Enough room?

[lightcs4]

I was reading through the "sump or no sump" thread and it got me thinking (yeah, I know, it's always dangerous when I start thinking). I plan on getting a skimmer within the next couple months. I planned on a HOB skimmer due to the limited space in the stand (I already have a HOB fuge). It has shelving on both sides, leaving only 12" x 13" in the center. I obviously wasn't planning on doing a reef tank so I didn't research one when looking for a tank and stand. I wouldn't go with a bow front again or the stand that came with it. Anyhow, is a 12" x 13" space enough to do a sump with a skimmer? I have plenty of height, up to 21". I assume I will have to make the sump myself, out of acrylic. Any thoughts?

 

[daugherty]

it will work as long as the overflow box will fit there check them out and see if they tell their dimensions

 

[Teixeira29]

I think it would work just check how big the overflow box is and make sure you have room for it!

 

[lightcs4]

I may give it a try then. The canister filter will go once a skimmer is on the tank. I think I'll do at least a sump just to have a better place for the heater. I'm sure I can make a simple acrylic box. That would leave just the power heads and the fuge pump in the DT. I'll have to check on the overflows.

Thanks for the input.

 

[daugherty]

you could always make the sump big enough to put the hob fuge on to it instead of the tank

 

[lightcs4]

That is a thought, but I would prefer to have as big of a sump as I can, even if I can't put a skimmer on it. But it would be nice to have the skimmer out of site. Hmmm ...

 

[yote]

Build the sump big enough to set an in-sump skimmer in it.

 

[lightcs4]

Build the sump big enough to set an in-sump skimmer in it.

I guess I'll have to see how small of an in-sump skimmer I can get and go from there. The space available is fixed to 12 x 13, which will be the ouside dimension of any box I can put in it. I will try to build make a 11 x 12 box, add a couple baffles, and see if I can still get a skimmer in the remaining space.

 

[lightcs4]

Can anyone tell me the maximum amount of water, in inches, that can be in the sump with an in-sump skimmer? I can make a sump fairly cheaply that is 20" - 28" tall. I want to use as much volume as I can while still allowing for the skimmer.

Thanks in advance.

 

[yote]

Most brands of skimmers are a little different.I know that the CSS skimmers cant be any deeper than 4",and I think that the Octopus skimmers say no more than 8".
But you can always build a stand for the skimmer out of PVC and eggcrete to cut the depth and keep the water volume.

 

[lightcs4]

Here is basically what I am thinking of doing for the sump. Anyone see any glaring issues? I can shove some carbon between the baffles when needed.

 

[dustin_P74]

i dont see any problems

 

[yote]

That should work.

 

[lightcs4]

Thanks for the replies. I'm also going to use a "y" and send some of the return to the fuge (through a ball valve to control flow). The rest will go to the DT. This would allow the canister filter tubes, the heater, and the fuge pump to be replaced by an overflow. I would like to drill it but got the tank at Petsmart and can't be sure it's not tempered in the back. I would hate to find out the hard way. Now I better get to church before I'm late ....

 

[lightcs4]

Just for anyone else that may need a small sump ...

I am taking my 10 gal tank and making it into a sump. I will stand it on end, remove the one side, then get plexi to cover what was the top and is now the side. It will give me a sump that is 10 1/2" x 12" x18" tall.

 

[ccCapt]

Be careful. I don't know what kind of glue you would use to bond glass to plexiglass. I wouldn't trust silicone. It doesn't stick to plexi all that well.

 

[lightcs4]

Be careful. I don't know what kind of glue you would use to bond glass to plexiglass. I wouldn't trust silicone. It doesn't stick to plexi all that well.

Thanks for the pointer. There is stuff at the hardware store that is supposed to be potable safe and bonds to both glass and plexi. I got the idea from someone on RC that had success with this type of sump.

 

[Piggy]

I would think you would get micro bubbles in the tank with the protein skimmer being next to the return pump. I would move the baffles to the other side.

 

[lightcs4]

Thanks Piggy. Perhaps I should make two sets of baffles. I'll use it as just a sump and get a HOB skimmer if there isn't enough room.

 

[project5k]

i was kinda wondering about doing the 10 gal stand up thing myself.. but i think that if i were to do it i would probably spring for the glass and skip the plexy...

but if you feel good about it, try it and let us know how it turns out, cause if it works, i may just copy you.