My First Sump

100% silicone is not good enough. I forget off the top of my head GE type I or II. Mold and mildew resistant silicone will kill everything in your tank. Ask the guy in my local club that just wiped out his entire 180g overnight. Aquarium safe takes the guess work out but cost a lot more.

It is best to have the return in the middle. You can still do a external pump off to the side. You do not need a "section" to dump your tank drains to. You just need some small thing to control bubbles. You just need 3 sections. Skimmer, return, fuge.

Here is some reading for you.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-aquarium-articles-how-tos/all-about-sumps-filters-fuges-79852.html

 

Ok...so I am going to go with the aquarium silcone just to be safe here.
I think I will also go with 3 sections if it will work.
The returns from the tank into the first section, and I will put the skimmer in that part too. Do you think the bubbles will effect the skimmer at all being there?
Then a larger fuge section.
The a 3 part baffle to go to the return pump area.

What is the best thing to make the fuge out of? Live sand and live rock and thats it?

What's recommended there?

 

I found this at HomeDepot for $5.99

 

i used GE Silicone II waterproof for windows/doors and its been fine so far in a year old cichlid tank so i used it recently in my sump build and its been fine so far there too.

 

You must have a better Depot and Lowes than I do! Couldn't find it there. Had to buy it at the LFS for 20 bucks! But, needed it, so had to get it....

 

home depots do have different stock. we have multiple home depots within 15 minutes of my home in any direction and they all have very small differences in their stock.

for example one of my home depots has true-union ball valves but the other two do not carry them.

 

I was actually surprised to find it as well, wish I had grabbed more because like you I saw it in my LFS for $20 but I would never pay that much knowing there are other far cheaper alternatives.

 

wow....I know the home depot near me doesnt have that....I wish they did.

They really lack sometimes in there stock on 1'' fittings too....it always seems like they never have the ones I need and I have to do a workaround with 2-3 other fittings to get what I need.