tank size vs. sump size

[Rob Willett]

After about a year worth of saving & reading I have ordered my first tank. 90 gallon glass drilled for two over flows. A bit large for a noob perhaps, but I know larger tanks offer more stability.

I have friends in the hobbie who have given me some old equipment. I have a 10 gallon & a 30 gallon tank. Im wondering if either of these would serve as an adequate sump for the 90 gallon system. I'm thinking of using the 30 gallon tank for the sump & the 10 gallon tank for a quarantine area.

Is there a basic rule of thumb for choosing sump size? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

After about a year worth of saving & reading I have ordered my first tank. 90 gallon glass drilled for two over flows. A bit large for a noob perhaps, but I know larger tanks offer more stability.

I have friends in the hobbie who have given me some old equipment. I have a 10 gallon & a 30 gallon tank. Im wondering if either of these would serve as an adequate sump for the 90 gallon system. I'm thinking of using the 30 gallon tank for the sump & the 10 gallon tank for a quarantine area.

Is there a basic rule of thumb for choosing sump size? Any advice is appreciated.

use the thirty... it will make your tank even more stable.

 

[Rob Willett]

Do you think the 10 gallon will suffice as a quarantine tank? I'm worried it might be a bit small.

 

[Anonymous]

matters what you plan on putting in there.

a clownfish would be fine but tangs would not... it really depends.

you have some options... you could use the 30 as a sump and 10 as a q-tank or you could buy a rubbermaid tub and use it as a sump or you could use the rubbermaid as a q-tank...although they are kinda hard to see in.

personally i would use a bigger sump than a 10 gallon tank. there just ins't much room in there

 

[Anonymous]

First tank....congrats, Rob!!! (I would also use the 30g for the sump.)

 

[Anonymous]

use the 30. Lots more room, and also more water volume.

Now, about your pump question.

what are you going to be keeping? Different corals like differnt flow rates. depending on what you keep your flow needs may be different.

Also, are you going to use a seaswirl, sqwd, oceanmotions ect. that will vary the flow direction on your tank? Are you going to have a closed loop? Will you have powerheads in the tank on a wave timer perhaps?

What do you envision YOUR plumbing setup to be? After researching for a while, I'm sure you have ideas what you want to do!

Also, check out the pump selection guide at the top of the page!

Give us lots more info and you'll get lots more recommendations!

HTH
B

 

[Mihai]

Your 10 is fine for quarantine. Even for tangs - you only keep them there for 4 weeks, they'll be fine.

M.

 

[Rob Willett]

I have some confusion as to the definition of a closed loop system. I tried asking a sales person at a local shop. I did not find her explanation very helpful. She said most closed loop systems simply employ two pumps as a safeguard should one pump fail. Is this correct? I doubt that is the entire story as it were.

If this is the case, I do not plan for a closed loop system. I have been advised to buy a pump with a flow rating larger than required for a 90 gallon, then dial it down so to speak. Any thoughts on this? To be perfectly honest I have not shopped for pumps yet. I plan to build my stand with 3' of clearance. This should be more than enough room for sump & skimmer.

I have seen many sumps at local shops that have divided sections. I like the idea of these sections. If I were to have my skimmer in a 30 gallon tank with no sections (baffles, I think that is what they are called) then water that has been through the skimmer will be mixing with water that has not. I am not sure if this presents any problems. It would seem at first glance that a section for the skimmed water to flow into & then be pumped to the tank would be more efficient.

I plan to copy the flow design of a tank I saw in a local shop. 4 holes drilled in the tank. An over flow in each rear corner provides water to the sump & in sump protein skimmer. Water is pumped from the sump to plumbing lines which run next to the over flows. These two lines are joined in the hood. Running off these lines are link locked plumbing lines which provide eight multi directional lines for water flow into the tank.

I hope this makes sense. If I was not at work I would draw a diagram to explain myself better. If I get some time this afternoon I will do so.

Any advice or comments is appreciated.

 

[Mihai]

A closed loop is usually a circulation scheme that employs an external pump, draws water from the tank and spits is back into the tank without going through the sump. It adds water flow in the main tank without increasing the flow through the sump (that is limited by the length of your overflow and the size of the overflow bulkhead).

Regarding the skimmer and the compartments after you'll get to think a bit more about it you'll realize that you'll have to mix the clean water with the "dirty" water and that it would not mind at all.

The compartments are used for totally different reasons (to remove bubbles, for a refugium an algae scrubber, water top-off, etc.).

M.

M.