Any pics for examples? I kinda thought it was as simple as using a sump sock and making a sump like the one I linked to in the original post, but it's like there's more to it. Thank you for helping as well 
Zoological Aquascaping
- Thread starter MudskipperFan
- Start date
I don't have any myself, but there should be a ton you can find via Google or YouTube.
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Is it possible for me to cycle the sump by itself if I want to start working on that prior to the tank itself? Or would that hurt the tank?
BTW, something kinda similar to my plans for the biotope
http://www.actiniaria.com/cold_water_tank/index.php
http://www.actiniaria.com/cold_water_tank/index.php
If you're using live rock, that'll cycle the tank. Since the sump and tank are the same body of water, as long as one is cycled, the other will be as well. If you want, you can even put most of your live rock in the sump, if it'll fit there well enough. Just make sure it's already cured, and you'll need to have adequate flow.
Yup, that was my plan. The tank would just be anemones and other invertebrates arranged in a cool looking manner but the filtration would be loads of live rock etc. So for the sump do I have to make 3 chambers or can just add a sump sock and pile the tank with a lot of liverock and add a protein skimmer?
Part of the theory for 3 chambered sumps is to minimize air bubbles getting into the return. I can't see any reason to not have three chambers. Then again, I haven't built/used one, either.
Sumps are as complex or as simple as you need them to be. If all you are wanting to do is cycle rock, it can be as straight forward as a bucket (or similar), a pump/power head and a heater. Also, there is. The option of having a separate sump and refugium (which sounds kind of what you are wanting to start with).
A 3 baffle sump is very common but really all you need is one to keep the water level in a single compartment of the sump at a constant height. If you really want control of a refugium held within the same tank as sump equipment, the return pump goes in the middle and the return pipe is T'd off to feed the refugium to the right or left as well as return water to the display.
Typically, sumps are designed based on the entire system layout and the needs of the livestock. You will want to think through what the overall system will be when you build the sump unless again, this will be a dedicated refugium. Things like the amount of flow that will run through the sump, what equipment it will house and what livestock will be in the display (filtration needs, etc). For example, you mentioned keeping nems. You may want to consider a higher flow return and/or a closed loop to reduce or eliminate propeller power heads in the display. Of course there are other options to take propellers out of the equation but just something that you may want to consider.
A 3 baffle sump is very common but really all you need is one to keep the water level in a single compartment of the sump at a constant height. If you really want control of a refugium held within the same tank as sump equipment, the return pump goes in the middle and the return pipe is T'd off to feed the refugium to the right or left as well as return water to the display.
Typically, sumps are designed based on the entire system layout and the needs of the livestock. You will want to think through what the overall system will be when you build the sump unless again, this will be a dedicated refugium. Things like the amount of flow that will run through the sump, what equipment it will house and what livestock will be in the display (filtration needs, etc). For example, you mentioned keeping nems. You may want to consider a higher flow return and/or a closed loop to reduce or eliminate propeller power heads in the display. Of course there are other options to take propellers out of the equation but just something that you may want to consider.
Thank you for the info. So, as for my sump, would it be fine to keep it as simple as I originally planned? I've been planning to just use an unchambered ten gallon tank (or 5 if the main tank ends up being ten gallons) and to add one (or more if needed) lbs of live rock and a nice sized batch of macro algae from the tidepools that the animals will have come from. I would use an electric pump or 2 to connect a tube taking water from the main tank, pumping it to the sump, (also filtering out stuff with a sump sock) and then the 2nd or possib 1st pump moving the filtered water back to the main tank. So, ideally speaking, aside from the two tubes, the tank would look as if it had no filtering or anything but the main filter would be something simple like that. Would this work for my invert tank?
Also, random question that just popped into my head. Not that I'll actually do this, but is it possible to keep a marine tank at a S.G of 1.020? I'm working with species native to my area, where the salinity is very low compared to the red sea, and it's not like I'm keeping corals. It's just something that popped into my head because I'm on a somewhat limited budget among other things.
So, as for my sump, would it be fine to keep it as simple as I originally planned? I've been planning to just use an unchambered ten gallon tank (or 5 if the main tank ends up being ten gallons) and to add one (or more if needed) lbs of live rock and a nice sized batch of macro algae from the tidepools that the animals will have come from. I would use an electric pump or 2 to connect a tube taking water from the main tank, pumping it to the sump, (also filtering out stuff with a sump sock) and then the 2nd or possib 1st pump moving the filtered water back to the main tank. So, ideally speaking, aside from the two tubes, the tank would look as if it had no filtering or anything but the main filter would be something simple like that. Would this work for my invert tank? Also, random question that just popped into my head. Not that I'll actually do this, but is it possible to keep a marine tank at a S.G of 1.020? I'm working with species native to my area, where the salinity is very low compared to the red sea, and it's not like I'm keeping corals. It's just something that popped into my head because I'm on a somewhat limited budget among other things.
Last edited:
