Sumps

Question
QUESTION: Hey Bill,

I just started my saltwater aquarium (40 gal)and I've had it for about two weeks. I'm still gonna give it two more weeks before adding anything else in it. Right now i just have a small army of hermit crabs and some snails. Anyways i wanted to everything and anything about sumps. What do they do ?? what is the benefit of having one ? Is it for any tank that wants it ?? how much do they cost?? should i build it myself ?? What are important elements of construction ?? How large should it be ?? Thank you for your time and your answers will be greatly appreciated.

- Diego

ANSWER: Hello Diego,

sumps is a broad and deep discussion, but you have picked on the right questions to ask...

I will discuss some of your questions here but I suggest you review a few articles on sumps at www.reefkeeping.com andlet me know if you have further questions...

A sump severs two main purposes..

1. it gives you place to put equipment that you dont want to see in the display tank, (and allows larger equipment that wouldnt fit in your tank)

i.e. instead of having a heater in your display tank, and seeing it and the cord, the heater can be placed in the sump.

Instead of placing a small hang on type of skimmer on the back of the display tank, you can get alarger skimmer and put it in the sump, out of sight..

You can put other stuff in there as well, like phospahte media and carbon media etc...

2.  Sumps offer more water volume... so if yo uhave a 50 gallon display tank and a 20 gallon sump, you have a 75gallon system..

A larger system offers you a more stable environment... ( a fish diening and decomposing in a smaller system will have a greater affect then if it died in a larger system ) and otehr things like that... basically a larger system takes more to get it o react or change, and stability is paramount to a good reef system...


as for types or construction... you can buy something premade for hundred of dollars or make something for yourself.

It could be as simple as a walmart 10 gallon tank under your display tank, with a pump and drain, and you can folat a perforated rubbermaid container with macro algae for arefugium

Or you can modify a glass or acrylic tank and put is baffles and compartments..

as for details, it best to cover the details/sizes if you are actually going to build it, and know more specifics like, what type of skimmer do you have, what type of overflow do you have, what type of return pump??? etc...

but for now, please search reefkeeping.com for sumps, and then let me know if you have followup questions and or more specific questions...

you can also post these questions on my new forum at www.thelittleocean.com

we have many members there who have constructed thier own sumps and love talking and showing pictures of thier stuff...

Im sure you would like it there.

good luck and i lood forward to hearing from you again..

bill



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hey Bill,

Thanks for the quick response. I'm flat out hooked on this hobby I think its great !!! I read up on the resources you gave me and its just has me all excited to get started but can you explain the different nomenclature and their functions such as a refugium, baffle, and bubble trap ??

I'm also thinking about building the sump myself. I was going to take your advice and find a lkttle ten gallon to use since its the biggest size that'll fit in my cabinet. Thanks for the great info !!!, I'll probably be shooting you more questions as I follow through with my saltwater aquarium. Thanks !!!

- Diego

Answer
Hello diego,

I really like reefkeeping.com as it is usually well written adn they have been around long enough to have covered a lot of stuff


I am currently using a 10 gallon under my tank, and it has no baffles or anything..

as for the nomenclature...

a 'baffle' is a divider.. usually in groups of two or three...

so if the ten gallon tank/sump had two compartments, it would have at least two baffles that the water flow past... the baffles are usually setup one higher then the other, so the water would have to go over one baffle then under the next... or over under over, if yo uhad three baffles in between compartments

the space between the baffles is kind of important to consider, as you dont want them to close or the water flow will increase due tothe restriction, (like water flowing throu a river and being forecd beteween rocks creating rapids...

but if you space them too far apart you are losing space in the tank, as the tank is only so big and you want the compartments as big as possible or at least as big as the skimmer and pump yuou plan on using...

a baffle is basically a bubble trap... as the water goes over the first baffle, so will the bubbles, cause bubbles rise and the water is going OVER.. but the next baffle the water goes under so as the bubbles are stillrising and staying near the water surface, the water is actually going under the baffle, trapping the bubbles inthe first section of the baffle..

this is why some people might only use 2 baffles, but if yo uhave a lot of bubbles, which you wont know till you start using it, then a third baffle might help reduce bubbles...

a refugium is basically a compartment that has macro algae or fish and critter in it, that cant survive in the display tank... or dont look good in a display tank..

lots of reef tanks dont have macro algae in it, so they will put that in the refugium and put a light over it so it will grow, (and yea, i will answer your next question). Macro algae is not needed, but lots of reefers like it as it helps in reducing nitrates... but, im guess it is only about 60% of the reefers with sump/refugium setups, have macro algae...

sometimes if space is not available for a three compartment setup, folks might use a 'remote' refugium.. it is a second sump, that is setup a bit higher then the sump, so the water drains into it, and then has a drain which drains into the sump...

as you can see, reefing has key aspects that absolutely are designed for the typical MAN...

and do it your self, and the ability to modify and tweak and adjust, andd all that is just a real guy thing...

and yea, there are lots of womenz out there that are reefers too... but in general that is what is attractive to us guys...

I would suggest a couple things...

check out www.melevsreef.com  he has a lot of info also, and he has a lot of pictures of sumps and refugiums.. he also sells them.. but you can get some ideas on how to build your own as well...


Also, please log onto my new forum at www.thelittleocean.com   i have a bunch of really smart reefers and a bunch of newbies and a bunch of regual old guys like me too.

we can share information a little easier there then this forum.. and folks can chime in with tips and info as you go..

I also have a chatroom where you can chat real time with me and other reefers if we are on at the same time...it is new so it is a little slow sometims, but with each new member the site is grwoing by leaps and bounds...

anyways, i look forward to seeing you there...

bill