To sump or not to sump?
- Thread starter mmslue79
- Start date
broomer5
Active Member
By all means mmslue79
SUMP IT !
Especially on a 120 gallon tank - you'll love it.
Hide all your equipment down there, heater, skimmer, do water changes from the sump, dose additives, run carbon, tie into or make it half refugium/sump, etc.
Having one gives you much flexibility and is a great way to get the water moving without having hang on the back filters and so many powerheads. Great for water circulation, and the overflow skims the surface water where crap accumulates.
Size: As big as you can fit under there, and still have some room for any other equipment you may have.
Disadvantages: Cost
You'll either need a drilled tank, or an external overflow, return pump, some pvc piping or flexible hoses.
Other's have equally nice and sucessful tanks with out a sump.
But it's really worth it to me to go this method.
SUMP IT !
Especially on a 120 gallon tank - you'll love it.
Hide all your equipment down there, heater, skimmer, do water changes from the sump, dose additives, run carbon, tie into or make it half refugium/sump, etc.
Having one gives you much flexibility and is a great way to get the water moving without having hang on the back filters and so many powerheads. Great for water circulation, and the overflow skims the surface water where crap accumulates.
Size: As big as you can fit under there, and still have some room for any other equipment you may have.
Disadvantages: Cost
You'll either need a drilled tank, or an external overflow, return pump, some pvc piping or flexible hoses.
Other's have equally nice and sucessful tanks with out a sump.
But it's really worth it to me to go this method.
richard rendos
Active Member
I say sump it! A 30 gallon long works great. Lots of rubbermaid containers out there that will work also. I absolutely will not have another fish tank without a sump. Ease of maintenance, ability to hide everything out of sight, etc. Some may disagree, but I say "SUMP IT!"
broomer5
Active Member
Sure we can help you bethany ! 
You've got a 45 gallon tall. We'll need the exact LxWxH dimensions of this tank.
Measure under your stand and post back these dimensions too.
LxWxH in inches, and any doors you have also.
Do you have a brace in the middle ?
Be as detailed as you can - a pic would be good too, but not necessary. Selecting the sump can sometimes get tricky - but only when you try and pick one that is too big for your available space.
You said you don't want to drill the tank - so you'll need an external overflow. These can be bought online.
You'll need a return pump - again online normally best price.
You'll need either some pvc pipe, fittings, hoses, tubing and hose clamps.
Some sort of spraybar or pvc fitting arrangment to connect the return line to the top edge of the tank ( shoot the water back in to the 45 tall )
How handy are you with plumbing stuff ? Have you ever worked with pvc, pvc glue and this sort of thing ?
Tell us what you plan to do or are doing with this tank.
FO, FOWLR or REEF
What do you have in the tank now ?
How many powerheads ?
Do you like powerheads, or would you like to get rid of some ?
Lastly - do you want to do a refugium too ?
If not now - you think maybe later ?
After knowing these things - we can get started.
You've got a 45 gallon tall. We'll need the exact LxWxH dimensions of this tank.
Measure under your stand and post back these dimensions too.
LxWxH in inches, and any doors you have also.
Do you have a brace in the middle ?
Be as detailed as you can - a pic would be good too, but not necessary. Selecting the sump can sometimes get tricky - but only when you try and pick one that is too big for your available space.
You said you don't want to drill the tank - so you'll need an external overflow. These can be bought online.
You'll need a return pump - again online normally best price.
You'll need either some pvc pipe, fittings, hoses, tubing and hose clamps.
Some sort of spraybar or pvc fitting arrangment to connect the return line to the top edge of the tank ( shoot the water back in to the 45 tall )
How handy are you with plumbing stuff ? Have you ever worked with pvc, pvc glue and this sort of thing ?
Tell us what you plan to do or are doing with this tank.
FO, FOWLR or REEF
What do you have in the tank now ?
How many powerheads ?
Do you like powerheads, or would you like to get rid of some ?
Lastly - do you want to do a refugium too ?
If not now - you think maybe later ?
After knowing these things - we can get started.
