# sump size



## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

Hello, i am new to this forum. Been reading on here for a while, but just joined. This is an awsome site. I am in the process of setting up a 150 gallon tank (48x24x31). Got the eggcrate in and the ugj made, total of 6 jets, 3 on two different closed loops. I am wanting to build a sump for this tank. I have a few options I am considering and wanted to see what others think.
The openings on the stand is only 12 1/2 inches wide so I will have to install the sump from the top before the tank goes on. My question is since this will not be real easy to remove anyways, should I go with the biggest tank I can fit in there? The dimensions inside the stand I have to work with is 37 1/2" long, 24" wide, and about 25" to bottom of tank. (The 37 1/2" long is from the inside to inside of the corner bracings.) I have found a 40 breeder tank that is 36L X 18W X 16H. Should I go with this big of tank or go with something like a 29 gallon that is only about 13" wide? Also, what is the best way to post pictures for this?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

In terms of temperature stability and water quality parameters, the bigger the sump the better, up to about 5000 gallons that is. :lol: Those are important but not the only considerations. You need to access the sump, share available space with equipment and controls that cannot be submerged in the sump, etc. All are things that moderate the urge to expand the sump to fit all available space without leaving enough for other important functions.


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

Thanks for the repy Mcdaphnia. I was hoping to get more replies on this so it will give me a good idea for what I would like to do. I am wanting to get started on this, so if you have any opinions or thoughts it would be greatly appreciated.


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## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

i use a 55g for my 110g.water level in sump is about 1/3rd.im glad i stuck with the d.i.y till got it right.the bigger the better as stated.and make it as user friendly as possible.my sump/tank is "in stand" unless i disassemble the side of the stand.use www.photobucket.com to upload pics.we all like pics :thumb:


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Remember that the sump can be anywhere. It does not have to be under the tank. It can be in another room, a floor above or under the tank. One friend used to have his sump under the tank and moved it out to his garage. Another guy got a couple 300 gallon Rubbermaid livestock tanks and put them in his basement under the living room tank. His 265 gallon tank has the biological/filtration capacity to hold 865 gallons' worth of fish if he wanted.

So that they are easy to patch, be sure to make any holes in drywall, not the floor and angle inside the wall if necessary, being sure you know where all utilities, heating, electric, plumbing, gas lines, are located. If you use a double sump, be sure there is a leveling connection between them so that when one "starves" the build up in the other one can flow over to it, instead of overflowing. Or aet them in series, which technically makes one of them a refugium. And in real life too it will be a refugium, since it will end up with baby fish, or with rescued ones from being harrassed in the main tank.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

> The openings on the stand is only 12 1/2 inches wide so I will have to install the sump from the top before the tank goes on.


i would be leary about putting a sump in there without being able to take it out unless you take apart your tank to do it....

i made my own DIY stand with no center bracing for my 90 with 2x4's... if you are concerned about the weight, then use 2x6 or a combo of both, but i would want to be able to take my sump out if need be for any reason... if it cracked, or broke, you will need to get that out in a hurry... just my opinion, but i think it is wise to make is accessable...

here is what i did with my stand.

this is the stand with the front off.









this is the back of the front with heavy duty kitchen door maginets









closeup of the back of the front with the maginet catcher









this is one of the corners of the stand with the door maginet


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

Here is what I have so far.


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

Sorry for the tank shot, playing around with sizing. Here it is bigger.








Also here is what I am upgrading from.


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

Nice looking tank, G-Man. Although the fish I tend to lean towards need floor space (and sometimes length) more than height of water column, the shape of that tank imho is very aesthetically pleasing. My wife likes it too (which means if I ever save up a grand to dump into an aquarium setup I'll be buying one of those *halo*). I always dreamed of making an enormous rockpile clear to the top of the tank and making it a N. Brichardi or N. Gracilis species tank, getting one gigundous colony going.

Of course, the odds of me saving up enough money to purchase and properly outfit a 150gal tank like that approaches zero . That doesn't stop me from dreaming though!

