Who's running a successful reef with no sump?

[gregghia]

I understand the benefits to having a sump; water volume, hiding equipment, refuge but if you can't have a sump am I foolish to try without one? Are folks out there running a good reef say 75gal wihtout sump? If so any pics or secrets on how you are going about it.
I have an AquaC HOT skimmer and a Aquaclear 500 HOT filter....
Any suggestions.

 

[gmford1979]

i ran my 55 gal. for over a year before i got mine with no problems. but to be honest, after seeing the nasty crap that is taken out of my skimmer, i don't know how they stay running without one. but lots of people don't have them

 

[wilsonreef]

I've had my 75 gallon reef for over 2 years without a sump. I am currently setting up a 125 that will have one, along with the calcium reactor, kalk reactor, monitors auto top off etc. My sump for this one will be only a 39 gallon. I do hope to put a sump on my 75 gallon one day though.

 

[gregghia]

Can you all share what you were running during sumpless period as far as equipment

 

[rbaldino]

I had a 50 with a sump for many years, then downsized to a 29 with no sump, which I've had going for about five years now. For the longest time, I ran with just a HOB powerfilter and LR. I've added an AquaC Remora skimmer in the last few months, as well as PC lighting and a couple of powerheads. Fishwise, I currently have a tomato clown, a false perc clown, a bicolor psuedochromis and a green reef chromis. I also have two small zoo colonies and some star polyps. Sumps are convenient, but they're certainly not necessary.

 

[tizzo]

90 gallon reef, no sump, never had one. 4 years. Aqua C remora Pro HOT skimmer, no other means of filtration except for 180 lbs of LR.
I always jokingly said I have an intank sump. The main purpose for a sump is more water volume. If you have a 75 and fill it to the max bioload that a 75 can handle, than a sump would ease that stress, but if you have a 75 and fill it with a bioload like you have a 55 then you have 20 extra gallons of water easing the stress level of your bioload capacity. THAT'S what I call an in tank sump.

 

[reeffreakgeek]

0n my 72 which had ran for 5 years...Excalibur skimmer,Eheim canister,and 2-3 powerheads,thats it.In my opinions the most important part of this hobby is the husbantry.Take care of your tank and it will take care of you.

 

[mamasky712]

We have a 90 that we've just started a few weeks ago. We're running to Emperor 400's and a CSS 125. One day we might get a sump but we have 2 little kids who are very curious and like to throw things in water. lol.
Oh, and we have 140lbs. of live rock and 100lbs. of live sand.

 

[frankthetank]

A 46g without a sump. I run a fluval cannister filter, 2 ph's, and a skimmer. Over 60 pounds of LR. Don't need a sump.

 

[ninjamini]

You can do it with just a powerhead. I ran a tank for about 10 months this way b4 the upgrade to the bigger tank. It it ideal? NO. Does it work. Yes. The reason I changed was that I wanted to hide the heater and stuff.

 

[reefkprz]

I have a 2.5g with no sump, most nano tanks are run sumpless. I beleive in part its because usually the people who have nanos just dont have the space for the extras like sumps or large tanks so they run small tanks. of course there are other reasons to run nanos, dozens.

 

[05xrunner]

so far everything is good in my reef. my 75g has no sump.
Just powerheads, a skimmer and a hang on back fuge.
I am adding a canister to it soon as well.

 

[barchtruong]

a good skimmer will do the trick.
get a skimmer that can do twice the amount of water capicity in the tank.
I have a 55g with a 125CSS. big load of corals and inverts, some fishes and the water is crystal clean.
no sump needed.

 

[alextrif]

I run a 90g reef w/ just a AquaC Remora Skimmer and 4 PH w/ 100lbs LR and thin substrate bed. No further filtration and all is great. Do 5g about 2-3 times a month and have a good cleanup crew. Corals, Anemones and fish are all good. No sump or external filter.

 

[bluetang66]

If you can call since since Jan. a sucess, then thats me.Rena xp3, Prizm Skimmer,and 3 phs.I still want a cpr hob fuge.

 

[cadillac swang]

80gallon with no sump, i mean the ocean doesnt have a sump why should i and my tank doesnt look like it has any water till you see a fish creep by, although i do have two skimmers 4power heads and two hang on filters but a sump is not really needed, just maitanance.

 

[volcom69]

i have a 55 gal mostly sps tank and no sump just a canister filter to run carbon and phospate remover and i have a refugium that i run cheato out of thats it and a skimmer also.

 

[gregghia]

Wow thanks everyone for the great replies... good to see the success.

 

[earlybird]

This thread is useless without pictures

 

[gregghia]

Originally Posted by earlybird
This thread is useless without pictures

Wow there is always one in every crowd. So you think this is worthless... give some reasoning before irritating others trying to learn on this site????