# My 90gal w/20gal sump



## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f1 ... 51469.html

The above link is my posts so far on aquarium advice. Hoping to get more info from this site. I will post more on this build.

Cheers


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

Really looks nice.

What are the airlines in the sump for? 
Also what is the white box on the left side of the sump?
What are you going to use for pump?

Very nice build. The stand is going to look great.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

The white box is just a piece of white acrylic used to separate the overflow section. The filter sock hangs in it and the water flows up and over the white divider into the section that will be filled with foam.

The airlines are going to be running to allow the water to be oxegenated in the Bio Ball section. (hoping it will act like a fluid bed)

I am running a Jecob 7000 DCS pump. Does 1900g/hr at zero head. I have 8ft of head with vertical height and the restriction of the PVC pipe/elbows etc. Thinking it will be running at 850g/hr. Pump has 8 settings for speed. I am running it at half speed so around 400-450g/hr flow.


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

I would do fluidized k1 in the main section. You wont get bioballs to fluidly move. I absolutly live my k1 sump.


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

I'm running jecob 16000 on my 180 gallon and it's little under powered. I think the 7000 should work good for you. Mine is very quite and it's nice to have the feeding switch to shut off. Been running it for 10 months and no issues.

I don't think you need the air hoses but just need a vent to oxygenated your bio-balls. I have two wet/dry filter running with the bio-ball are seal in there own area without any problems. Most of the water is oxygenated by the dropping of the water to the sump and not in the bio chamber. It won't hurt anything but isn't really necessary.

Very nice work and it should work well.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Pdxmonkeyboy said:


> I would do fluidized k1 in the main section. You wont get bioballs to fluidly move. I absolutly live my k1 sump.


Do you find that the K1 fluid bed is loud? Now by loud I mean to the point it overpowers TV etc etc. Or is it just the sound of the air pump and bubbles that you hear?


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

They are actually not loud at all and i have a 400 gpm pump in that chamber that is blasting them around.

Two things however; 1. I have a 1/4" thick plexi lid on the sump (which cuts down on nouse dramatically and 2. My stand is fully enclosed 1/2" plywood. When i close the doors i dont hear ANYTHING.

You definately want a lid on that chamber as the air bubbles and rolling water create lots of evaporation. Maybe I will post a video while i am waiting for my tank to cycle.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

My stand is fully enclosed as well. I used 3/8 ply for it. I machined a lid to fit the sump out of 3/16 lexan.

I like the idea of a pump INSIDE the chamber to help move the bio media around. I looked into K1, biggest problem is the price. Because I can't find it in Canada, I have to pay $$ for shipping. It worked out to around $150bucks for the amount I would need. I am going with the bio balls. With the air bubbles and possible a powerhead in the chamber I believe I will be able to get the bio balls moving around. It will not be a "Fluid Bed" like the K1 but it should move enough to prevent the bio balls from just hanging out in the chamber. My theory anyway. Only time will tell. Still waiting for the bio balls to show up. I am putting 800 16mm bio balls into the chamber.

These are the ones I am using

https://www.amazon.ca/Docooler%C2%AE-10 ... s=bio+ball

Cheers
(1-2 days till I get this thing upstairs and start the fishless cycling process. Just waiting for the paint to dry!!)


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

Wow! How much k1 were u planning to order? I got mine cheap off of ebay. I thibk i got 8 liters for my 10 gallon sump. I want to say it was $30


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

I was looking at 15litres but it's the shipping and duties that kill us Canadians when we order from the US


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Ok so I bought a 120G/hr water pump to install in the BioBall section to help keep them not clumping.

Question: Pool filter sand vs Play sand. Which is the better choice for substrate in the tank. Going with river rocks and sand in the tank. Just trying to decide which sand to go with.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Got the canopy wired tonight. Went with 4x 3.5 watt LED bars. Not sure what spectrum or anything but I am not growing with them. Just showing fish. I prefer a little darker tank as opposed to a bright tank. My preference. If needed I can always add another set to brighten things up. I think I am going to bend up a stainless deflector for behind the lights. Should be simple enough.


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

So you have a total 14 watts. I have some were around 16 watts per foot of tank. Its a little more then I need so I have floating plants on the top of the tank. It has cut the amount of algae. I think you will need just about double the light but it also depends on room light as well. I bet those 3.5 watts leds really hit the bottom of the tank with light. But to be honest the more light the better the color looks on the fish.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

The tank is going in our living room. We have 5 windows spread out around the room. I plan on running the lights only in the evening when I am there to enjoy the tank. During the day there is enough ambient light that it should be fine. Time will tell of course.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1478228528

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1478228528


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

The lights are personal preference - the fish don't care - so as long as it is what you prefer.


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

Aaron S said:


> The lights are personal preference - the fish don't care - so as long as it is what you prefer.


No kidding.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Moved it upstairs last night.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1478410383


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Here it is in all its glory. Sand rocks lights water. Running real nice and real quiet.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1478490902


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Took a video of the tank now that's it's complete. Check it out.






