Looking to add a sump

[EvilTwin]

I am now starting to look to put together a sump using an overflow box. I don't want to spend a fortune, I just want someplace I can put my skimmer and heater. My skimmer gives off a ton of microbubbles and it can be very finicky to adjust. The skimmer is a seaclone 150 and while it get's panned all the time it does seem to pull out a lot of skimmate when it's adjusted right. So, I am looking for suggestions. I don't mind buying a commercially made pump, as I'm not really in the mood to be building my own right now. I just want domething inexpensive that works well. I need an overflow box as well. Suggestions???

[FragOutpost]

A trip to the local walmart or target should yield a wide variety of rubbermaid containers that work well as a cheap fast sump if you are not concerned with asthetics and just need a place to drop in a heater and skimmer. For a used overflow check your local stores, the newspaper, or try some of the local aquarium societies near you. If all else fails you could try ebay for an overflow or pump. When plumbing your return pump skip the flexible tubing and use at least 3/4" PVC and hard plumb everything in with a ball or gate valve to control the flow if necessary. The flexible tubing cuts down on the flow a lot.

[EvilTwin]

I'm gonna hang out in the chatroom if anyone wants to talk with me about sumps. I'm pretty sure I know what I need but want to discuss the plumbing options.

[FragOutpost]

Just fired up the laptop.

[EvilTwin]

Well, I am really lost with all this talk of skimmers, sumps overflows, etc. Just TMI for me to absorb in a day. Our chat helped yesterday but I am now having trouble figuring out what direction I want to go.

After trying to clean my Seaclone 150 skimmer yesterday, it started to leak at the seal in the base where the j-tube connects. I figure it's time to pony up for a much better rated skimmer. I've decided I want an Aqua C, but do I go with the HOT Remora or the sump Urchin model? Getting a sump model requires the additional complexity and expense of adding a sump and overflow and the perils that come with that. A HOT model will replace my current one but has it's own issues on my tank.

I have a canopy on my tank. It's nice, makes the tank look more like furniture and I've already bought it, so I'd like to keep using it. Wife would be mad if I don't. The problem with the canopy is that the current skimmer I have is so tall that the canopy brace in the rear actually rests on to pof the collection cup. I must remove the canopy to empty the cup. I only have 5 inches of clearance between the top edge of the tank and the underside of the canopy. The other factor is noise. Buying a good HOT skimmer like the Remora means I won't be able to use it in a sump later on.

Checking the sump route, I was able to get a storage container of 24x17x15 into the openining in the stand. It was 18+ gallons in size. Is this enough? This would also require getting an overflow box. Not a big deal but I want to get a good one. Recommendations here? Also, when I look at a skimmer to put underneath, I need to be wary of the skimmer height. Since the stand has drawers, there isn't much more room obove the door height.

Another option that my wife suggested was this: since the majority of the wall behind the tank covers open space in my unfinished basement area, I could run the pipes through the wall to another stand set up back there for the sump. Not a bad idea but I'd be worried about water contamination, since I do various other things like sawing and such back there. I would still have to worry about the overflow box, too. Are there any considerations if I wanted to build a nice refugium/sump back there and put it on a stand? how high musthe stand be/not be?

My head hurts thinking about all of this.

[Peterock]

if you are looking to add a sump look at my post peterock 90 gallon i am using a 40 gallon tank that i glued some baffels into so the water flows the way a $300 sump or fuge would. if you go this rought you can space them out to acoumadite any and all equipment that you need to add.