What Are Sumps used for?!

[reefnewbie]

Hi guys

as my name says, im currently a newbie to the reef world. I have an empty 100 gallon tank and I want to make sure I have all the necessary equipment before I even begin to think about putting fish and coral in it.

Now my question is, what is a sump and what exactly is it used for?

does every aquarium need one?

Thanks for your help! :sfish:

 

[Cathic]

No every aquarium doesnt need a sump. Their primary use is to expand the total water volume, and to house equipment that isnt always pleasant to the eye in a Display tank. Equipment like a protein skimmer, heater, additional liverock, etc. Having a sump is very beneficial in most cases, since the increased water volume makes it easier to avoid fluctuations in water parameters.They also make it easier to do water changes and top offs since the sump is normally located under the tank and has an open top (no cover or lights blocking access to it). Having an in sump protein skimmer will also provide a little extra security should the skimmer overflow, since the skimmer is in the sump the water just returns to the tank and not all over your floor.

 

[reefnewbie]

Wow Cathic this is very helpfull. thank you!

 

[Cathic]

No problems, any other questions and I'm sure someone around here will be more than willing to answer.

Welcome to living reefs.

 

[reefnewbie]

Thank you!

So how big would you recommend a sump for the size of my tank to be? I will most likely have one so I can hide all the equipment =)

 

[Cathic]

really the size is up to you, i know some people do 1/2 the size of their dt's. Others do a 1:1 ratio and some people have bigger sumps than their dt's are. It's a matter of personal preference, space available, planned equipment etc.

 

[reefnewbie]

Oh, ok i'm going to have to take some measurement then from my stand and see what i can fit =) thank u again Cathic.

How long have you been doing this for?

 

[little_fish]

I would go for as big of tank as you can fit in there, but this is also a great read on how to set up a sump, which is what I suspect your next questions are going to be about ;)

https://www.livingreefs.com/sump-101-a-t42783.html

 

[reefnewbie]

Haha yes it is!

oh thanks for the link I will definitely check it out!

 

[Waddi]

+1 Everyone!
And Welcome to the Reef!

 

[reefnewbie]

Thank you Waddi!

 

[Bifferwine]

When trying to figure out what volume sump you'll have, "bigger is better." However, you will be limited to the space inside your stand. Does your tank already have a stand? If so, you will want to measure this area. Most people use about 1/2 the stand for the sump and the rest for storage. The easiest and cheapest way to do a sump is to use a spare aquarium for it. How long is your tank? Just guessing, but a 29 gallon might be the way to go for it. If you can't find a tank that fits well, using a heavy duty rubbermade tub (or something similar) from the hardware store also works. A third option is you can buy a pre-made sump from your LFS or online -- but those typically cost $300+, so the vast majority of us choose to just make our own.

 

[reefnewbie]

Hi Bifferwine!

the tank is approx. 5 feet long =)

Oh the rubbermade tub sounds like a good option as well!

Yeah i will probably be making my own lol