Help Setting Up Sump

[Kevlar-0986]

Hey everyone I'm fairly new to the hobby and just purchased a Neo Nano tank by Deep Sea Aquatics. But i have no info on how to setup the sump heres a picture of the sump. I plan to buy a Skimmer at some point. Any detailed advice would be greatly appreciated. Whats the best way to configure it and where to put things. Thanks for your help in advance.

[Enigma]

Is the tank drilled? Is any plumbing included? How big is the sump and it's compartments?

[Kevlar-0986]

Here's the specs of the tank and sump:

Specs:

Tank
34 Gallon Neo Nano Aquarium from Deep Sea Aquatics - Official Web site
* 24" x 24" x 14"
* Dual 3" x 3" overflow boxes
* 2 1" bulkhead drains
* “Cascade" return system

Stand

* 25" x 25" x 32"

Sump

* 18" x 18" x 18"

[tang daddy]

Well from the pic the skimmer would be on the right side and the return pump on the left, basically the taller chamber has the skimmer and the shorter chamber the return pump. You may want to remove the sponge filter as it wi be a nitrate pit, the heater can go in the skimmer chamber.

[Enigma]

I haven't been able to find any schematics for this system. I'm going to assume it is drilled.

You may like to purchase a filter sock hanger. That would be used in the taller chamber, along with the skimmer. You want the skimmer to be in the first chamber to limit the number of micro bubbles that make it into your display.

If you're going to be using any fluid reactors, put the pump for those in the shorter chamber: along with the return pump. Those don't generate a lot of micro bubbles, and the TLF ones can hang on the side of the sump.

If you get tight on space (and you most likely will) you can probably slip your heater(s) into the space between the two baffles.

Edit: just noticed that you indicate overflow boxes. Put in a dual filter sock hanger, and run the drains into filter socks to filter out crud.

[intarsiabox]

Originally Posted by tang daddy

You may want to remove the sponge filter as it wi be a nitrate pit

While this is true if not cleaned very often, the sump design does little to get rid of micro bubbles from the skimmer without the foam or something else in the small middle chamber. A better alternative may be to fill it with rock rubble instead of the sponge material, it will help trap bubbles and provide a home for more nitrifying bacteria.

[Borderjumper]

I havent put a skimmer in mine yet. I needed an instant cycle, so I pretty much filled the sump with live rock. The intention was to remove the rock and put a skimmer in, after the tank was stable. Its running so well as is I think I may just keep it skimmerless.

If your using a skimmer, the chamber on the left may be too shallow? Ive got mine slightly overfilled to cover all the rock and its still shallow!

Whatever side you decide to use I dont think micro bubbles are an issue, the waterfall pretty much takes care of those.