My 10 Gallon Sump for 55 Gallon Aquarium

[ltkenbo]

Allright so I decided to start a separate thread (my other one is here: https://www.livingreefs.com/new-some-questions-photos-too-t20842p25.html) about the sump I am building.

I used a 10 gallon tank from petco and some glass from lowes. For the entrance corner part, I am going to use a filter sponge, carbon, and biomedia. The first section will hold the skimmer and heater and the second section the return pump. I am thinking about making my own overflow box also. Oh and how would I go about securing my coralife skimmer to the floor of the sump, silicone? Here's the pics:

 

[fishsticks]

looks good sheesh you piled on that silicone, :^:

 

[Bifferwine]

I was gonna say, I don't think those seams are going to leak!!

 

[Reefrookie]

Gonna be a lot of action in that little tank......nice job

 

[dcantucson]

Good job!

 

[Grassman]

You mean to tell me I didn't have to build a 35 for my sump, I could have used a 10? Build looks good. It's hard to silicone in tight spaces and make it look pretty.

 

[Alexander]

You mean to tell me I didn't have to build a 35 for my sump, I could have used a 10? Build looks good. It's hard to silicone in tight spaces and make it look pretty.

Grassman, you dont NEED to. but the general rule of thumb is the larger you can make it the better. The large your overall water volume is the easier the perameters are to keep in order, and the less you will need to top off for evaporation too.

BTW good job on the sump. looks like plenty of silicone!

 

[Grassman]

Grassman, you dont NEED to. but the general rule of thumb is the larger you can make it the better. The large your overall water volume is the easier the perameters are to keep in order, and the less you will need to top off for evaporation too.

here I thought I just wasted my time, but I saved some.

BTW good job on the sump. looks like plenty of silicone!

Thank you. only a tube and a half between that and the tank.

 

[project5k]

aint nothing wrong with a 10 sump, i ran a 10 sump/fuge combined unit for the first, um, 6 months or so when i first got my tank...

it still gives you a place to hang a HOB skimmer, heaters, ato, all that kinda stuff...

 

[ltkenbo]

Allright so now I need an overflow box. I'm gonna buy one, thought about making one, but no. Anyways so I was looking at this one: Reef Aquarium Filtration: Eshopps Overflow Boxes (the pf-300) one. Anyone ever used it or heard about it? If you have any suggestions for other boxes let me know but I would like something in this price range.

Also, what would be a good pump that isn't too expensive that would do the job. The top of my tank from the floor is about 4 feet, obviously it wouldn't be traveling all 4 of those feet since the sump is a foot high.

 

[project5k]

well on the box, i have what i believe is exactly the same thing, and i've not had any problems with it what-so-ever, once i got enough flow going through it...

as for a pump, you might look at the harbor freight pumps, thier cheaper than the big name units, and from what i have seen so far in my own testing, they last and are just as reliable...

according to my math, on your 55, your gonna want between 165 and 275 gallons per hour through your sump, roughly, so i would suggest going with something that has about 300 gallons per hour at about 3 foot of lift, (tank height - sump height)

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

this pump is just a tad big according to the spec sheets i got from the manuf. but you can allways turn down the flow with a ball valve....

 

[ltkenbo]

So as far as mounting the skimmer in the sump, silicone it to the floor?

 

[bjohanson1234]

I would just set it in. That way you can take it out for cleaning.

You can get some rubber gasket material to put under it to help keep the vibration to a minimum

 

[project5k]

i zip tied mine to a little stand i made outta eggcrate, so that its at the right depth of water...

 

[ltkenbo]

No it'll tip over believe me.

 

[project5k]

show me pictures of them together, even if your just holding it by hand for the picture....

 

[bjohanson1234]

I would definantly not glue it in place so that you cant remove it for maintanance. What happens if the pump goes out? Or you need to clean it?

Post a pic of the sump and skimmer so we can try to help

 

[project5k]

didnt i just say that?
like 10 hours before you did? :mrgreen:

 

[bjohanson1234]

Maybe you did
And maybe you didnt
I dont feel like reading back posts when I have more important things to do like this or that.
:mrgreen:

 

[ltkenbo]

I'll post a pic when I can. If the pump breaks I'll just remove it from the tubing and replace it, I'm not saying glue the pump, just the skimmer body. Pump is just a simple powerhead connected through poly tubing.