is it really nessecary?

[easy88]

do i really need a sump i know they are nice to ahve but im not made of money. i figure that u dont need one but its always nice to ahve one and if i dont get one can i add it in later with out messin up my cycle

 

[reefnut]

I would say you do not "Need" a sump but your are right, they are nice to have and there are many benefits to having one. What are you planning for filtration?? Just Live Rock and Live Sand??

 

[easy88]

no im going to have protien skimmer wet dry and live rock and sand

 

[easy88]

and also the carbon filter

 

[reefnut]

Your wet/dry could be considered a sump... sounds like the makings of a nice system.

 

[easy88]

well here is the deal i can either buy a tank that has space for the wet dry and protien skimmer and such in it but that takes up precious tnak space that could be used for cool fish and what not or i could get a tank then make a sump below it

 

[reefnut]

I'm a bit confised. The tank have room for a wet/dry and skimmer in the main tank??
What size tank are we talking about??

 

[reefnut]

I'm a bit confused. The tank have room for a wet/dry and skimmer in the main tank??
What size tank are we talking about??

 

[easy88]

40 gallons which will cut the actuall living space for the fish by about 10 gallons

 

[ophiura]

Is this an all in one acrylic tank or a drilled tank with the wet/dry under the stand?

 

[easy88]

all in one acrylic

 

[easy88]

but this is the thing i am in the process of obtaining this thing nothing is final yet i jsut dont know what to get yet

 

[ophiura]

Well then, you see the issues. The all in one is nice but it doesn't allow much modification in the future and you do lose space. But it is all in one, and there is some benefit to that. Otherwise, you can run a tank without the sump (with lots of LR, skimmer and circulation), but you will have things hanging on the tank. So that would mean drilling it with built in overflows would be good, but then you need the sump/refugium/wetdry (however you choose to go) below it. You can hide lots of stuff in a sump, and be a bit more adaptable with a drilled tank, IMO. But a lot comes down to personal preference. All in all, either way, you aren't getting a lot of fish in that 40g anyway.

 

[easy88]

i know only about 4 maybe 5 with alot of live rock but i dont know how to build a sump properly and i dont have enouhg money to buy a premade overflow box
but i am pretyt good with my hands and if i got good instructions on how to build a sump and others things about building them i could definitely do it

 

[ophiura]

Search or ask for ideas in the DIY and equipment forum :yes:

 

[easy88]

i was going to go acrylic but now i have decided to go glass becuase i can buy a larger tank

 

[ophiura]

A sump can be something as simple as a rubbermaid container or even a smaller glass tank. Definitely look into that. And if you can get it pre drilled than that will eliminate the need for the overflow, tho those can be made as well (just a bit cleaner to be predrilled, coming from a hang on overflow user)

 

[latino277]

you can make a sump out of a 20G tank or robermaid container. it realy isn't that hard! I would stay away from the all in one... as nice as it is.... it's very limiting. and you can build a sump for about $50. the most expensive part... it buy the second tank. I made mine out to of a use 29G. got it for $20 + ~$15 in plexiglass from HD. and glue.

 

[easy88]

now im jsut confused agian there is a difference between an overflow and sump i ahve been reading stuff about salt water aquariums for a month and sometimes i feel liek is till know absolutely nothing about this hobby

 

[ophiura]

The overflow is where water exits the tank...and the water then goes down a hose into the sump (or wet/dry filter). There is a pump that pumps the water back into the tank via a return.