55 Gallon Tank Sump

[rangoon]

Help me out, guys. I have a 180 gallon wannabe discus tank, with a 55 gallon tank that I want to use as a sump. I have dual drains from the tank to the sump, dual pumps for a return back to the tank. I would like to see some good photos or diagrams of a sump set up with discus in mind. I also wish to use CO2 in the tank, and have heard CO2 will dissipate rapidly with a sump. Does anyone know of a way to positively seal the 55? Methinks I would be turning the sump into a canister filter? Is that not so? Oh, I will directly inject the CO2 into the tank, not into the sump.
Thx in advance. :D:D

[Consigliere]

A decent lid on the sump and submerging the return of the sump will minimize the impact of the CO2 offgassing. Make sure you put a siphon break on the sump return though, so you don't flood during a power outage.

As for designs it really depends on what you want to do. I'm in the final stages of putting together a 250Gal + 70Gal sump setup for a planted discus and my sump design includes an inline CO2 reactor, 36W UV sterilizer, auto-water change, quarantine/grow out tank, planted shrimp refugium and mechanical/bio filtration. So you can do many things with a sump, or you can do just one or two depending on how much effort and money you want to put into it.

I would suggest checking out saltwater reef forums and resources for sump designs. Reefers are miles ahead of the freshwater folks in sump design because of how a sump fits in to a saltwater system.

[Eddie]

A decent lid on the sump and submerging the return of the sump will minimize the impact of the CO2 offgassing. Make sure you put a siphon break on the sump return though, so you don't flood during a power outage.

As for designs it really depends on what you want to do. I'm in the final stages of putting together a 250Gal + 70Gal sump setup for a planted discus and my sump design includes an inline CO2 reactor, 36W UV sterilizer, auto-water change, quarantine/grow out tank, planted shrimp refugium and mechanical/bio filtration. So you can do many things with a sump, or you can do just one or two depending on how much effort and money you want to put into it.

I would suggest checking out saltwater reef forums and resources for sump designs. Reefers are miles ahead of the freshwater folks in sump design because of how a sump fits in to a saltwater system.

wow, that must be cool to see. Got any pictures?

[Consigliere]

Not quite ready for pics yet. I plan on putting up the whole process soon.

[rbarn]

Minimizing Co2 off gassing is all about minimizing surface agitation.

short as fall as possible into overflow
sump with trickle up inflow to small waterfall
Bio-bale instead Bio-balls or even just a bunch of sponge.


30+gallon sump/wet-dry for my 60gal
Cost about $200 to make, including Mag 7 return pump and bulkheads

Its not perfect, but off gas rates are acceptable.

I inject Co2 into my tank overflow box. Most bubble go down into the
sump and I seem to get good diffusion.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/60-18.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/60-4.jpg

[rbarn]

My latest sump design for my upcoming 100 gal. Discus tank


24 X 18 X 24 - 40 gallon
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/megasump1.jpg