[linuxguru]

Hello everyone, I am relatively new to the hobby (7 months to be exact) and today is the first time I ran into this site. It is unbelievable, many of you really seem to know the nitty gritty specifics of the hobby. Anywas, I am hoping you guys can help me out.

I currently have a 55 semi reef going on. I want to add a 29 gal sump to my system. My tank is not drilled, so I am looking at a overflow setup. I have currently been weighing the pros and cons between Lifereef and CPR, I am leaning toward Lifereef, but then again you guys might have something to add. I also have been looking at the Durso Standpipe website and I am not sure if I also need one of those. I am thinking of moving abt 600gph so I am not sure what pump to get, also does the pump gph and the overflow gph have to differ? So what I am asking is, once I have the overflow, do I need a durso?, also where can I get the hosing to run from the overflow/standpipe to my sump, and what kind of special diffuser do I need to have the water return and circulate my tank.

I know this may sound confusing, but I hope you guys catch my drift and can give me some pointers.

[noobie reefer]

ooh im glad you asked this bcoz i need to no also.

what is your setup at the moment?

welcome to reefland

[Reefland]

Hi linuxguru, Welcome to Reefland.com!

The Lifereef overflow is a good choice. If I had to get an overflow, I would go with the Lifereef myself.

Once you get the overflow, it would b very easy for you to figure out what is needed to plumb it to the sump. It depends on if you want to use flexible tubing or PVC, I would go with flexible personally. You would need a PVC hose barb and the tubing which both would be available at any major hardware store.

For the pump, I think a MAG 7 would do you good but if you wanted, you could go with a MAG 9. Go with a pump that is capable of more flow that your overflow and throttle it back, this way you can get maximum usage from the overflow. I think the Lifereef and a MAG 9 would be a great combination.

[linuxguru]

Hello Noobie Reefer,

My current setup is as follows 55 semi reef, 220 watt double bulb VHO, 80 lbs keys rock from LiveRocks, 5" DSB, Aqua C Remora w/mag 3, Fluval 304, Magnum 350. Current livestock...2 Amphiprion percula (True Perc's), 1 Neocirrhitus armutus (Flame Hawkfish), 1 Centropyge bispinosus (Coral Beauty Angel). 1 Orange linkia star, 1 longspine urchin, 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, 10 mexican turbo snails, 10 cerith snails and 1 pink tip haitian anemone.

Temp..79
Salt....1.024
pH......8.3-8.4
Water..RO/DI
dKH.....9-10
Ammonia...Undetectable
Nitrite.......Undectable
Nitrate......1.5 ppm


Hello to you also Reefland!

I appreciate the info you have given me. I was also wondering about a durso standpipe, what is this for exactly, and would I need one? I want my sump to run at a 100 percent, but I also want to keep the noise to a minimum, also if I decide to go with a mag 9, would the lifereef overflow be able to drain my tank fast enough to keep up with the mag 9. Also when it comes to baffles, can I put as many as I want ANY way I want, or is their some unwritten rule as how a sump should be built. If you could give me as much information as possible it would help me out (if you dont mind ) I just wanna make this sump as good as possible........Thanks a bunch!