![]() A used tank will doĪ sump does not need to be expensive, I usually use used tanks that I pick up inexpensively at my local fish shop. See also Red Sea Goes Fully Reinforced With Two New Reefer-S Models Mechanical filtration is stage one in sump filtration. The sump should also be designed so that access to the equipment should be easy so that it can easily be maintained. Instead, the flow through the sump needs to be optimized so that filtration occurs in an optimal manner, so the sump needs to be large enough to allow for this and still hold all of the equipment. That is, the water coming through the overflow from the tank should not flow through the media reactor then the skimmer, and then the mechanical filter. Since all of this equipment is usually considered essential for a successful tank, the sump needs to be well designed to hold it all and do so, so that the flow through it optimizes the equipment. Some of these pieces of equipment can be outside of the sump, but this requires more plumbing expertise. It usually holds equipment such as mechanical filters, protein skimmers, heaters, media reactors, top-off systems, and return pumps. For most new and smaller setups, it rests below the main display tank in the stand and usually fills up all of the space underneath the main display. Its function is to hold all or most of the equipment necessary to run a reef tank and be out of the tank so as to not distract from the beauty in the tank. A sump is simply a container of sorts, it can be a tank, used or new, a plastic or fiberglass box, or a specially designed acrylic box that sits below or next to, or away from the main display tank. To try and make this as simple as possible we will work backward and start with a discussion of sumps and what they do. Sumps house filtration equipment and sit in the cabinet underneath the tank. Sadly, even with the best-laid plans, this happens at one time or another to everyone. And second, and this should not be overlooked, when these pieces of equipment fail, they typically lead to water being out of the tank and on the floor. ![]() All of these pieces of equipment and set-ups have their pros and cons and these need to be considered. First, there are numerous ways to do this which we will discuss, both in terms of overflows and sumps. Unfortunately, like most things in this hobby, it is not quite that simple. ![]() This may sound simple since when it is done right water in the main display reaches a certain level and then it is drawn off in some manner goes over the overflow and into the sump, where it is treated in some fashion and then it is pumped back up to the main tank. The overflow, as the name implies, is the means by which water is taken from the main display and gets into the sump, usually by having it overflow in some way to get to the sump. It is usually smaller than the main display, but adding its volume to the main display tank’s volume helps add to the stability of the total system. For those of you not familiar with these, a sump is simply another tank that sits under or away from the main tank and holds most of the equipment used to run the main display tank. ![]() One of these ways is that most saltwater tanks set up today, use an overflow and sump. I’m not trying to be Captain Obvious, but besides the obvious differences, a saltwater tank is different in subtle ways. ![]() For any of you that are coming from the world of freshwater tanks and have only had experience with a “standard” tank, that is one with all of the equipment either inside of the tank or hanging on the back, setting up a saltwater tank is different. ![]()
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