# Freshwater sump. Why not?



## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

I have been thinking lately. Saltwater tanks have sumps with live rock in it, why not a freshwater tank? I know a lot of these planted tanks have a ton of circulation. What if you were to have a sump with "live rock" of sorts in it? Say, lava rock or texas holey rock or something like that, would it do the same thing? And with that, do you think you could run a refugium with say some stems and moss or something? Does anyone have any experience with this? If you do I would love to hear your take on it and see your setups if you have one.:icon_smil


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## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

Dude, cable.... not sure if you missed this, but I run a sump. lol

Most people don't run them due to Co2 loss, if you run a sump it's advised to have it covered... I don't cover mine. And freshwater refugiums work fine


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

zachary908 said:


> Dude, cable.... not sure if you missed this, but I run a sump. lol
> 
> Most people don't run them due to Co2 loss, if you run a sump it's advised to have it covered... I don't cover mine. And freshwater refugiums work fine


Lol. I may have missed it. Do you got a pic of your setup? And do you run a fuge? I am curious and wondering why people don't use them.


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## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

I'll get a pic sometime, it's nothing fancy. Probably not till next week, leaving for vacation tomorrow and wont be back till late Thursday.

It's a 29 gallon sump with divisions in it. Water goes into the right side via overflow, and runs through a filter pad, then it goes into a compartment full of bio balls.. and then to the far left side where the mag 5 return pump and bag o' carbon is.

I don't run a fuge, but we've done them at work... not much of a point unless you aren't growing plants in the display.


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

zachary908 said:


> I'll get a pic sometime, it's nothing fancy. Probably not till next week, leaving for vacation tomorrow and wont be back till late Thursday.
> 
> It's a 29 gallon sump with divisions in it. Water goes into the right side via overflow, and runs through a filter pad, then it goes into a compartment full of bio balls.. and then to the far left side where the mag 5 return pump and bag o' carbon is.
> 
> I don't run a fuge, but we've done them at work... not much of a point unless you aren't growing plants in the display.


Hmmmm. It would give you something to look at night though if you ran the lights on the opposite schedule as the display. And would it not help with waste export? Something to look into. And it could be something worth doing for a cichlid tank where you usually can't have plants.


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## zachary908 (Feb 12, 2011)

cableguy69846 said:


> Hmmmm. It would give you something to look at night though if you ran the lights on the opposite schedule as the display. And would it not help with waste export? Something to look into. And it could be something worth doing for a cichlid tank where you usually can't have plants.


Good point there. It would be a waste export, but then again so are the plants in your tank, so it wouldn't have that much of an effect. For a non planted tank it would work great.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

LMAO! refugium? both the 20T and the 10g 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/87012-lots-low-tech-angel-tanks-56k.html

and the 10's in this rack.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fish/127931-55g-black-breeder-rack-babies-2011-a.html

Sumps? got 2 :hihi:


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## UDGags (Sep 13, 2009)

Lots of people use sumps.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

wkndracer said:


> LMAO! refugium? both the 20T and the 10g
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/87012-lots-low-tech-angel-tanks-56k.html
> 
> and the 10's in this rack.
> ...


I read most of the first one before, and it never clicked that it was a sump. I am just used to seeing them under the tank hidden away stuffed with equipment and crazy colored rocks. Lol, that's reefers for ya.:hihi: Nice looking setups though. Do you see any benefit from having the sumps, or is there really no difference?


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

UDGags said:


> Lots of people use sumps.
> 
> Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


I wanna know who and if they notice any benefits from it and if anyone has a fuge?:icon_smil


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Hey Cable! the first post above were refugium's not sumps.

fuge is the same water column as the main tank but the inhabitants are protected from the 'big dogs' in the main tank.

Sumps increase water volume overall and eliminate evaporation water lines by maintaining tank levels between water changes. Also they make a nice place to hide heaters, pH probes, dose ferts/chemicals etc.


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

wkndracer said:


> Hey Cable! the first post above were refugium's not sumps.
> 
> fuge is the same water column as the main tank but the inhabitants are protected from the 'big dogs' in the main tank.
> 
> Sumps increase water volume overall and eliminate evaporation water lines by maintaining tank levels between water changes. Also they make a nice place to hide heaters, pH probes, dose ferts/chemicals etc.


Yeah, it all clicked after I hit post. I think I have been staring at this screen too long today.:icon_eek: I need to go play video games for a while.

I guess what I am really wondering, is if you put the lights on the fuge on the opposite cycle as the show tank, would it be worth it? And I know it is a good place for smaller fish to get away from bullying, but I am looking at it in a nutrient export sense ( if any of this makes sense, let me know.) Do you think having a fuge with a bunch of fast growing plants on an opposite light cycle be worth it. Holy crap! I found the direction I was originally going in. Lol.


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## Bettatail (Feb 12, 2009)

I have the overflow and sump system, less maintanence on big tank.


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

Oh, yeah, and the rocks, don't forget the rocks.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Limestone and coral along with oyster shells and the like don't thrill me at all.
Zero control on how it effects KH readings and always wanting equilibrium at a higher level than I want my tanks.


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## cableguy69846 (Dec 13, 2010)

Bettatail said:


> I have the overflow and sump system, less maintanence on big tank.


That is what I am thinking too. Not to mention on say a shrimp breeding tank where you want it kind of bare, it would help keep the water at the desired parameters instead of fluctuations.



wkndracer said:


> Limestone and coral along with oyster shells and the like don't thrill me at all.
> Zero control on how it effects KH readings and always wanting equilibrium at a higher level than I want my tanks.


Naw. I don't want to see that in a fresh water setup, I am thinking Lava Rock or some other really porous rock to sub as Live rock.


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## mmfish (Dec 24, 2008)

literally nothing more elegant than a appropriate size ehiem filter, rena smart heater on the intake, and in line co2.


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## NatCh (Feb 23, 2011)

mmfish said:


> literally nothing more elegant than a appropriate size ehiem filter, rena smart heater on the intake, and in line co2.


IE suppose elegance is a subjective thing: I find the notion of an unchanging waterline, and all the equipment in the cabinet quite elegant. :shrug:


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