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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Sump Design Planning

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24 Oct 2012 13:00 #1 by ghart (Greg Hart)
I am looking to have a custom sump made for my change over to marine and trying to understand how many sections to have in it and what should go in each section for best marine water filtration.

I am looking to keep soft corals and fish in my 380l tank

I will be using an overflow box which will put water from the tank into the first compartemnt with filter sock (anything else required here).
This will then flow into the second compartment which I assume should contain a skimmer.
The skimmer will then send the water to the third compartment which will contain the bio media and/or live rock.
The fourth compartment will contain the return pump.
and possibly a fifth compartment with RO water for automatic top up.

What sump sections setup do the forum members have in their marine systems.
I will be getting rid of my external filters as they tend to generate nitrate (normal function)which I am told is not good for the corals.

Any advice on the best sump design before I finalise on layout and order the sump build would be much appreciated.

Greg

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24 Oct 2012 14:03 #2 by davey_c (dave clarke)
what size will the sump be?? bubble traps will be a good idea after the skimmer, will it be an internal/external/hang on skimmer? if you'r putting a filter sock in the 1st section instead of sponges then ye may have room in there for your skimmer so then ye have extra room for topup section...

Below tank is for sale

my plywood tank build.

www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768

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24 Oct 2012 14:16 #3 by ghart (Greg Hart)
Thanks!
The tank is 5 foot long by 15 inches wide.
So the cabinet has room for a total sump size of 42 inches by 9 inches wide.
What is the normal recommended sump height is it 18 inches?

The bubble trap is one I did not think of.
The skimmer will be a stand alone unit in one of the sump chambers.

I also have to house my two 300w heaters in the Sump. I assume these go in the chamber with the return pump for heating the water before it's return to the tank?

Greg

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24 Oct 2012 22:42 #4 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
I have my sump the same way as you have said in your above post

Sock in one with live rock

Then skimmer,heaters

Then i have Carbon Rector and pump in next

Then i have my return with live rock
and then i have a 5th section for my auto topup this is not a must as most just use a 25l water drum works the same just mine was build for it at the start and if i could i would have this in all my sumps i ever own so would be good to have it pretty neat,

This is all from left to right as if you are looking at the tank

You can need different media in the sections as in rows phos and Cheto but i do not use this i only use carbon as i us Red Sea NOPOX

If you are going to use Cheto you need a light over it and a light flow around it

Bubble trap from chamber to chamber is the way to go but all the sumps will have this so if you are getting it built you will be fine

You are more then welcome to ever drop in and have a look at the tank and sump or what ever to get your head around it its all well and good thinking about it but when you see it its a different story

Do not for get about a UV i have this hung over my sump on my stand but have the pump for it in section one where my sock is and then the output off the UV going into my Return section

Anything else you need to know please just ask im sure if i can not help plenty others can (but ill try my best ha)

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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26 Oct 2012 22:55 #5 by BlueRam (Sean Crowe)
Have you looked into this anymore?

I have found a nice 7X2X2 Tank that i am thinking off buying but comes with only a 3 foot sump but i would be looking for around a 6foot sump.

So keep me posted as i need to find one

Thanks

Sean

Sean Crowe

ITFS Member

Location: Navan

Always Remember Surviving Is Not Thriving

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27 Oct 2012 14:59 #6 by ghart (Greg Hart)
Thanks Sean for all the detail.
I will talk to you on Monday at Seahorse around 1:30pm


Greg

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