Sump for a 55-gallon

[rica5tully]

I have a 55-gallon that I'm planning to set up in the near future. I had been planning on just using a skimmer and canister filter, but everyone is talking about sumps. If anyone could answer a few questions, I'd appreciate it:

1) Do you have to get your tank drilled? How much does that cost?

2) Is a sump and a trickle filter the same thing?

3) What size sump would I need for a 55-gallon?


Thanks!

[OrionGirl]

Tanks sold as 'reef ready' are already drilled. Depending on, you can have the sides drilled by a qualified glass shop--check with them about price and time. Some places won't do it (high risk), others have no problem but won't replace if the tank breaks. The bottom likely can't be drilled, since most tanks bigger than about 40 gallons come with tempered bottoms.
Cost is anywhere from $10/hole on up. If you're handy, you can buy the bit and do this yourself.

Or, don't drill anything. Use an overflow box and return pump. Safer, easier if you're already got the tank.

Sumps are not the same as trickle filters. Trickles filters are also called wet/dry filters. A sump is a volume of water that can contain sand/live rock, algae, ect, in addition to adding to total water volume in the system.


What size do you want? There isn't a good ratio that I know of to decide an appropriate size. I know people who have a 10 gallon show tank with a 20 gallon sump. For a 55, I would say anywhere from 10-40 gallons would be fine. And, don't bother buying a glass tank. Use a large, sturdy rubbermaid tub instead--save some serious money that way.

[rica5tully]

Thanks for your comments.

Can you have a sump without drilling the tank? I've heard of siphon overflow boxes, does that mean they just hang on the back of the tank? If so, don't you have to find a pump that matches the siphon flow perfectly?

How do I learn how to construct my own sump?

[DeVitaf]

Rica, I remember reading a cool post where slipknottin was helping somebody understand and setup a sump. I dug through the archives and found it.

Check it out: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1030&highlight=sump

I found it very helpful when setting up my first sump.

[rica5tully]

Thanks, that is really helpful.

[DeVitaf]

You are very welcome :).

I have a pretty good understanding of it now so if you have any more questions please feel free to ask.