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Sump questions any input


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Hi I have 125 gallon tank I have had the tank and sump running for all most a year U have not been able to figure out what the 2 sponges are for. Like to know if I should keep or do something different please see picture.

post-11237-0-24467100-1488751710_thumb.jpg

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Under normal circumstances, the water level would be 1-2" lower all across. The middle baffle is suppose to stop water and direct it under it. So it would go skimmer, into the yellow foam, under that middle baffle, and then pass through the green foam. Foam is there to stop microbubbles. The manufacture made The middle baffle way way too short. You don't want that baffle to the top in case there's a blockage, water can still flow over the top and avoid a flood. But that baffle needs to be a solid 2" taller.

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I don't think the actual turnover or flow through the sump will change anything. Now if the return section or the section all the way on the right was 3" lower than the section on the left, and water was backing up because of the sponges, I'd agree. But it just appears to be a odd design on that middle baffle. I'd recommend against buying another sump. It appears to be a decent size, setup almost right, it just needs that middle baffle higher.

 

I'd recommend either leaving it as is, (though the baffles and sponges are doing nothing except maybe aging a little area for pods to hang out in) or taking a small piece of acrylic 2-3" tall and some Weldon 16 and raising that baffle. You'd have to pull water out of your sump to get the level a bit lower than the middle baffle, use the Weldon and wait about 12 hours. Maybe less. I've used it in much shorter time than that but it's my tank, I don't want you to do it in 2 hours and it affect your tank. Depending on your room temperature, you may not even need to move heaters to the display or anything especially if you do it when the display lights are off.

 

Edit, looking at the pics again, the skimmer looks like it's blowing microbubbles and it's definitely making it to the return pump. I'm assuming your display has a lot of micro bubbles?

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  • 4 weeks later...

The picture was when I just set everything up bubbles went went away after skimmer was running for couple of days and I added another pump. The baffles what did not understand with the foam I think I will make the center one taller so I can add little more water I have to add water every day I need auto top off thats my next diy project

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Like mentioned, those are more than likely in there for detritus traps, like a filter sock. It looks like an old school sump and the skimmer compartment use to be a bioball compartment, then the filters after that.

 

Get an ato! That is one of the can't do without items in this hobby. And get the largest reservoir you can fit as well. I wish i had a 100g reservoir.

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I personally use the Hydor Smart Level Controller.

 

Pros: Its been reliable and hasn't failed me in the past two years (knock on wood). Lets u know if your sump is overfilled, uses sensors instead of float switches. Lets you know if your reservoir is empty.

 

Cons: It doesn't come with pump and lines. Its designed to be used with a dosing pump. you can attach any other pump you want but it has to be very low on GHP or it will overflow your sump constantly. you can attach a small ball valve to help with this though. It will run your pump dry for a minute or two if your reservoir is empty before it kicks off an warns you that your reservoir is empty.

 

Only reason I would recommend it is because is hasn't failed on me.

 

I have been looking at the new Icecap ATO for a new tank build I'm doing. you can check it out yourself, it has some nice features. The Tunze Osmolator ATO is pretty popular too. I see it recommended a lot. they seem pricy but they come with everything including the pumps.

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I love the Smart ATO micro. I have 2 of them (1 around a year) and neither have ever failed. Only negative I can think of is that if the top off water gets low they will give a continuous beeping until powered off, then back on. It's a fail safe so it isn't really a negative thing.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I use E Fins (E-fins.com). Picked it up about a year ago @ Premium Aquatics. Nice price point & included a computer unit, solenoid valve, water level sensor, & dc pump. Only issue is that iwhen bumped the sensor wire, it messed up the level. Fix was duct taping wire over lip of sump.

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I'm part of the Tunze ato crowd. I habe the 3155 and the 3152 on a frag tank. Both have functioned flawlessly since I've had them. The 3155 is the larger one and has two types of control. The first is an led sensor much like the smart ato Alan has and it uses a backup float as well to cut it off in case that were to fail. I like this setup as I am able to put the backup float higher up to allow from the water that drains back when return goes off for feeding without getting an alarm every single time.

 

The 3152 only has a float, which still has done well for me. They both have a fairly loud alarm should you be too full.

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I love the Smart ATO micro. I have 2 of them (1 around a year) and neither have ever failed. Only negative I can think of is that if the top off water gets low they will give a continuous beeping until powered off, then back on. It's a fail safe so it isn't really a negative thing.

I use two smart ATO's. One on my main tank and one on my frag tank. Great units. They beep and shut off when you reservoir is out of water, they beep and shut off when it is adding more water than normal (for me that usually means my skimmer went nuts and is overfilling its resevoir), it also will beep and shut off if is not adding as much water as it normally does. Nice safety features for me at least. I do wish there was a reset button instead of having to unplug them.

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I replaced two hydor ato's with two smart ato micro's a year or so ago. I really like the micro.

 

So i have a couple used hydor's laying around. They worked fine but just didn't work well for me due to the 3/4" acrylic and the magnets that came with them.

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