upgrade question SUMP?

[newbeemike]

I currently have a 75 gallon reef with a emperor 400 a caniister, seaclone, 130 lbs live rock and sunpod metal hallides. I want to up grade to a 180 gallon tank and am sure that a hang on wont do. I know nothing about sumps. Is there a book you recommend or articles to read? I know nothing about sumps. what is the recommended sump size for a 180 tank? Do you recommend a sump tank set up? What should I look for? I was told about the possibility of an accidental over flow. I live in Florida where our electric goes out on a monthly basis. Is there a way aorund this. I was thinking about buying from glasscages.com. Any suggestions. I am very excited but scared. Please any advice will be appreciated.
Michael

 

[Bifferwine]

There is a way to set up a sump that you will never have a flood. You just need to leave enough space at the top of the sump to drain any water from the overflows in your tank that will be leftover if the power goes out.

For a large tank like that, you will have to have it drilled (overflow boxes just won't cut it). The bigger the sump the better, but even a 10 gallon sump is better than nothing, at least it's a place to hide all your equipment. I definitely recommend having a sump. Not only is it a place to house all your unsightly equipment, but it adds water volume to your system which makes it easier to maintain water quality. Most people also have a refugium section in their sump where they use macroalgae to export nutrients from the main tank and grow live food for the tank.

Don't be scared. I built my own sump (twice). If I can do it, anyone can.

 

[reeffreak]

When properly setup a sump won't overflow.I would get a reef ready with built in overflows if you planning on doing a sump.Go with a sump the biggest you can fit in the stand.There's two ways you can go when doing a sump setup...either build your own or buy a sump system.Building your own could be as simple as a 55g. glass tank with baffles.I recommend you incorporate a refugium in your sump design.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/diysumpplans/DIY_Sump_Plans.htm

http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

 

[daugherty]

you can also buy a check valve from doctor foster and smiths that you put in you return line so when the power does go out it will not drain back unless the valve goes bad.

 

[fatman]

A 180 gallon tank is a nice choice as it is almost as wide as it is deep. So many large tanks are just to deep. Requires high wattage to get good lighting down to th bottom of deep tanks. An example is the 150 gallon which is narrower and deeper. Definitely a poorer dimensioned tank when it comes to keeping corals, and maintaining good dissolved oxygen levels are also worse. I go with Biffer about getting a non reef ready tank and getting it drilled or drilling it your self. Reef ready tanks have overflows that are just poorly designed for larger tanks in particular. They have huge space robbing overflow towers which pull water from areas other than the recommended method of just skimming the top water layer, and they provide overflow bulk head holes which are just to small to be really useful. Drilling the back wall and installing a back wall overflow is a much better arrangement. The holes are easy to drill (actually grind) if you choose to do it yourself or have it done by a LFS (local fish store). With a 180 gallon tank I would consider using a 55 gallon tank as a sump. Partitions in the tank are simple to install, as a local glass shop can cut the glass to size and sand smooth all edges that will be exposed. People on this site will be more than willing to help you design the sump as well as plan a pump and return system. Here is an excellent site that designs, builds and sells overflow boxes as well as hole saws, bulk heads, fittings and such that you would need to install a back wall overflow system for a sump for your planned new tank. Check valves have a real bad tendency to stick in the open position, and if that happens and the power goes out your in sad shape. They therefore are not often or widely recommended. When you get to the design stage of planning a sump installation people on this site can give you the details on how to set the amount of water in your sump to prevent overflows. It also usually entails providing anti siphon holes in a particular place on all your return lines to your tank.
http://www.glass-holes.com
I buy my overflows, bulkheads, hole saws and fittings from them, as well as large pumps I use for closed loop circulation systems, and as well they provide me with custom made inlet boxes for my closed loops. They are presently making me more inlet boxes and a custom Kalkwasser/ATO acrylic tank. Great products, great service, great prices, great custom work and all provided quickly. They treat you more like a friend than a customer.

 

[newbeemike]

I think I am going with glasscages.com. They recommend putting a 45gallon sump with a 180 gallon tank. Is that fine or overkill. The 180 reef ready tank, stand with 3 doors (2 front one sump side), acrylic cover overflows, tank is drilled with 4 bulkheads (heavy duty), Sump is custom made to fit the stand. All this for $1669. Does that seem fine?

There is a way to set up a sump that you will never have a flood. You just need to leave enough space at the top of the sump to drain any water from the overflows in your tank that will be leftover if the power goes out.

For a large tank like that, you will have to have it drilled (overflow boxes just won't cut it). The bigger the sump the better, but even a 10 gallon sump is better than nothing, at least it's a place to hide all your equipment. I definitely recommend having a sump. Not only is it a place to house all your unsightly equipment, but it adds water volume to your system which makes it easier to maintain water quality. Most people also have a refugium section in their sump where they use macroalgae to export nutrients from the main tank and grow live food for the tank.

Don't be scared. I built my own sump (twice). If I can do it, anyone can.

 

[fatman]

Yourdescription does notexplain much. Glasscages will drill any size holes you want them to drill or as many as you want them to drill. You do not state what you plan on keeping in the tank, but even a minimum circulation for your size marine tank should be at least 1800 gph (10 x 180 gallons). If you intend on keeping corals taht should be increased to 3600 gph or even 5400 gph for SPS corals. And the holes drilled by tank manafacturers if you do not request larger are only for 1" bulkheads. They will only move aroubd 350 gph each. Typically a tank your size would only be provided with two holes that size and two holes for 3/4" return lines. If you are having a tank custom ordered I would go with a back wall overflow with holes for two 1.5" bulkheads and four 1" bulkhead returns (the second hole is for redundancy and to provide a super quiet overflow). Then I would add a closed loop circulation system fed through one 2" bulkhead and returned through four 1" bulkheads. This will allow you to run all circulation with external pumps and allow for a sump/refugium combination with around 1200 gallons per hour running through it. You could use a Snapper pump for the closed loop suplying a flow of 2400 gph, or upgrade to a Dart pump at 3600 gph flow. The snapper and sump pump would supply enough circulation for a tank for fish, soft coral and LPS corals and a few SPS close to return nozzles. The larger Dart pump along with the sump pump would provide good enough circulation for SPS pretty much anywhere in the tank. Both systems would mean power heads would not need to be used in your tank.