Do's and Donts PLease help

[burning2nd]

OK, this is the story, i have a well established 30g, with lots of life,

Im goning to add a 10 gal sump very soon, (since my tanks not sumpabul) IM going to get a hang on Continus sipohon over flow, something small. and im going to build my own sump, outta this 10gal tank

I dont want to use bio balls or anything that will have to be changed, (monthly or yearly) I like the way my tank is now, except i want to use the sump for extra filter a place to grow algie, and sea leatus, (so my tank stay free of that)

few q's

heat, i have a jager3604 heater will this be enought for a few more gal's?

(i figer maybe 4 or 5 more gallons)

my skimmer will fit underneath in the sump, i wil just have to make the tube that goes from the maxi 1200 to the aqua c remora longer.

what can i and what shouldnt i use in the sump

I was gonna go with a section of LS, and live mud. then a section with a bunch of LR, maybe 5 or 10 lbs more. then a section thats just clear (the part with the pump back in with will be all the way to the right,

should i put the skimmer on the side of the sump where the water comes in? OR on the side where the water goes out.

should i get another smaller heater? something small just incase?>


and what kinda of lights do i have to use, cause i use something small from like homedepot, something you would use in your kitchen? or do i need to have some major wattage?

THe name of the game is money, im not saveing im broke, im just trying to save for a house, and this hobbie is not cheap, will a reg florecent light work?

if i put a hood and a light for like a reg freshwater 10 gal tank will that work



anyone?

 

[burning2nd]

also, what will happen, if i do this as far as cycleing goes?


lets say i use 5 lb or LS and 10 lbs or LR, will that f my tank all up?

should i buld the sump and add little by little every cople of days some rock and sand

so it doesnt spike??

 

[mcvicker]

My Experience

I just added a 20 - 30 gallon sump to my 60 gallon tank. What I did was Glued in a baffle so the overflow goes into half the tank up to a few inches from the top. I filled the refugium up with new sand from the fish store (1 bag about 20 pounds I think) and then about two handfulls of rubble rock from the fish store. I wired in a par38 spot lamp from home depot over this section and plugged it into my light strip so it follows the regular cycle. I put the skimmer and return pump in the other section. I then turned on the pump and turned on the light. I traded a frag for a handful of cheato and dropped that in the sump.

The only problems I had was the bottom of my heater got covered with sand and the temp spiked to 85, but nothing died. Then I moved it up and everything stabilized out. I used to have algae in the tank and now it is all going away and is almost gone. I didn't lose any corals or livestock. The whole thing cost me maybe 30 bucks and the most expensive item was the waterproof casing for the grow light on the refugium.
-chris

 

[Krish]

heat, i have a jager3604 heater will this be enought for a few more gal's?

Couldn't say man...You'll get thrown in jail here if you said heater Hopefully someone else will know

my skimmer will fit underneath in the sump, i wil just have to make the tube that goes from the maxi 1200 to the aqua c remora longer.

what can i and what shouldnt i use in the sump

Do you mean to connect the maxijet to the remora or what can't you use in terms of equipment on the whole?

should i put the skimmer on the side of the sump where the water comes in? OR on the side where the water goes out.

People tend to put their skimmer in the first chamber so it can get a shot at the incoming raw water from the tank. That's the way I have mine now and have always done it.

should i get another smaller heater? something small just incase?>

From what I have read here, it seems most people like to run more than one heater regardless as a backup incase one fails. So IMO, it would be a great idea if it is in your budget, but not a must if the heater you have is sufficient for the expansion.

and what kinda of lights do i have to use, cause i use something small from like homedepot, something you would use in your kitchen? or do i need to have some major wattage?

will a reg florecent light work?

i put a hood and a light for like a reg freshwater 10 gal tank will that work

As for lighting, that is totally up to you. I guess it mostly depends on what you plan to keep in terms of an algae like chaeto etc. A lot of people use a light fixture from home depot, but when I had my sump setup on my 75gal, I used a small coralife freshwater 18W pc fixture and did the job for me so it is totally up to you. You can ask around here as to what particular fixture most people use and what bulb they use from Home Depot.

also, what will happen, if i do this as far as cycleing goes?


lets say i use 5 lb or LS and 10 lbs or LR, will that f my tank all up?

If your tank is already cycled and you are using already cured rock and sand from your tank, you won't have to worry about experiencing another cycle. If you get live rock and sand that is not from an establised system or cured, then chances are you will experience a small cycle.

should i buld the sump and add little by little every cople of days some rock and sand

so it doesnt spike??

IMO, it depends. Like I said before, if it comes from you main display and you are transferring, then nothing to worry about.

I hope I was able to give you some sort of info that could help. I'm tired as hell right now and can hardly think straight. I didn't want to leave you hanging though so I figured I'd give it a shot. Best of luck

 

[Brenden]

Wow krish nice post. I am impressed it is that long with your ADD problems

 

[Krish]

You got it backwards...OCD not ADD

 

[burning2nd]

good looking guys, ill give some pics of the hole thing b4 and after soon

 

[burning2nd]

im most likely gonna get a little cylce going on,

what i think ill do is start with a few larger peaces of rubble rock, for a LFS thats cured, i know its now cured cured, but it will have to do,

and for sand i have some sand that was in my tank that i took out, cause i had a little to much, its in a bucket in the other room ill use this

 

[james734]

Wash that sand in the bucket good. who's know's what might have tried to make it's home in there.