DIY sump vs mechanical filter

I have read quite a bit about sumps. overflows, return rates, baffles, etc... what I seem to notice as important in a sump is the proper algae to filter the water. Due to my location finding proper anything is damn near impossible due to my inability to speak Japanese, and God bless em, but the Okinawans who speak english still have alot lacking.. thus a language barrier.

I have seen a bit about tom's aquatics filters and also someone suggested Eheim filters.

a sump would be more desireable and more mx free, but how the heck do I know if I get the right stuff?

 

Yes well there is so much B/S floating around from people who just repeat what they hear or have read in their latest book and thats all they know.. I see threads like this go on and on and gets so confusing that I can't even understand what they are trying to build.

But I''ll attempt to find out what you now have and where do you want to get to with this tank ? Reef or Fish and what size and what do you already have if anything . Mechanical filtration is simple and cheap to design into a system no filter needed really. As for a pump ? you want enough pump to move the total amount of the system through the sump at least 4 X's per hr and not more then 5X's per Hr.

As for getting the right stuff ? If you need I'll walk you through it from sump to pumps .

 

I am sitting currently with a 55 gallon tank using live sand, rock and NSW water.
I have a small polyp colony I got for free so I want this thing to be a reef tank.
I have the 2 MHs and 4 T5s in it and a pathetic RedSea HOB skimmer.
a DIY coil denitrator is currently cycling and I have a Rio 2100 moving water inside
Inhabitants include: about a dozen bumble bee snails, an assortment of other snails pulled from the sea, 1 sea cucumber who enjoys sifting the sand all day, a pistol shrimp and mantis shrimp.. both hitch hikers.
2 skunk shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
2 blue damsels
1 5 banded damsel (known as sergeant majors around here)
1 small button polyp colony (about 9 polyps and already multiplying)
1 sea urchin

I do a 5 gallon NSW swap out every week or two and it seems to do well. I just know I need either a sump or a filter.. sump would be preferable since it sounds like it is both easier to maintain and is of course natural.

 

Im not as exp.ed as tangster but I do have some yrs under the belt, I currently have a wet/dry with bio balls, sponges for filtering, bonded filters pads, small diy refug with one mangrove and spaghetti algae, and carbon.

 

I would be interested in seeing diagrams or pictures if you wouldn't mind. how has this been treating you?

 

A sump is a sump and what you want is a refugium of I understand what you are saying about the alga's > Then if thats what you want a bucket will work as will a 5 gallon tank or tub of some type thats all you need on a 55 and then you want to flow about 5 gallons a hr through the refugium. And put it on a reverse lighting schedule from the main tank to keep P.H up and stable and to give the algaes the needed photo period to do what they do when its more needed.. A sump/refugium combo does not work near as well as a smalled dedicated refugium with 4 to 6 inches of good quality aragonite media that will give you plenty of passive element replacement and also a natural Nitrate reduction also and all the benefits of a DSB with none of the risk.

 

LOL man I would never consider myself that hell I really ever knew of any although their are those who consider themselves a Expert! LOL I just broke or killed everything there is once and learned as I and many old farts came along way before the new experts ..Hell 90% of them where yet to be swinging

 

I will try to take some pic's but my camera isnt the best. As for working for me, My only problem is my nitrate, cant get it to zero. Its at 5-10ppm, even thou some say you cant/shouldnt have it at zero.

 

have you tried a DIY denitrater? they are simple to make, mine is in the process of cycling

 

now I'll ask you to post some pics of the denitrater. step by step if you can. Thanks