Has anyone used a stock tank for sump/refug?

[Lone Wolf]

I need to set up a sump/refug for my 180gal reef tank. I am thinking about using a Rubber Maid type of stock tank for it. Has anyone had any experience using a stock tank? Any pros or cons? I appreciate input. Thanks,

 

[MC Lighting]

I cannot see why it would not work fine and I have seen others who have used them for that purpose where they had room for one. I myself have a 150 gallon black Rubbermaid stock tank that I kept my tank inhabitants in for 3 months while moving and rebuilding my system. It actually made a cool lookdown pond

 

[danno14]

Pros- low cost, large volume options, availability, durability, machinable, better insulated than alternatives,

Cons- slope of the walls, cannot look through the sides, large,

I have used one as MC has a number of times, and I have quite a few friends that have them as sumps. If it works for your space/needs, they are fantastic.

 

[SRV]

They worked great for what I wanted and they're cheap!

View attachment 30375

 

[Lone Wolf]

bump for more comments - thanks

 

[servicky]

i have one..... its for a 150 you should be ok with it...

chris 425-387-3230

 

[Poseidon]

I use a 100 gallon one with my basement sump.

 

[BCT182]

I installed an overflow in mine and the only hang up is they start to bow when filled to the brim. Otherwise completely happy with how it works.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Poseidon, Very nice. Do you have any dividers in your stock tank? If so, how did you do it. Also, is all your return water going through the skimmer? What size of fish tank is this hook to? Thanks for sharing your photo.

 

[Poseidon]

Thank you. No, I don't have any dividers, I have a float switch in the tank, if the water level raises to much the return pump shuts off. As for the skimmer, I would say 50/50, from the left where the skimmer is, the next pipe you see is a bypass, any water that is not allowed through the valve on the skimmer comes down that line.

The sump is connected to my 90 gallon tank, here is a recent picture of it:

I just finished building the light fixture.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Mike, very nice looking tank. So you have an overflow with gravity flow to the basement into the sump. Is your calcium reactor gravity feed as well or is there a pump in the sump for that? What is your lighting? My tanks are in a family room in my basement and the plumbing goes into a seperate room (fish room) where I will have the sump for my reef tank and a wet/dry filter for my freshwater tank. Here is a link to my aquarium project.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1310033

Thanks for your suggestions.
Duane

 

[Reefdaddy1]

Pros: Cheap and will do in a pinch

Cons: They have a tendancy to crack on the bottom, Disturbedreefer had a bout with them on his Da Cube build. But a number of people use them with no issues.

 

[Poseidon]

Mike, very nice looking tank.

Thank You.

So you have an overflow with gravity flow to the basement into the sump. Is your calcium reactor gravity feed as well or is there a pump in the sump for that?

The Ca reactor is fed from a Aquaclear Powerhead in the sump, I tried to feed it from my return pump once, and this happened:

After my friend Steve repaired it, I decided that a pressure rated return pump was not a good choice as a feed pump.

What is your lighting?

Here is the easiest way to show you that.

My tanks are in a family room in my basement and the plumbing goes into a seperate room (fish room) where I will have the sump for my reef tank and a wet/dry filter for my freshwater tank. Here is a link to my aquarium project.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1310033

Thanks for your suggestions.
Duane

Your welcome, I'll check out your RC thread now.