Im trying to set up my life reef sump. Im doing an overflow. I have a couple of questions. My first is, I plan on filling the center with a dsb and live rock with some caulerpa or something. If i dont have a light in there, will it be a problem. My second is, can I use my aquaclear powerhead or my maxi-jet 1200? or will it not be strong enough. My third question is, where do I get the tubing for the intake and return. Thanks
Sump Help
- Thread starter ZBT3091
- Start date
The caulerpa will need light. Many people run light in sump opposite of when light in tank is on. You can go with a cheap clip on type. I think your overflow is rated at 600gph so no way is mj1200 or aquaclear strong enough. Look into eheim or mag or rio and go anywhere from 350 to 700 gph. You can get tubing from home depot or local fish store or where you buy your return pump from. hth
AlexWasserman
Experienced Reefer
- Location
- Edison, NJ
Whether you want a calcium reactor or not will also be dependent on the types of coral's you keep. If you have lots of softies/mushrooms, etc then their calcium need is much lower than a full SPS tank.
If you're spending a lot on chemicals then the reactor will make sense. I got a kalk reactor first, and I have my auto-top off run through it each night. After I got it I then got a calcium reactor too, but I value automation. My calcium costs are now very very low. A CO2 refll once every 4 months is about $30, or something. And kalk powder is similarly cheap.
If you're spending a lot on chemicals then the reactor will make sense. I got a kalk reactor first, and I have my auto-top off run through it each night. After I got it I then got a calcium reactor too, but I value automation. My calcium costs are now very very low. A CO2 refll once every 4 months is about $30, or something. And kalk powder is similarly cheap.
I'm not sure I completely understand your first set of questions so bear with me if I'm not giving useful info.
Size of the return pump will be determined by how high the water from the sump must go to get into the tank, the number of elbows (45 and 90 degree bends) and the size of your drain. There's a calculator on the home page of Reef Central that can help you determine the size of the pump you'll need. Generally speaking the average "Reef Ready" 75g has one 1 inch drain/outflow from tank to sump which is usally rated at about 600gph and a 3/4" return. That means that you want a return pump that will push a little under 600 gph at a maximum head height of about 4' assuming you're using a perfecto or aeon/all-glass stand. You don't want a pump that pushes more water at head height than the tank's drain/overflow let's into the sump because then you'll eventually drain the sump (or at least the return section) and burn out the pump. Also, if you plan on using a sump/refugium you'll want less flow than if you were using a sump only. Hope this helps.
Size of the return pump will be determined by how high the water from the sump must go to get into the tank, the number of elbows (45 and 90 degree bends) and the size of your drain. There's a calculator on the home page of Reef Central that can help you determine the size of the pump you'll need. Generally speaking the average "Reef Ready" 75g has one 1 inch drain/outflow from tank to sump which is usally rated at about 600gph and a 3/4" return. That means that you want a return pump that will push a little under 600 gph at a maximum head height of about 4' assuming you're using a perfecto or aeon/all-glass stand. You don't want a pump that pushes more water at head height than the tank's drain/overflow let's into the sump because then you'll eventually drain the sump (or at least the return section) and burn out the pump. Also, if you plan on using a sump/refugium you'll want less flow than if you were using a sump only. Hope this helps.
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