Who's running a successful reef with no sump?

ghettotang

Member
Originally Posted by 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.
Hey I have a question, what type of light are you using for you 75 gallon tank. I 75 gallon tank and I want to start simple reef tank and I'm having trouble keeping up the cal, pho, what is really the secret to keep all that stuff stable because I seen a lot of people have a reef tank but they don't have cal reactor. I've been adding the Iodine, Stro, and Cal three fundemental and I have PC running. I've got couple of soft coral but seem to me there not happy. I tried to do what my LFS and the asked question in this forum but I don't get respond back. Please help
Thanx.
Jay
 

apgracia

Member
I am currently running a 135 without a sump. I have a fairly light bioload though. I have 2 Emporer 400's and a 404 Fluvel, 4 powerheads, phosban reactor and a skimmer. I will be upgrading to a sump eventually, but I have multiple tanks, and the hooby can be quite expensive. And actually i have a 55 reef setup as well with no sump. just a canister filter and a skimmer, you can see pics if you do a search for tank diary update. They are pics of an in wall setup I competed recently.
 

frankthetank

Active Member
Originally Posted by GhettoTang
Hey I have a question, what type of light are you using for you 75 gallon tank. I 75 gallon tank and I want to start simple reef tank and I'm having trouble keeping up the cal, pho, what is really the secret to keep all that stuff stable because I seen a lot of people have a reef tank but they don't have cal reactor. I've been adding the Iodine, Stro, and Cal three fundemental and I have PC running. I've got couple of soft coral but seem to me there not happy. I tried to do what my LFS and the asked question in this forum but I don't get respond back. Please help
Thanx.
Jay
For the most part it's pretty easy for me. I just do weekly 10% water changes and it keeps up with it. What kind of salt are you using? I use TM and it seems to have everything. I have some kent buffer and seachem calcium to add if needed, but I rarely ever do.
As for phosphates, I'm getting a reading of .2 recently. This reading isn't high or dangerous, but I'd love to get a 0 reading. I've determined that it's something that I'm putting in the tank, weather it be feeding or I don't know. It's definitely not the water, as it reads 0 prior to adding to tank.
I would just attempt to get a steady ph around 8.4 and calcium around 400-450. I prefer 450 myself. I never test for magnesium, but since alk, calcium, and ph seem to be stable, I assume my magnesium is good.
Hope this helps.
 

fishieness

Active Member
Originally Posted by earlybird
This thread is useless without pictures

i have a few pics of my 40 breeder without a sump. it is a mixed reef. i dont have any full tank shots because none of them come out good. but i have a few pics of certain sides of my tank. i dont have any pics of my sps though, ill have to get some today possibly....
specs:
-40 breeder
-3 maxi jets and a hydor koralia (sp?) 4 on a red sea wavemaster pro
-400 watt radium MH on a blueline ballast and normal spider reflector
-2X39 watt t5 actinics
-aqua C remora pro with upgraded pump and skimmer box (i have since upgraded to a deltec MCE 500, but at the time of these pictures, i had the remora pro running)
-HOB filter runnign media bags with phsoban and carbon
-about 35 pounds of live sand
-95-100 pounds of lr
-a pair of ocellaris clowns
-a pair of neon gobies
-a mandarin dragonette
-mushrooms, softies, zoos, lps, sps, BTA, crocea clam
here are a few pics that are a few weeks old, ill try to get some more and osme of the sps eventualy.



PS: sorry some of the corals arent as colorful as they normaly are. this is a few days after switching to my 400 watt halide from my 250
 

ghettotang

Member
Originally Posted by FranktheTank
For the most part it's pretty easy for me. I just do weekly 10% water changes and it keeps up with it. What kind of salt are you using? I use TM and it seems to have everything. I have some kent buffer and seachem calcium to add if needed, but I rarely ever do.
As for phosphates, I'm getting a reading of .2 recently. This reading isn't high or dangerous, but I'd love to get a 0 reading. I've determined that it's something that I'm putting in the tank, weather it be feeding or I don't know. It's definitely not the water, as it reads 0 prior to adding to tank.
I would just attempt to get a steady ph around 8.4 and calcium around 400-450. I prefer 450 myself. I never test for magnesium, but since alk, calcium, and ph seem to be stable, I assume my magnesium is good.
Hope this helps.
Thanx, I also do 10% of water change. I use the Kent salt because I read that they provide a good amount of cal, and other mineral. I wonder if my lighting is the problem, but then I don't think so because if that my light them my mushroom wouldn't even open up. I believe is my calcium that I'm having problem with because I cannot get my calcium stable and alk. I get a ph stable like what you have 8.4, but is there any secret or way to keep my the calcium and alk stable. I really do appriciate you help
Thanx
Jay
 

aztec reef

Active Member
If you're are just looking to add water volume and hide equipment, then do a sump.
Any other benefits on them?
 

