New Sump - 65 gallon FW Build

gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott T http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/20#post_3333574
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gemmy http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/20#post_3333565
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott T http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/20#post_3333562
Al got a dumb Question for you or others on here, why do people us eggcrate on the bottom of their tank before them put the rock and sand in???
Stability for the live rock and to prevent rockslides . I believe it is also used to relieve some of the pressure of the weight of the rock on the glass.
Thanks Gemmy do you think its a good Idea to use it? Should I get some to put into my tank which will be a 75 gal with about 120# of rock?
I'm not an egg crate fan. I just put my rock in before the sand.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

I never used anything on the bottom of my tanks. I made sure the rocks "lock" into each other. Not making a rock slide makes sense but so does not making a dirt trap...Oh what to do???
Pros and Cons ....can someone make a list?
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Heck of a job on the sump, Al. It looks real clean (by clean I mean sharp). So you plan on running some type of bio media in the basket, filter pads and then what goes in the other chamber, carbon pads or something? I've had a hankering to do a planted tank one of these days. I don't know if I'll ever do much with the freshwater fish anymore but I've seen some well thought out and planned planted tanks done before that were absolutely beautiful.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/40#post_3333604

I never used anything on the bottom of my tanks. I made sure the rocks "lock" into each other. Not making a rock slide makes sense but so does not making a dirt trap...Oh what to do???
Pros and Cons ....can someone make a list?
I don't know if I'd ever use it in a saltwater tank for the simple fact that it seems like it would somehow hinder the live sandbed. Maybe the critter and what not that live in there wouldn't be able to move around like they should?
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/40#post_3333607
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/40#post_3333604

I never used anything on the bottom of my tanks. I made sure the rocks "lock" into each other. Not making a rock slide makes sense but so does not making a dirt trap...Oh what to do???
Pros and Cons ....can someone make a list?
I don't know if I'd ever use it in a saltwater tank for the simple fact that it seems like it would somehow hinder the live sandbed. Maybe the critter and what not that live in there wouldn't be able to move around like they should?


Good point, I have the 30g I just got and I'm in the planning stage...If I can simplify the algae scrubber I may even try to add one of those to it in the 30g sump I want under it. I'm also toying seriously with the idea of a foam rock wall, that would eliminate any rock slides and grant some extra space in the tank.
LOL...years ago my 30g FW seemed so big, now after looking at my 90g it seems so tiny.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/40#post_3333607
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/382119/new-sump/40#post_3333604

I never used anything on the bottom of my tanks. I made sure the rocks "lock" into each other. Not making a rock slide makes sense but so does not making a dirt trap...Oh what to do???
Pros and Cons ....can someone make a list?
I don't know if I'd ever use it in a saltwater tank for the simple fact that it seems like it would somehow hinder the live sandbed. Maybe the critter and what not that live in there wouldn't be able to move around like they should?

Thanks Corey, The only thing I want to incorporate into the SW sump if the baffles with the eggcrate, a place to put the media - lile purigen, carbon. The SW sump will have the bubble tower - baffles - middle return - third fuge.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
You're welcome, Al! I'm a little bit confuzzeld though, I thought this was for freshwater?
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Yes, but the baffle arrangement with the eggcrate - the two baffles only - I would like to use that arrangement for carbon and purigen.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
10/4!!! I think it will work out nice. I may even steal your idea.

I'm still going round and round about how I want to do my sump. I think I'm going to stick with something close to my initial idea but I think I can go with a bigger tank than the 55g that I was planning. The pic below was my first attempt at it before I tore it down. You can see I did something similiar with the egg crate in the first part of the bubble tower. I kicked around the idea of using those pads or maybe even throwing in some bio media in inbetween the two egg crate shelves. I'm still kicking around ideas of how I want to do it though...I may change the design up a bit. If I do happen to throw in any bio media then I kind of like your idea of having it in a removable basket type deal. I might have to figure out a way to make it after either the skimmer or the refugium. Decisions, decisions...ofcorse it won't be as nice a homeade sump built from the ground up like yours.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
If you need a drawing Corey let me know, I think it will work out pretty good with the eggcrate. I had my sump running today I might have to add another baffle in the back because when the water level drops in the return area the basket part drops as well, because I have only 1 baffle after the basket. it might be OK - I am hoping to put an ATO of this and my SW tanks. I have perfect recycled duct from work for my saltwater sump, it is 4 feet long and approximately 18 h 18 w. I want to put it in the basement, I think I will have a section for doing frags as well. There i go rambling on again. I like the place.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Cool, I apreciate that...when I come up with a true plan of action I'll shoot ya the dimensions and ideas of what I'm thinking. I wish I could find me some of that recycled material around here. I may have to do some checking into that and see if I can find any. I'd love to make one like you and Shawn but I'm leary about practicing with some expensive acrylic my first time out. Perhaps a small build on my 55g reef tank would be in order so I can get rid of those dreaded canisters that I have on there now.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
I hear you on those canisters PITA, I think your sump picture you posted looked really good. Hey how far are you from Point Comfort, I might be there on a huge project in a year or so. Anyways get me some dimensions and ideas - it really does not take me long, a drawing always helps. I built the FW fuge in two nights thanks to the drawings.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top