sump advise

Howsit 3Reef

I bought a 3ft tank to build a sump for my 4ft display tank. need some plans for a sump, not sure what media to put in the sump advise will be much appreciatedwas thinking of going dsb route ,but not sure if the sump is to small for a dsb sump ?

 

I've never had a sump but am getting one. I plan on having some sand with cheato as one compartment but not a DSB. I'm not sure you need a certain size for a DSB but I'll let all the sump experts chime in here. I also am planning on using a a filter sock but have been warned that I will need to be prepared to clean it frequently. So, it's a pretty basic sump all in all. Skimmer, sand/cheato/return. It's the KISS sump method

 

You can do a dsb in there if you want to. Just make sure you have baffles to section off each compartment and to trap bubbles from getting into your return. If you do use filter socks you'll have to change them out every day. Good thing about filter socks is you can throw them in the wash with a little bleach and reuse them. As far as media all you would really need to start out with is a protein Skimmer. If your planning on keeping corals you will eventually need to dose kalk or something else to keep your calcium up. Also invest in an auto top off...you'll thank yourself for it.

 

Basic sump would be inlet/skimmer compartment, 'fuge, return pump / ATO section. Some people do the return section in the middle and 'fuge on the opposite side of the inlet. Either way works. Then, you can add a single or dual reactor to run media such as Carbon, GFO, bio-pellets, etc (pump in the skimmer section, flows through reactor, then discharge to return section). Heater can go wherever it fits. I also have never done a DSB, just 'fuge with a 1/2"-1" sand bed. So someone else would need to chime in.

 

If you run a DSB, I'd consider running a remote DSB in a 5 gal bucket. That way when it crashes (it likely will, eventually), you can change it out without upsetting your tank. If it doesn't crash, you'll still probably want to change it out every so often so it doesn't crash.