aztec reef

Active Member
sure but that falls under the category of water volume.
Sump= Bigger surface area+bigger water volume+room to hide equipment..
You can do the same + MORE with a Refugim.
 

diggerules

New Member
Originally Posted by apgracia
I am currently running a 135 without a sump. I have a fairly light bioload though. I have 2 Emporer 400's and a 404 Fluvel, 4 powerheads, phosban reactor and a skimmer. I will be upgrading to a sump eventually, but I have multiple tanks, and the hooby can be quite expensive. And actually i have a 55 reef setup as well with no sump. just a canister filter and a skimmer, you can see pics if you do a search for tank diary update. They are pics of an in wall setup I competed recently.

I also have a fluval 404 and have a Coralife Super Skimmer220. on my 65g. I am interested in hearing what filter media you use for your filter. Thanks
 

bonebrake

Active Member
Sumps are really only for aesthetic purposes to hide all of the junk. You can definitely run any size tank without one if you have the proper equipment.
:joy:
 

dtreter

New Member
My system is about 15 yrs. old and never had a sump. What I have in my 55 gal aquarium is a protein skimmer, filter with pads, uv light and a couple of power heads to move the water around plus a good light system. I think the reason the system is stable is because of all the living rock. Here is a couple of pics of my reef system.

 

gregghia

Member
As far as protein skimmers I am using an AquaC remora hang on. Works well but here is my question.. what is the secret to getting the top layer of gunk to the intake pump so the the skimmer can grab it? I used the prefilter box for the Remora but it was bad because it took so much space and little room for error with water level. Came home too many times to the pump running dry. If anyone has the Remora you know that even shorting the tubing from Remora to Rio/Maxijet still does not get pump close enough to the surface! Any secrets?
 

laredo300c

Member
Sumps are really only for aesthetic purposes to hide all of the junk. You can definitely run any size tank without one if you have the proper equipment.
ok....i wanna start a 210g sumpless......any advice on equipment will be appreciated........i'm thinking.....500lb of live rock(300will be base rock)..2 superskimmers rated at 220g each.....6 powerheads......2'live sand....will this work?????
 

apgracia

Member
Originally Posted by diggerules
I also have a fluval 404 and have a Coralife Super Skimmer220. on my 65g. I am interested in hearing what filter media you use for your filter. Thanks
I run the pre-filter media and the ceramic micro rings. Mostly use it for water flow. I am surprised that my system is running as well as it is. I am rethinking the sump deal. If I do it will definetly be diy, to save cash. I'd rather spend $$ on corals. :joy:
 

gregghia

Member
So I am committed to the 90gal sumpless but I am goign to treat the load as if I only had a 55 gal. I have 4 fish now and a shrimp with one coral, a toadstool. I am going to get a pair of clowns and maybe one more fish and a couple corals. Should work well with the 90 gal of water.
I have alot of things in the tank visible but really no big deal. Over time I am sure coraline will grow on it and cover it up! My current tank is a 30 gal and after 3 months coraline is starting to grow all over everything!
Send me some pics of your sumpless tanks! Need creative ideas
 

myreef05

Member
Anyone can claim not to have a sump and send pics. They choose not to take a far enough away shot to show under tank. Sump/refugium is worth millions in this hobby. I have seen reefs with no skimmers and have seen plenty without sumps though, but there is always some type of filtration besides the LR inside the tank. Just my thoughts.
 

triga22

Active Member
Originally Posted by dtreter
My system is about 15 yrs. old and never had a sump. What I have in my 55 gal aquarium is a protein skimmer, filter with pads, uv light and a couple of power heads to move the water around plus a good light system. I think the reason the system is stable is because of all the living rock. Here is a couple of pics of my reef system.


Nice tank. Full tank shot? Are the fish 15 years old?
 
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