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

venustus19 said:


> > The openings on the stand is only 12 1/2 inches wide so I will have to install the sump from the top before the tank goes on.
> 
> 
> i would be leary about putting a sump in there without being able to take it out unless you take apart your tank to do it....


One solution that answers both concerns is to have a flexible sump that can be installed and removed from a small opening. You attach some plywood panels inside the stand where you want to limit the size of the sump, then drape a pool liner scrap inside it. You now have a sump that you can remove or replace without taking the tank apart. Actually if you have not had a sump before, this is one of the best kinds for you, because if you decide you want it a different shape, moved over, smaller, larger, etc. then you can experiment with the changes without a major project or cost. Then when you add sumps to more of your tanks some day, you will know what you like, and choosing a more inflexible kind will be fine.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

not a bad idea Mcdaphnia... G-Man was just talking about using tanks, so in this case, it would be tough to get one out after you put the fish tank on the stand... if you want to make a sump, then i guess you are unlimited to an extent to what you can do, and Mcdaphnia's idea not a bad one.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

venustus19 said:


> not a bad idea Mcdaphnia... G-Man was just talking about using tanks, so in this case, it would be tough to get one out after you put the fish tank on the stand... if you want to make a sump, then i guess you are unlimited to an extent to what you can do, and Mcdaphnia's idea not a bad one.


 Sometimes thinking outside the "box" saves a lot of time and regrets. Tanks are nice, but how often do you show guests what is under the tank? And aquarists will understand and like it.


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

Thanks for your replies. The plywood box is a good idea. I was wondering, I am also considering hooking two 10 gallon tanks together. What would you consider for the bulkhead fittings, one- 2" , or two 1"? I have seen this somewhere on here for a 100 gallon tank. I am not looking for 10 or 15 times on the tank, as I will have an FX5 and possibly an Rena XP3 running to. I calculated on the reef central website and found that I need a sump to handle 10 gallons overflow from tank and a minimum of 17.5 gallons for a 750 gph flow. So I believe this could work and still be able to take it in and out of stand if needed.


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

By the way, did some work on ugj today. Big pan and a little box of RIT dye and this is what I got.


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## fishwolfe (Mar 27, 2005)

nice.i think the rit dye is the way to go.the krylon has started peeling off after a year or so on the pvc.any advice on the rit dye?im going that route with my usj next.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

fishwolfe said:


> nice.i think the rit dye is the way to go.the krylon has started peeling off after a year or so on the pvc.any advice on the rit dye?im going that route with my usj next.


 They make black pipe for ponds that is UV resistant and fish safe. Not too sure I want to subject my fish to dyes and paints more than the Far East already has. Thre are also knobby black adjustable jets on the saltwater side of the pet shop. These let you fine tune the direction of each jet any time you want. You can attach them to white pipe if your gravel bed is deep enough to cover and only the jets stick out. In fact you can completely cover the jets too. A fraction of an inch of gravel over them will not impede the water flow.


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

If you decide to go with the dye, it is pretty straight forward. I followed the other articles on the forum. You bring the water to almost a boil and add your pieces. Some said it didn't take long for theirs to turn black, I left mine in there for 30 to 45 min. I think it turned out good. Then I just rinsed and rinsed till the black stopped coming off on the papertowels.


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## G-Man (Apr 18, 2008)

Here is what I did for the sump so far, still have to make the overflow inlet to sump. It has MagDrive 12 and two Stealth 150w heaters. Ordered a hurricane overflow but has not arrived yet. Hopefully it will.


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## IrkedCitizen (Apr 26, 2007)

You better hope those bulkheads don't leak or ever leak. I would test it before you put it in the stand.

I would have done it differently and put the tanks side by side short way instead of long way like you have them. Would have let more space under the stand. I also would have used pieces of tubing/hose to connect the two tanks together and left the bulkheads out of the equation.

As a rule of thumb a wet/dry sump should run with 15-20% of the display tank volume in it. So for a 150g tank the sump should have roughly 22.5-30 gallons of water in it. Though under a 4' space that can be difficult to accomplish. Some might consider those figures as overkill and of course it can be but as stated the more water the better.


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