OneReef

The Sump:


I chose as my sump the Eshopps RS-200. It is 30x12x16.

There are a few reasons that I went with this one. It is a simple design, just having a drain section with filter socks, a skimmer section, and a return section. I wanted to keep things simple and easy to clean. I did not need a refugium since I am going to be running biopellets in a reactor. (More on biopellets in a later post) But it is my opinion that a small refugium does not make a big enough impact on a large tank to be worth the effort of having it. Biopellets make a much more profound impact. More on that later, but just sharing why I chose a sump without refugium space. I wanted to go with a 36" sump for more room, but I needed to leave some space in my stand for my Ca reactor and 5lb CO2 tank. As well as probably having to build a shelf in the stand for a topoff resovoir to sit on. Since the tank is sitting in the wall alcove, everything relating to the tank has to fit in the stand. No way for anything to sit next to it.

I tend to be OCD about my tank and equipment when it comes to keeping everything clean. I like to vaccuum out detritus from the sump, and scrape it down, and the simple design of the Eshopps sump makes it very easy to work in. I have had Eshopps sumps in the past and they are good quality and design, and I have always been happy with them. I prefer acrylic sumps over glass sumps, since glass can more easily be cracked if you need to drill it, and I have had problems in the past with siliconed in baffles on glass coming loose or leaking. The dividers in an acrylic sump are welded in and solid.

I have chosen to run an internal return pump for space savings and also found them to be quieter than external. I have had both internal and external pumps, and both are good in my opinion, but I just choose to go internal this time.

So, my sump contents will include:

1. filter socks
2. return pump
3. skimmer
4. heater
5. ground probe
6. pump for Ca reactor
7. pump for biopellet reactor
8. ph probe

Here is the Eshopps RS-200: (Sorry, it is still in the box...)





Eshopps has changed the design of their sumps, and I guess that I received the new model. It has two 1" drains that feed into 2 filter socks. These filter socks are different, as they have rectangular openings, and these rectangle plastic tops slide into little acrylic shelves that hold them. Very nice setup. I have a 1 1/2" drain line that I will probably split off into two 1" drains right at the sump, so that I can take advantage of the dual sock system.


Here is a picture of one of the socks and where they slide into place:







Return Pump:


For my internal return pump, I am going to be using an Eheim 1262.

The specs are as follows:
•Pump Output: 900 gph
•Delivery Head: 11`6"
•Power Consumption: 80 W (120V/60Hz)
•Hose Connection (Suction Side): 1"
•Hose Connection (Pressure Side): 3/4"
•Dimensions: 8.6" x 4.6" x 6.3"
•Weight: 5.7 lbs


I chose the Eheim since it is a top quality pump, and is really quiet, moreso than other pumps such as a Mag Drive. I have had experience with several Eheims in the past and have always been happy with them. I have also found that the Eheim is more powerful than its competitors with similar gph #'s, and it not losing as much power due to headloss than others. The only mod that I may make to it will be to add some silicone drops ("feet") around the bottom of the pump to have something soft for it to sit on to make it even quieter. I will be using PVC hard plumbed into the pump, with a union and ball valve in the PVC near the pump to make removal for cleaning a snap. Eheims are a little more costly than other pumps, but I think it is worth it for the quiet running, power, and reliability (3 year warranty).