Need some advice on adding a sump to my nano

napereefer

napereefer

New member
Hey everyone - wanted to get some opinions before I move forward on my project. I've got a 30 gallon cube mixed reef that's doing fairly well (set up about a month ago by transferring all livestock from a 25 gallon which was my first SW tank - had been running about 6 months). Currently I have mostly LPS along with a pretty large fish community including pair or clowns, juvenile kole tang, aiptasia eating filefish, dusky jawfish, and one pesky (but generally ok) damsel. Also cuc including hermits, emerald crabs, fire shrimp, and cleaner shrimp. Also have a linkia star and maxima clam that have both done great and continue to thrive.

To this point I've relied pretty much exclusively on biological filtration through a deep(ish) sandbed and live rock. I do have a hang on back filter that I run pretty much just for water movement at the surface along with the two powers heads I have. Also a small HOB nano skimmer which does OK but has to be dialed in a lot.

So here's my dilemma: I picked up a very nice second hand acrylic sump for cheap that fits great under my stand and I think will be pretty straightforward to plumb. I'm excited about the prospect of cleaning up the display so I have nothing in there but the power heads if I can fit everything else in the sump. I also think the increased water volume and ability to do more filtration will really help improve my overall parameters and let me try some LPS, etc. moving forward. All this I'm good to go on. The decision I am struggling with is how to get the water to the sump. My tank is drilled with two holes on either side of the tank with bulkheads already installed in the back near the top rim. Currently I just have them sealed off. When I bought the sump, along with it came a nice HOB CPR overflow that depends on a siphon to drain the water up and over the tank's edge.

Do I just use the HOB overflow for now so I can start playing with the sump to see if I like it using the holes as dual returns? OR do I take the time to build my own overflow box in the corner to do an internal overflow using one hole with the return in the other (this seems to be the "right" way but it means getting out or borrowing tools, draining the tank so I can silicone in my DIY box, potentially with livestock still in bottom portion since I don't want to tear everything apart and put in buckets for 2 days while it dries. Obviously this would look the best and be more reliable long term though!)

What do you guys think?!? Any advice or ideas are appreciated. I'll follow up with pics of my setup tomorrow. THANKS!




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napereefer

napereefer

New member
A few pictures. Both of my first half hex and things after moving to current cube...




Still a newbie but learning every day! 30 gallon saltwater cube mixed nano reef. 55 gallon planted freshwater community and discus tank.
 
trackfast

trackfast

Princess Trainer
I would utilize one bulkhead for a drain and the other for the return. It looks like you would have to add an elbow or two but I think that would be the easiest conversion.
 
SkullV

SkullV

New member
The bulkheads seem to be the same size. What is the diameter? Unfortunately I don't think you're going to be able to use one of those as a drain without the risk of a flood, they seem to be pretty small. If it were my tank, and I didn't want to drill any more holes, I would do a coast to coast overflow back there utilizing both bulkheads as drains and then run one of these as the return:

 
cet98

cet98

Active member
depending on the size of the existing bulkheads (hopefully 1" or more) you can definitely use the existing bulkheads for a drain and return....
all you would need to do is use a reducer to reduce the size of the return plumbing (to 1/2" or 3/4") and install an appropriate sized Loc-Line return nozzle.
your drain can simply be a 90 degree elbow as Victor mentioned
 
SkullV

SkullV

New member
cet98 said:
depending on the size of the existing bulkheads (hopefully 1" or more) you can definitely use the existing bulkheads for a drain and return....
all you would need to do is use a reducer to reduce the size of the return plumbing (to 1/2" or 3/4") and install an appropriate sized Loc-Line return nozzle.
your drain can simply be a 90 degree elbow as Victor mentioned
Click to expand...
This is what I was getting at. If the bulkheads aren't at least 1" they aren't going to be big enough to use as a drain for that tank.
 
cet98

cet98

Active member
here is my system...for reference ;)

90 degree 1" elbow drain (with mesh to keep inverts and fish from getting into drain)



3/4" Loc-Line with Flare nozzle return
 
napereefer

napereefer

New member
Thanks a ton everyone! This really helps and I realize I have more options here than I thought. Just saw Victor's setup while picking up a pif frag (thanks! Awesome tanks!) and it gave me some additional ideas as well. I'll post what I end up trying to let everyone see how it works out.


Still a newbie but learning every day! 30 gallon saltwater cube mixed nano reef. 55 gallon planted freshwater community and discus tank.
 
M

Mrgouts

Member
New to posting but Been lurking around CR for a while gathering knowledge before I put a tank together. i decided to go with (cuz it was cheap on craigslist) a 15g cube with a HOB to 15g sump. Outgrew that tank and style of plumbing in about 3 months. Also cuz the tank friggen broke but that's a diffent thread. Anyway Def worth your while to drill your tank. Much cleaner look and most times more quiet.
 
D

dreko

New member
I'm contemplating a similar situation. I'd personally do the internal DIY overflow , so drill the holes. I like the idea of an easy HOB overflow, but I think the potential overflowing/leak issue sways me from this route.
 
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