Thanks Wayne, that's what I thought about the sump but can you explain
to me how I use the drilled hole as an overflow - what do I connect to
it? I take it I can't use a weir type thing?

I was thinking of slowly adding sand to create a dsb but the sand has
been so yuck since I set this tank up 6 months ago that I'm a bit
nervous about it. I did have more sand in there (about 1.5cm thick) but
have removed a lot with hair algae and cyano.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
What you have is a wet dry filter. You might want to use a tank instead.
Go with the biggest tank that you can fit under the aquarium. If you use
the wet dry, just remove all of the removable items. Items glued in
could also give structural support, and could compromise the integrity
of the sump if removed.

Use the hole that is drilled in the aquarium for the overflow, and then
plumb the return up over the back of the aquarium.

Also while putting a deep sand bed in the sump will be beneficial, a
deep sand bed in the reef tank is even better, as it is where the action
is. But yes putting a deep sand bed in your sump will be beneficial
weather or not you have a deep sand bed in your tank.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 4/23/2006 4:18 AM:

Oohps, sorry but all measurements are in centimetres.

miskairal wrote:

Last year I bought a second hand tank for freshwater fish until some
bright spark suggested sal****er. After a few months of reading I
decided to give it a go but without using the sump b/c I couldn't
figure out how it all went together. I didn't speak to the previous
owner as the fish tank was collected for me by my son. It had been
used for freshwater and then sal****er is all I know.

Now, 6 months later, I've decided I should try and use the sump. I'd
like to use part or most of it as a refugium with a dsb but I don't
think I can with the heights?

My main tank doesn't have a dsb. The bit I can't understand though is
that the tank is drilled on one side about 3cm from the top, one hole
only. This hole currently has some fittings in it but is blocked off
on the inside. The tank is 180 x 60 x 70cm but I have the water level
at 63/64 cm which is about 1/2 way up the hole. I think the hole is
3cm in diameter. There is a "shelf" of glass about 2.5cm above the
water line on the long sides. (The glass is 9mm thick.)

The sump looks like this from the side (sorry I'm not great at drawing)
http://goatdairying.com/fish/marine/sumpdiag.jpg
The 1.5cm gap under one partition has a plastic grid thing wedged in
there that tight that I can't get it out. I think it was used with
bioballs as there are 2 lids over the bigger sections that have a
rotating spray bar attached. The following pumps came with the tank
Via Aqua 3300 (says 2880l/hr and is the stongest feeling)
Chosen AT-104 (says 2000l/hr)
Another with no label that is very strong

I also have a spare 90 litre tank I used for freshwater (before the
reef bug got me). Can anyone point me in the right direction
pleeease. I just can't seem to relate what I have to all the diagrams
I've seen of tanks with sumps and I keep looking at all this
equipment thinking what a waste when not in use. How should I go
about using it? Is it possible to have a sump using the current hole
in the main tank and if so, how? I do not want to try a hang on
overflow box.

Thanks for your time
miskairal