[Jeremy0322]

I have an old 20 gallon tank laying around the house and was wondering if it was possible to make a sump out of it. I would really have no idea where to start so was looking to the fellow reef builders for guidance. If there is a site that shows how to convert a tank i could use that but i am sure someone out there has tried to do this and it would be awesome if they gave me step by step instructions. Also, how many pumps need to be used for this because the 75 tank that i have does not have overflows on this so the water has to come out of the tank from over the tank. From there what do i do about plumbing and dividing the sump and pumping the water back up to the tank. Thanks for the help guys. Also if i am missing any key aspects to a sump please fill me in.

[Lowej82]

check this sight out, this may give you a general ideal of what you want to do.

Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

do you have you protien skimmer yet? make sure you make an area big enough to hold it, also make sure that the skimmer is not in the return pump section or else you will get alot of little bubble in your DT from your return. Heres a pic of my diy sump/fuge

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...ej82/fuge3.jpg

http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x...ej82/fuge1.jpg

Its had a couple little changes that I havent updated pics of. If you dont know what foot size your skimmer is I would wait I didnt make my area big enough so I use the hang on setup also know what you want to keep in there make sure you build it how you want it the 1st time. ive been debating on taking mine apart and changing it all together.

Check this out also I think I am going this route on my next sum/fuge
baffles

[e_baer]

look into overflow boxes.

i have one and have had good success with it, some people dont though.

Aquatraders

[Jeremy0322]

You think 600GPH overflow box would be good enough for a tank under 100gallons. I dont know what size i am using yet but i know it wont be over 100gallon tank.

[e_baer]

well, i have a 55, and i dont think 600 is enough. I would aim for the 1200.


then for the return pump, you can have it go into a spray bar, and then add a few powerheads, and your set for flow.

[Jeremy0322]

Are spray bars sold or is that one of the things that you have to make....Either or do you have a net link so i can see..

[e_baer]

a spray bar is somehting you make with pvc pipe and a pump.

here is a link of someone fomr RB as they were setting up their 180g tank. this is how they designed their spray bar.

http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/r...ping-me-3.html

[Jeremy0322]

Now that i look at them it does seem like a good idea but if i go that direction i would wanna do something sweet. There are a few people that post pictures of their builds where they line the bottom of the tank with jets to kill all dead spots and that seems like a kinda cheap and really good idea to me. The only question that i had, which seems like common sense to me but i may be wrong, is that i am assuming if you have a 1200GPH overflow your power heads to almost match that to keep it all circulating correctly. If that is the case i am probably going to get one of the 1200GPH overflows that hang on the back of the tank and then run 2 pipes to corners of my tank that are 600GPH a piece. You think that would work or is something wrong here. Remember that the overflow is going into a sump and the power heads will be bringing water back into the tank. I figure if i use 2 smaller power heads instead of one huge one then it will equalize flow rate through the pipes to keep all the streams nice and even.

[e_baer]

well, the only problem i see with that, is that it is added heat to the water.

i would just go with something larger like a mag.

[Jeremy0322]

I did not even consider the heating aspect on that one...Thanks E