration and nitrates. The benefits of running a sump outweight the threat of a flood.
I currently run a wet dry with bioballs on one side and the return on the other along with a insump protein skimmer.
I rushed into this hobby and it cost me 600$ basically wasted, since im getting all bigger and better equipment. If I would have waited a few months or bought pieces one at a time I would better much better off.

 

[spanko]

"how important is a sump?"
Not crucial to running a successful tank.
A sump is a place where you store equipment that you don't want to have in the display tank. So the benefit is equipment out of site, plus the additional water volume that can help to dilute small changes in water conditions.
Must remember though that a sump and a refugium are two different things, even though most people combine both of these into one container.
JMO

 

[king_neptune]

Originally Posted by spanko http:///forum/post/3122538
Must remember though that a sump and a refugium are two different things, even though most people combine both of these into one container.
JMO
Like me

https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/349033/neptunes-125-reef-diary
I got a 55g I picked up on Craigs list for 20 bucks. Add $16 for the glass to make the baffles. and $16 for the silicone. You get a cheap sump that is built to your specific needs. A sump with dual chambers. And Independent water flow to each side. I currently have a scrubber station on the left, and I plan to fill it with crushed LR as soon as it arrives in the mail. And I got the whole oposite side to add macro algea should I choose to.

 

[adurost]

Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3121818
Here are some headlines I got on Craigs list jsut now:
100 Gallon Acrylic Tank - $450 - Fully stocked system,plumbing,lights,LR, filtration everything!
Complete Acrylic Saltwater Reef Aquarium with Live Rock - $1400 - A little pricy, but this one has supreme oak stand, calcium reactor, tons of corals 240lbs of LR, 105G tank.
100 gallon Saltwater tank/setup - $425 again lotta nice gear.
120 Gallon Aquarium Tank - Salt Water Ready, Custom Stand/Hood, Extras - $400 - This one was bare bones, so not worth it compared to the others.
- **225gal w/ stand MUST SEE! - $1000 - This one was PRIMO!
Had no Livestock, but a fabulous mahogany/maple finish stand and large tank, and dual sumps up top:

Had to show shots, this one was too nice!
As you can see, Craigs list isnt a bad place to get smoking deals. If nothing else, you can get it for the equipment, and start over on the Livestock yourself. And still come out saving tons of money.
Holy Cow! Is this the Seattle CL? I can't wait to get back to the mainland next year!! The best deal I have found here in HI is $600 for a 125G with stand & "accessories" (still waiting one a reply to figure out what that means since the picture doesn't show what is under the stand). BTW, don't move to HI if you want a reef tank - you can't legally purchase corals here.

 

[king_neptune]

yup seattle based CL deal. they come and go all the time. this one has been on CL for over a month. There is simply too many better deals out there. Personally I like it because the stand is un paralleled to anything Ive seen on CL. the 225g tank and dual sumps up top[ are pretty spiff too.

 

[teds tank]

WOW that tank is nice.The stand looks to large for my house lol.(but i could make it work) i never used craigs list before. i konw this sounds stupid but do they deliver or would i have to pick it up?
as for the sump thing i have a hob skimmer for my 30g it. doesn't bother me
i would have to put the tank aganst the wall because of the whieght of the tank.
i have had a leak on my skimmer it was very frustrating i thought my tank was broken and i would have to buy a new one.
but i never set up a sump before (but i have looked into it) what bothers me about it is that it seems there would be more chance of a leak than a hob
also my power goes out often in the winter and does any on know about a battery operated heater(we never had a fw fish die in the winter)

 

[rlablan]

Okay so Craigs list. They do not deliver. CL is a bunch of online ads. When I want to sell something I think other people in my area would want to buy, I post an ad, with pictures and location. I put my email or phone number ad people contact me and ask to come to look at what I'm selling. Then they buy it and take it home. Sometimes, people will offer help to move it, or will give you a discounted price based on if you have to hire someone to help move it. It's great for cars, furniture, equipment, and yes, hobbies like saltwater. CL will be your new best friend for buying and selling. It has made me some $$$$ over the years. They have great stuff on there.
As far as the power thing goes, I went to best buy and I bought a battery back up. It's meant for a PC but that's okay. They are pricey but they can save you a headache and alot of little fishy lives. My back up is a monster, and you'll want to buy a monster one too, the biggest you can afford. You can hook up anything you want to it, but if you're concerned about heat, I would hook up only your heater and some flow like some Koralias. On mine, I have a little giant 4, and I will have a heater in the winter hooked up. During the summer, it's just the little giant, which is my flow in my tank. If my power went out and I wasn't home to fix it, It could run with a heater and my little giant for about 3 days. A battery back up is my safety net. I think it's wise for people to have them, possibly two (If you can afford it). DONT HOOK UP LIGHTS! That will drain your back up in like 15 minutes. Fish survive w/o light, but not heat and flow.

 

[drtito]

https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/data/smilies/thumbsup.gif[/img]

 

[teds tank]

Okay so Craigs list. They do not deliver. CL is a bunch of online ads. When I want to sell something I think other people in my area would want to buy, I post an ad, with pictures and location. I put my email or phone number ad people contact me and ask to come to look at what I'm selling.
thats what i thought
CL will be your new best friend for buying and selling
i doubt that i live on vacover island so to get to the mainland i would need to take the farries (a real pain they only go every hour and takes 2hr to get across)and cross the boarder.
besides most people around here use a local website(that i've all redy checked)
i'll look into the "battery back up" for both my tanks ty