How to install a sump?

Hey I'm starting my first saltwater tank after keeping freshwater and I'm wondering about how to put in a sump, preferably without drilling. It's a 46 gallon bowfront so how many gallons for a sump would I need? And do I really
need one? I would like to keep a mandarin in the future and I guess I would need a breeding ground for the pods.

Thanks!!

 

is a sump needed no, however i would highly recommend it if a mandarin is in your future as well as corals.....also it hides all of your equipment making your tank less of an eyesore and have more space in the tank.....my skimmer, heater, fuge, etc is all in my sump

honestly i avoided drilling my tank in the beginning and have a hob overflow but now im kicking myself in the @$$ for not doing it in the first place

as for how large of a sump i would say the largest that you can fit in the stand...you can either buy a premade or if you're semi handy i would recommend either making one out of an old beat up used tank off of craigslist or wait for petco/petland to have a dollar pr gallon sale

all you need is a couple of glass sheets cut to size and some aquarium safe silicone

this is a basic design for a sump with a refugem

 

Need=no
Should have=yes

Bruno is on point...
The biggest you can fit, the better...

 

My original plan for my tank was to go sump-less. There are some advantages of this, but after only a few months I back peddled and went with a sump. Here are some pros and cons of sumps:

Pros:
- Additional water volume
- Hides equipment.
- Can reduce microbubbles.
- Provides space for additional equipment. Between skimmers, reactors, heaters, refugiums, mechanical filters, auto top offs, and probes you quickly will run out of space if you put it all inside of the display tank.
- HOB skimmers are generally more expensive for the performance they offer in comparison to in-sump skimmers.
- In my opinion, with the proper precautions having a sump will reduce the likelihood of a flood (HOB filters can leak and make a big mess!).
- When everything is HOB, it can get difficult/annoying to clean the back panel of the aquarium.

Cons:
- Sumps are expensive. You will have to buy plumbing parts, overflow parts, a return pump, and (obviously) a sump. The return pump will increase your electricity bill too. DIY sumps are less expensive, but even then the 4 glass panels cut for my sump cost $60 (in addition to the cost of the tank).
- Sumps require space beneath, beside, or behind the aquarium.
- Sumps add some maintenance. They occasionally need to be cleaned of salt creep and detritus may need to be siphoned out.

I find both sump/sumpless set ups are about equal in terms of noise.

Can anyone think of anything else?

 

pro:
-can put a refugem with DSB and macro algaes etc in a sump
-if chemicals/supplements/freshwater etc is added it gives more time to mix and disperse before hitting the main tank
-can be used to seperate troublesome fish/inverts etc temporary
-can run multiple tanks with the same filtration if plumbed correctly

there may be more but thats all thats coming off the top of my head

 

Marc has one of the best articles on sumps I have run across here:
Melevsreef.com | Acrylic Sumps & Refugiums

 

I think my only option besides running just a skimmer is using an aquafuge refugium with a skimmer does anyone know if I can put any skimmer on or have to use the one included with it? Has anyone had experiences with HOB refugiums?

Thanks