Looking to add a sump

[EvilTwin]

I've heard mixed reviews on Jebo skimmers. I am usually one to believe with my own eyes, so I try not to judge too much by what others say. That doesn't mean I won't take good advice.

While at the LFS last night, they had in stock the Marineland Tidepool S.O.S. overflow box I had been looking at, so I bought it. It was only a few bucks more than if I had purchased online, and I'm supporting a local retailer. I've barely unpacked it so far. The instructions are a little confusing as they really focus on installing this system with a Tidepool filter/sump. I was tempted to buy one of these but they are pretty expensive for what you get.

Instructions are here:
http://marineland.com/products/manua...ool_manual.pdf

I now need to figure out the sump. The wife has agreed to let me put holes in the wall and place the pump in the unfinished area of the basement, on the other side of the wall behind the tank. I have a roughly 4 foot area there where I could put a stand of some kind and the sump. Since I am in need of a shelf for aquarium stuff, I figure the sump can go down low and a top shelf can be used for a storage shelf. I just need the top shelf high enough to accomodate a tall skimmer. I like the idea of a refugium built into the sump so I want this included. I have been looking at all of Mark Melev's designs. Still deciding.

[FragOutpost]

Once you remove all of the nitrifying material from the tidepool sump you are basically left with a container of water. I think your money is better spent investing in one of the models you pointed out on melevs site. Or get a used glass aquarium and silicone some baffles in.

[EvilTwin]

Originally Posted by FragOutpost

Once you remove all of the nitrifying material from the tidepool sump you are basically left with a container of water. I think your money is better spent investing in one of the models you pointed out on melevs site. Or get a used glass aquarium and silicone some baffles in.

Agreed. They just make it look real easy in the book if you use all of their stuff. Tricky, huh?

[FragOutpost]

The tidepool would be great in a FOWLR.
Have you come any closer to making a decision? I'm sure it is a difficult choice being that there are so many options available to you.

[EvilTwin]

I have not ultimately decided about the sump. I played around with the overflow assembly and it took me a while to figure out how the thing was going to get primed. I think this will be a nice overflow. I'm thinking about building my oven sump from acrylic using one of Melev's designs. I'm adding my new 40lbs of LR to the tank today now that it is done curing. Sump is next.