View Full Version : Simple sump installation
For those who remember (or care!:D ), when I built my Vision 260 cabinet, I 'future proofed' it by making provision for a sump to be installed later.
Well, with a birthday and Xmas coming up, I've been sorting this out: sump designed / ordered, return pump chosen / ordered (Newjet 2300) and overflow sorted.
1st bit to arrive, the overflow box (Cleartides):
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/overflow 1 (855 x 642).jpg
Neat piece of kit. Only problem I can forsee is that there's no wier comb - wait and see if this causes trouble! Anyone used this model?
Give me a shout if you want a hand!
NewJet 2300 is a good choice for a return as if you are running submerged you will be able to throttle it back a bit if it's too much flow on full blast without having to 'T' back to the sump!
What's going in the sump? Skimmer, heater any refugium area?
Cheers
Steve
looking good clive, hows the rics etc doing?
have you had a chance to test the light yet steve? the 400's going well and the acros seem to love it
Hi Steve - yes that was one of the main reasons for going Newjet - it's controllable so no need for taps / T ing off the flow (plus they're cheap!). Sump just for the skimmer / heater, plus a chaeto section which I'm going to reverse light.
Hi, Jaime - rics looking great so far! Still got a few spots on the neons, though.
have you tried a bit of garlic?
jamie
Clive,
Hope this helps. I have simple sump on my 30g cube also. Its facilitated via a c/t overflow box. Good piece of kit in terms of design and footprint. As to wier comb - you can buy a piece of deltec comb from most lfs and cut to size - this is what I did.....comb was only £3. I've probably got some left somewhere so if you get stuck let me know and I'll see if I can dig it out. I do find that you have to keep an eye on the overflow box every few weeks to ensure no air has got into the syphon - I find on my unit I have to "bleed" the unit every 3/4 weeks as an air bubble appears. Not an issue but worth noting.
I too run the sump with just a skimmer. heater, small reactor and fuge zone. So far so good.......however planning to upgrade the tank in the new year. Oh I use an ehiem 1250 for return - seems to be ok for me.
Hope this helps.
Roshan
Jaimie - yes, I'm feeding Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 (with garlic). I'll have to wait and see.
Roshan - yes, thanks for your comments. The wier is rather high in my tank and a comb would make this worse (and reduce flow). Think I'll see if it turns out to be a problem - the fish rarely go near the top, anyway. Thanks for the offer of a bit of comb. Already considered the bleeding issue - one reason why I chose it is that it has a bleed nipple already fitted.
Nothing to do with the sump, but I thought I'd post a few pre-sump pix:
a half-tank shot:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/Before sump 001 (648 x 486).jpg
Orange Dendro and green hammer:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/Before sump 002 (700 x 525).jpg
The rest:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/Before sump 003 (700 x 525).jpg
Some nice brick-red zoos with a Sinularia frag:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/Before sump 004 (700 x 525).jpg
one more.
Sarcophyton colony:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/Before sump 006 (700 x 525).jpg
looking good clive, some nice corals:D
jase
Cheers, Jase. You should know - I got lots of them off you and Jamie!
Is that sump wet yet Clive?
Cheers
Steve
ReefSteve
Is that sump wet yet Clive?
Cheers
Steve
:D :D :D :D :D
you should know by now clive doesn't rush this sort of thing
jase
:D :D :D :D :D
you should know by now clive doesn't rush this sort of thing
jase
Dead right, Jase - I've got that pleasure (?) to come as the sump won't be ready till next week. Got the pump and everything else I need. I'll let you know how it goes. By the way, either of you got a handful of chaeto I could beg, steal or (in extremis) buy?:D
got plenty of caulerpa prolifera :D
no cheato :(
you are more than welcome to pop up and collect and harvest as much as you want :rolleyes:
jase
Thanks, Jase. I've got some Caulerpa of my own - I was really looking for Chaeto as I want to run the sump light at night rather than 24/7. Thanks again for the offer.
I gave my chaeto to Steve/Helen and James from my nano before I setup my new tanks:rolleyes: ...I'll see if I can scrounge some back as I could do with a bit myself...either way, I'm sure I can get you at least a bit mate:)
Cheers
Steve
That'd be great, Steve - thanks a lot for that.
I have a bit of chaeto sat in my frag tank for you Clive whenever you are ready, James has been growing my original bit on for us:p , not a huge amount but enough to get you going, besides, you don't want to add too much or you are just adding in the nutients you want to be harvesting out.
I can maybe drop it round at some point or you can swing by and check out your old tank etc
Cheers
Steve
Great, Steve - thanks a lot. I'll be in touch when I've set up the sump (hopefully within a week).
OK, so finally picked up the baby sump.
The cabinet is ready for the installation as I had already cut out a section from the centre support, leaving a removeable 'leg' for stability:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 001 (700 x 525).jpg
Sump in place:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 002 (700 x 525).jpg
Home-made sump light (Philips energy-saving bulb supposed to be equivalent to 100w):
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 003 (700 x 525).jpg
Just had a long powercut which put me back a bit - will carry on tomorrow.....:D
SpanishTony
25-11-06, 09:13
What are you using to hold the light fitting?
It's a rubber clip which I had lying around - fits perfectly!
The mess:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 004 (700 x 525).jpg
9 hours and much faffing about later:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 005 (700 x 525).jpg
The trickiest parts were cramming everything in and balancing flow rates. I have to say that the overflow box doesn't handle the claimed 2000 l/hr - I had to T off from the return pump. Sorted now (I hope)......
nice job fitting everything in! is it noisy?
Not half as bad as I'd feared - even the wife doesn't object! :rolleyes:
Tomorrow I'm going to explore how to hook up the Eheim external - might try inlet in the display and outlet in the sump so I can turn up the return pump. Anyone think of a reason why not?
looking good clive,:cool:
not bad 24 days from start of thread to haveing it in place :D
why do you need the external?:confused:
if you go down that route then make sure the sump pump can handle the extra water in the sump.
jase
Hi, Jase, cheers. Well, like you said, I'm not one for rushing things....!
The external should still come in handy for mechanical filtration, increased flow and somewhere easy to put phos remover and carbon.
Return pump should be no problem as I had to T it off to reduce flow. My main concern is whether the Eheim will introduce one too many variables when it comes to balancing the flow.
you can always run the external within the confines of the sump, if you are running it just for carbon etc you don't need to run it all the time, as with your corals i would have though the more nutrient rich your water is, the better, obviously not too many, you end up with algae problems.
jase
Hmmm....it's a thought, Jase, but (1) I don't really want too much else crammed into my tiny sump, (2) I wanted some mechanical flitration in the display and (3) I don't like running the external intermittently. Every time you turn it off for any length of time, you have to disconnect and clean, or the water inside could go off.
Thanks for the thoughts, though!
I seem to have sorted out the overflow box :mad: so today just a couple of little jobs. I decided to use the Eheim external only in the display, so I replumbed that, and made a little reefrack for the sump LR:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 006 (700 x 525).jpg
Also had to work on the door I'd sorted to cover the centre section - needed filing down. I found a handle to match, and Robert's your father's brother:
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q4/sump install 007 (700 x 525).jpg
OK, I'll stop boring you now....
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.