Cheers. Guess i will be starting a stocking list thread next


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

I have heard many say avoid play sand.. horror stories about being too fine and clouding up for days. I used filter sand, it was cheap and mulitcolored... I mean, not painted or anything but not all one shade of tan.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Pdxmonkey, yes the play sand is dusty. I cleaned it twice in buckets as well as sifted it to get the fine fine partiacals out. However when I put it in it still clouded the tank bad. Took 3-4 days to clear up. Changed filter socks and foam daily for those days. Now it is settling down. This particular sand is white black and brown. The grains are 0.02"-0.06" in size. Not to small and not to big. If I distrube the sand to much at this point it does cloud up but I am ok with this as it only last a few hours now. I love the colour and it matches my rocks perfect. BTW the rocks are all from my backyard. Cheers.

The sump by far took the most time to organized. I have put a lot in a little space. It all works so far. Still have 2 switches to install if they ever arrive from China. (Free shipping, sometime between Oct31-Nov 27) the Sump should be complete complete. For now......there is always tinkering to be done.


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

good to hear that it worked out. I hear you about the sumo.. I had this huge area under my tank, it was going to be sooo organized. It gets small really quick. 
I have learned quickly you can never have to big of a sump. This is my first tank with a sump, I would never run a tank without one now. It is super convenient


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Ok so I am 1.5weeks in. Did some water tests yesterday. Currently, I am at 78deg F, 7.6-7.8 PH, <0.25ppm for ammonia. Seems to be on track. Haven't test the hardness as I don't have a test kit for that. Can you get a hardness test kit by API as well?

I got my ammonia at not much...its not at 0 but the test tube was not at .25ppm either so i am thinking its right in between but definitaly edging towards the 0ppm colour. It has a slight slight green tint to it in the sunlight. (Using a API Freshwater Master Test Kit) So i will continue to monitor this as I go.

I did the high PH test and it looks like it is sitting at 7.6-7.8...On this issue I am thinking it might be worth getting some CaribSea Aragonite Sand to add to my substrate to help buffer the PH. Would I put in a whole bag? Should I put in just a bit at a time and test until I get 8.0-8.2 PH? What is the process that ya'll do? My concern is that if I dump in to much then I will have to remove it. I have read that the aragonite will maintain a constant 8.2, is this true? Another option would be to get a bag of it and just put it into a filter bag in the sump.

When it comes to salt, what is your take on this. Is it necessary to add salt. Would you recommend I do up the buffer recipe on this site? Epsom Salt, Salt, and Baking Soda. If I use baking soda then if I am correct it is not necessary to have the Aragonite sand as the Baking Soda will up the PH. Or is it a good idea to use both as the sand will give a more constant PH in the sump/DTank and the buffer will just make the water going into the tank the right PH??? Also, how do you know if you put enough/not to much into the water. Would I have to buy a salt test kit of some sort?

Thanks for all the info peeps
Cheers


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

baking soda will raise the PH (never higher than 8.2 from what I have read) and it will also increase calcium hardness but not general hardness. Honestly, I would wait and see what your PH does. If your tap water after conditioning and what not is around 7.6-7.8 I would default to not even mess with it as that is close enough. Fish will do better in a nice constant PH that is a little shy of ideal as opposed to an "ideal" ph that is fluctuating.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Here is my water test. Looking good! Left to right is - pH , ammonia , nitrite , nitrate

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1479176092


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

In my sump I am running filter socks. What do you all do with them when you take them out. I currently have 6 of them so I can go awhile always having a clean one. But, what to do with the ones I remove. I will do the laundry thing with them but I want to wait till 5 are dirty. This could in theory be a month between washes. Probably less once I fully stock the tank but for now it seems every 3-4days between changes. Right now I simply rinse them out and leave them in a 5gal bucket until I am ready to clean them properly? Never dealt with filter socks before so not sure what I am supposed to do with them between washes???

Cheers


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

I just pulled my socks out and rinse them in the sink and then stick them in bucket with water and 10 to 20% bleach for couple days and then rinse them again and let them dry. They won't be used again for about two months. Before using I smell to make sure there bleach free. I have some that are going on there fourth time thru the cleaning cycle and there starting to wear and not last as long when filtering. I would guess some where around 6 times and I will throw them a way. But you may get more cycles then I have because I have plants in that tank and they seem to get really dirty.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

CeeJay, curious. Are you using felt or mesh socks? If I can get 4 uses from each sock I am all good with that, I have six total. I am using 100 micron felt socks. No plants for me.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

I went out and picked up 7 yoyo loaches and a red tail shark for the tank. They seem all good except I had to fish the shark and one yoyo loach out of the sump this morning. Dumb fish. The yoyo loaches pretty much hid in the rocks all night but are now starting to swim around the tank and are quite fun to watch. Seem like silly fish. Gonna leave them in there for a few weeks then time to purchase the Cichlids.

Thinkin 4 electric yellows, 1 jewel, and something blue. More research to go.


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## Pdxmonkeyboy (Oct 17, 2016)

sounds like it is coming along nicely! Always exciting when it comes time to add the cichlids. I just dumped in $500 worth of fish in my 100 gallon. everyone is getting along so far.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1480612723

Here is my sump. So far the only algae I have is in the refugium section which is what I want.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

3 days later

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1480617240


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