[Wing]

i was thinking of buying this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7720818694

but i figure you get what you pay for and it isn't that good.

I have a 75gallon tank.

Do i really need a sump system?

How can i do this budget minded?

figure i would need a skimmer, a tank w/baffles, pumps

I want quiet pumps.

what exactly is a closed loops system? does it elimate more crap in the tank like power heads?

I want to get a good system but cheaply as possible. If that is even possible.

Thanks!
Wing

[Samper]

I don't think that's a horrible deal but if you looked around you could find better ones with better equipment.

IMO yes you do need a sump system. Most people make one out of an old aquarium by gluing baffles in it. To run a 75 gallon properly you will need a nice refugium for macroalgaes etc and a place to put all your other equipment that doesn't go in the tank such as your skimmer, heaters and what not.

Shop around for deals. Reefcentral.com has a for sale part to their board and I've found some good deals there.

Euro Reef skimmers are my favorite.
Internal pumps I'd go with a Mag
External I'd go with an ampmaster

A closed loop just adds more flow but yes it does eliminate powerheads to an extent. I would think that with a nice quiet pump you would also be cutting down on noises in the tanks from impellers working. You would plumb your tank to an external pump then run the returns back into the tank but this doesn't solve the need for a refugium or a place to put extra equipment.

[Wing]

I have to do a sump then, anything i can do to eliminate wires and unecessary things in the tank will be nice.
what would a typical flow map look like for a closed loop system? is a 1" pipe going to create enough flow in the tank? let me take a stab at a flow map.



we have the tank
to
intake pipe
to
intake pump (what size?)
to
sump tank
skimmer resides in sump
refugium resides in sump
to
exhaust pump (what size?)
to
exhaust pipe
to
tank on the opposite side.


The flow rate of the two pumps have to almost match right? if the intake pump outflows the exhaust pump, the sump will overflow. If the exhaust pump outflows the intake pump, the sump will become empty.

I'm just trying to get a feel of the concept and what I have to build/buy without cutting my arm off.

seems fun trying to design this system.

Thanks!
Wing

[Wing]

after seeing other people's setup. looks like they have two systems, one for closed loop and the other for sump. Do I have to do this to eliminate to much current through the sump?

[Reefland]

A closed loop is a totally closed system. However it is plumbed to the tank (usually the tank is drilled with a bulkhead), it is conneted directly to the intake of the pump and the pump output returns right back to the tank. This might be a little more than you want to tackle right now.

I would suggest getting a decent sized sump and trying to run about 1000gph through it. Any additional flow that you need can be added directly into the tank with a Tunze Stream or other internal water flow device.

[Wing]

Thanks scott, I'll keep that in mind when i tackle the closed loop portion. but now i know i need at least a 1000gph pump for the closed loop system.

How many gph do you think the sump needs? the sump gets water from siphon action correct? goes through the sump then to the external pump. The amount of water that comes from the siphon is based on how big the intake pipe is correct?

Thanks!
Wing

[Wing]

I ordered a new ASM G2 skimmer. I'm thinking about ordering a Pentair Quiet one 6000. at about 5' head it pumps out about 950gph. If i use the full 1" outlet, it should be able to cycle the tank about 12.5 times in an hour. Is that alright?

Thanks!

[Reefland]

Originally Posted by Wing

Thanks scott, I'll keep that in mind when i tackle the closed loop portion. but now i know i need at least a 1000gph pump for the closed loop system.

How many gph do you think the sump needs? the sump gets water from siphon action correct? goes through the sump then to the external pump. The amount of water that comes from the siphon is based on how big the intake pipe is correct?

Thanks!
Wing

No, the amount of water that goes through the sump (and drain pipe) is determined by how much water is pumped back to the tank by the sump pump.

Your skimmer and pump choice sounds fine for the sump too. I have never used either but both should work ok for you.

[Wing]

is a 20gallon tank big enough to work as a sump/refugium for a 75 gallon tank? i'm going to be using a quietone 6000 1506gph pump. at a 5ft head its about 950gph.

[Wing]

i bought a cheap wavemaker with 4 power heads.. i'm hoping these power heads aren't too loud. they are Odyssea EX240 pumps.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7721777250

I'll use these until i get the closed loop setup.

ordered a
cpr cs102 overflow box
Salifert Calcium Test
Nitrate Test
Nitrite Test
Phosphate Test
KH/Alkalinity Test
Ph Test

looks like i'm almost squared away for equipment. need to order some live sand and live rocks.

[Samper]

Wing, I'm one of the people that believes a nice refugium should rival the size of the display....I don't practice what I preach but if money allowed I would. I don't think a 20 gallon tank will make much of a sump for a 75 much less with a refugium included in it.
In this forums you can see how cramped my 20 gallon sump is.
The pics at the bottom are more recent but still don't show the addition of my Ca reactor or limewater drip system. There is no room for anything down there.
Upgrade to my 20 gallon

[Wing]

didn't realize how easy it was to drill holes in a glass tank. looks lke i'll be drilling some holes for the closed loop and sump drain.