DIY 55 gallon sump - Need help!
- Thread starter jworth
- Start date
I am going to use live rock rubble in place of bioballs/scrubbies and want a open sand bed area then a place for my protein skimmer and sump. More space for sand and equipment than media space.
I may need some help with the plumbing to the tank as well if you would be interested.
I may need some help with the plumbing to the tank as well if you would be interested.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205645
I made the second overflow....worked good. try putting something like this in the 55 were the comes from the tank and drill holes in the drawers and but your media in it
I made the second overflow....worked good. try putting something like this in the 55 were the comes from the tank and drill holes in the drawers and but your media in it
I recently built a sump out of a 55 gallon tank (diagram below).
You could add any type of filter media in the first compartment, but I would not recommend it for a SW set-up. I just have carbon in there. The second compartment is large enough for a skimmer rated for a 250 gallon set-up (just by looking at a few of the better brands out there). The third compartment you could customize to what you want, and the last is for my return pump.
You could add any type of filter media in the first compartment, but I would not recommend it for a SW set-up. I just have carbon in there. The second compartment is large enough for a skimmer rated for a 250 gallon set-up (just by looking at a few of the better brands out there). The third compartment you could customize to what you want, and the last is for my return pump.
Here’s a few more pics of the sump I made out of a used 55 gallon tank I bought. I had glass pcs cut at a local glass shop to use as baffles. I siliconed them in place and let it cure for 36 hours. I also built a little stand for the skimmer to sit on as I’ve made the baffles so the sump will hold the maximum amount of water, a lot more water than the last sump. I replaced my old return pump with a new quite one 6000 and re-did some of the plumbing so I can have the reactor hooked up to the return pump as well. I still have the reactor sitting outside of my sump for easier access and to keep the maximum amount of space in the sump.
I did the power fail test a few times. As only 10 to 12 gallons will drain out from the tank, the new sump can more than handle that amount of water draining back. I completed the test many times with different levels of water in the sump to find the max and min levels in the sump so there will be no spills should the power go out. I marked these levels with black tape. I also took a week to see how evaporation would affect the salinity. I long as I keep the level in the sump between the two tape lines, there is no significant impact to the salinity. It seams to work well if I top up the level before going to work, and again at supper.
I now have a total of approximately 125 gallons (90 gallon display tank and 35 gallons in the sump).
I did the power fail test a few times. As only 10 to 12 gallons will drain out from the tank, the new sump can more than handle that amount of water draining back. I completed the test many times with different levels of water in the sump to find the max and min levels in the sump so there will be no spills should the power go out. I marked these levels with black tape. I also took a week to see how evaporation would affect the salinity. I long as I keep the level in the sump between the two tape lines, there is no significant impact to the salinity. It seams to work well if I top up the level before going to work, and again at supper.
I now have a total of approximately 125 gallons (90 gallon display tank and 35 gallons in the sump).
Heres a few more pics of the sump I made out of a used 55 gallon tank I bought. I had glass pcs cut at a local glass shop to use as baffles. I siliconed them in place and let it cure for 36 hours. I also built a little stand for the skimmer to sit on as Ive made the baffles so the sump will hold the maximum amount of water, a lot more water than the last sump. I replaced my old return pump with a new quite one 6000 and re-did some of the plumbing so I can have the reactor hooked up to the return pump as well. I still have the reactor sitting outside of my sump for easier access and to keep the maximum amount of space in the sump.
I did the power fail test a few times. As only 10 to 12 gallons will drain out from the tank, the new sump can more than handle that amount of water draining back. I completed the test many times with different levels of water in the sump to find the max and min levels in the sump so there will be no spills should the power go out. I marked these levels with black tape. I also took a week to see how evaporation would affect the salinity. I long as I keep the level in the sump between the two tape lines, there is no significant impact to the salinity. It seams to work well if I top up the level before going to work, and again at supper.
I now have a total of approximately 125 gallons (90 gallon display tank and 35 gallons in the sump).
I did the power fail test a few times. As only 10 to 12 gallons will drain out from the tank, the new sump can more than handle that amount of water draining back. I completed the test many times with different levels of water in the sump to find the max and min levels in the sump so there will be no spills should the power go out. I marked these levels with black tape. I also took a week to see how evaporation would affect the salinity. I long as I keep the level in the sump between the two tape lines, there is no significant impact to the salinity. It seams to work well if I top up the level before going to work, and again at supper.
I now have a total of approximately 125 gallons (90 gallon display tank and 35 gallons in the sump).