Need help finding right sump

[minnie]

I need all the info out there on buying a sump for my 100g reef. I am a little confused. Too many brands, types, etc. I already have a turbofloter 1000 multi skimmer. I would appreciate any help I can get so I can make the right puchase . Thanks

minnie

[wolfie]

Try here. They does custom sump and other stuff. Really cool. They can custome it anyway you want/need. It is better to get the right sump/skimmer the first time around then spend money on a cheaper sump/skimmer only to be throw away later on.

I only wish I knew of this before I setup my sump and skimmer. T

My Reef Creations135 Stanley Court, Suite 105
Lawrenceville, GA 30045
678-407-3773

[squirmy]

Shop around. Those prices for glue and acrylic are shocking to say the least. Do your research first. Try looking on RC for a guy named Melev. He has a great sump section on his web site. I know MRC is from around here, but give me a break - and a price break at that...

[minnie]

thanks, i am not worry about price just yet. What is the best type ? Is it a sump & refugium, sump , berlin sump , custom sump . There are so many out there. I am having sump nightmares.

[MattTVI]

imo, i doesn't matter too much. i built my own sump out of a 20g H tank.

are you going to have an external, inline pump or a submersed one? Marine Fish has some decent sumps you can check out.

[Jessezm]

Just on a note on prices and acrylic sumps--
You absolutely get what you pay for. Sure, MRC prices are high, but they've got a huge wherehouse, advanced machinery, skilled expertise, and use the best materials available. I built my own acylic sump out of 1/4" sheets that were pre-cut from some ebay business, and sure, it worked, but it had no bracing and I'm lucky it didn't come apart on me. Next time, I'm either going to spend a lot more time and energy on a DIY sump, or I'm forking it over for something from MRC, or perhaps Melev (but that would mean shipping the beast)...

The best thing you can do is research what your needs will be and what is available out there. Do check out MRC as well as Melev's site: http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

--Jesse

[tobbob]

Marine Fish in Marietta has some nice looking sumps.
Bob

[mojo]

Originally Posted by minnie

thanks, i am not worry about price just yet. What is the best type ? Is it a sump & refugium, sump , berlin sump , custom sump . There are so many out there. I am having sump nightmares.

There are many out there because they're trying to get your money. Many of the sumps that you still see for sale are wet/dry filters, which were obsolete almost 10 years ago now - I'm not sure why they still sell them.

In any case, at the most basic level, you'll want just a tank to hold your skimmer, heater and main pump. A 10, 20, whatever gallon tank will work fine for this. Some people use rubbermaid containers (I use a 100g rubbermaid horse trough).

If you want to get a little fancier, you can add a separate, low flow compartment for a refugium. This will be a either a "refuge" (and thus the name) for small organisms for your tank, or you could use it to grow certain types of algae to help control nutrients. Some people make this a separate tank, and probably most people don't have a refugium at all.

The specific refugium to meet your needs will depend on the size of your stand (if you're putting it in a stand) or your needs. If it's not in the stand, then size may not matter, and you'll want the biggest sump you can get. If it is inside your stand, then you'll want a sump that will fit and be able to house your pump, skimmer, and whatever else you may need to put in there.

Custom sumps work just as well as a 10g or 20g tank. They just make the compartments and the holes (for external pumps, if any) easier.

Ask more questions if this doesn't make sense.

[Daytona955]

What type of tank are you setting up? Reef? FOWLR? What needs do you have out of your sump? Are you going to use it as a fuge also or just to hold equipment? Is the pump going to be in tank or external? Are you wanting this to fit under the stand or are you going to put the sump in a remote location? MRC's prices aside you need to figure this stuff out first then work on what sump you want.

DIY is never to be overlooked. For my 180 I saved several hundred that I was able to put towards my MRC skimmer (pricey but nice).

Give me a call if you have any questions I can help you answer.

Mike
678-232-8829

[pwest]

You might consider purchasing a simple off the shelf acrylic aquarium and then putting in the desired baffles/compartments yourself. With the internal mods, you don't really need to worry about mechanical integrity because it doesn't much matter if a baffle leaks, breaks, or separates. Just cut some plastic to fit and then put it in with silicon or some other adhesive.

Start with an acrylic aquarium so that it's easy to drill. Check out the excellent selection of sizes with reasonable prices at http://stores.ebay.com/Custom-Aquariums

-Phil

[kappaknight]

Originally Posted by pwest

You might consider purchasing a simple off the shelf acrylic aquarium and then putting in the desired baffles/compartments yourself. With the internal mods, you don't really need to worry about mechanical integrity because it doesn't much matter if a baffle leaks, breaks, or separates. Just cut some plastic to fit and then put it in with silicon or some other adhesive.

Start with an acrylic aquarium so that it's easy to drill. Check out the excellent selection of sizes with reasonable prices at http://stores.ebay.com/Custom-Aquariums

-Phil

Where can we buy small amounts of acrylic sheets to make baffles with?

[pwest]

HD and Lowes have 1/4" plastic that should be fine for baffles.

-Phil

[robsmith32]

Where can we buy small amounts of acrylic sheets to make baffles with?

Lowes, ace hardware, MRC.
Piedmont plastics but are high,
USPLASTICS
Personally, i steer clear of the rubbermaid sumps as baffling is a bit defeated unless you have it big enough to sit other rubbermaids in it as compartments.
My G3 works 3 times better since it has its own dedicated compartment that is 13" high whereas i was having heck trying to make it work prior.