In-Sump Skimmer Advice?

[Jiddy]

Im running a 90g and was wondering if anyone currently uses the ASM G-3 skimmer? Its an in-sump skimmer and want to know if anyone uses a commerically bought sump with it?

 

[Jiddy]

Newbie Needs Help

For those of you who dont know me, im that annoying guy with all the questions, i have a 55g FW, never owned SW, on here trying to get the info, i just bought a 90g tank that i will use for SW once i know what the heck to buy for it, heres my question.... Everyone says a UGF is silly and dont use them, but they cost like $40, well they used to be great until people realized that sumps are better, well a sump is like $300 and since i need an overflow its another $100, so my question is, is the sump system really that much better?

 

[reefer]

Buy an old used aquarium for your sump, (I used my old 50 gal) get an overflow and a pump and you've got a good start.
you can partition the sump (aquarium) or not. Start simple and build from there. I started with a50 gal with a CPR Backpac 2 skimmer, live rock, some softies, and a MH light and moved up as I found success with what I was using.

 

[gobie]

before you decide to go salt water you need to read up on the concepts and filtration methods of the hobby. you need to buy some books on the hobby cause it sounds like you need to know some of the basics that are best covered in books. there are so many it is hard to list. to answer your question undergravel filters have never been good at all. never were they considered as great. they are cheap and are easily sold at most lfs stores. they were a concept that is long outdated by about 25 to 30 years.I ran a 150+ tank fish room for years and never once sold an ugf to any one.
if you really want to know about the hobby buy books,cause you cannot remitt everything to memory.

 

[bradreef]

yes a g-3 would be a great skimmer for a 90 gallon and very easy to use with not bad power consumption.

 

[reedman]

so my question is, is the sump system really that much better?

It really depends on what you are planning to run for equipment. I have been running a 75 gallon reef without a sump for about 3 1/2 years now and it's working fine. A sump is a nice place to hide all of the unsightly equipment like the heaters, skimmer, output from a calcium reactor, kalk reactor output, any probes, etc. It really doesn't serve any other critical purpose. It does provide some additional water volume to help with diluting problems (i.e. more water = less extreme swing in PH, temp, alk, etc.).

Bottom line is you can have a very nice reef that is healthy without a 300 dollar sump...or any sump at all. You just have to plan out where you will be putting all the equipment and be a little more creative with your plumbing.

Start deciding on what you want to keep. Corals, fish, clams, etc. Make a list and ensure they are compatible. Figure out what they need in the form of light, flow, water quality, etc. Ask here. Post what you want to keep for animals and we'll help you with the equipment.

On the equipment: If you go without a sump, be aware that your choices for skimmers becomes very limited. You have to have a hang on type skimmer and the choices of high quality drop real quick for those. It can be done though.

Good luck and keep asking the questions. It's the only way to learn.

-Reed

 

[WaterDogs]

Here is a site that will help you understand the how's and why's of a sump.

http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html

 

[Jiddy]

Thanks for all the help guys, im tryin to get these grey areas figured out before i go invest the cash for the equip., Thanks for the advice guys, i am reading books, thats how i found this site... I have, (saltwater4dummies, NewMarineAqua.,ConscientiousMarineAquarist) a few crappy ones too. So basically i have a rough idea of whats goin on, but this sump thing is gettin me, if i have a 90g then can i use my 50g or 10g for a sump. Both are AGA so i would have to use baffles then? The point of the first 3 baffles are for bubbles theN? and how important are these to have? Thanks for the input on the ASM G-3 bradreef, thats basically why im so concerned about the sump in the first place, is for the damn P.Skimmer, lol. Also as of right now i havent put much thought into what livestock to get, since i have 1 LFS, (lol) then im kind of leanin towards a pair of percs with a Quadri. Then ill do my research to see what lives with them, lol. Thanks for the site waterdogs, its another good one, but im more uncertain about how to mod a AGA tank to be a good sump tank more then what one is, THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS!

 

[gobie]

actually a sump is a large mechanical/ biological/chemical filter. there are other various perposes that have been incorporated into it over the last decade or so. designs are various from 1 to multi to no baffels what so ever. my waterchange is done by draining my sump 30+ gallons and refilling it with fresh saltwater. i never disturb my display tank like i use to when i didn't run one. lots of people use rubbermaid type containers because they are inexpensive to buy easy to modify with ( bulkheads and baffels etc) my first sump was a 15 gallon barrell

 

[Maxx]

Jiddy,
You've gotten some great advice here, and it looks like you're on the right track. Like Reedman said you dont need a sump to be successful. It just makes things easier. You can hide the ugly stuff and you add more volume to your system.
The ASM is a good skimmer. I have essentially its little cousin, a Euro-Reef CS6-2.

As far as books go, two other good ones for right now would be "Natural Reef Aquariums", by John Tullock, and "Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1" by Anthony Calfo.

The reason you want baffles in your sump is to cut down on micro bubbles coming from the skimmer. They dont hurt anything, they're just annoying to most people. Its an aesthetics issue more than anything. They are easy to make especially when using an aquarium for a sump. I went to Home Depot and bought some acrylic sheets, and aquarium sealent. I used the sealant to glue the acrylic in place. Aquarium sealant doesnt hold onto acrylic very well, but its great for glass. So I used thin acrylic and lots of sealant. Wasnt pretty, but worked very well. I also used wooden blocks to keep the baffles in place until the sealant cured.

As far the Bubble Tip Anemone, (BTA for short) goes they are among the easiest anemones to keep, but anemones are far from easy.

Here's some reading for you....
http://www.athiel.com/lib/questions/anemone.htm
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_toonen8.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm

 

[Jiddy]

Thanks for the new book suggestion, i really enjoy reading, that way it gives my bank account more time to grow, lol. Ill check these links

 

[danieljames]

Jiddy....just wanted to give you a pic of a rubbermaid sump with an asm g-2 running in it. Its just a bit smaller than the g-3. The sump/refugium in the picture cost a total of less than 20 dollars. Thats the rubbermaid container, and the inserted one to hold the macro algae. It has worked very well for me. The asm's return less micro bubbles to the sump than any i have ever used. See the return tube with the sponge on it? It is practically clear water. The small refuge basket blocks any that might make it out of the skimmer, and my return pump is on the end there. Hope that gives you an idea of a cheap/efficient option.