purpose of a sump???

First topic message reminder :

What exactly is the purpose of a sump... I have a 60 Gal SW tank... do i need a sump... I have an extra 20 gal or 10 gal tank.. should i set one up under my tank? I mean i have a filter made for a 100 G and a very good protien skimmer... just never really thought about what they are for....
i hear it's mostly for salt water, but fresh water also??
Let 'er rip.... also what would i need for a slump and setting on up, besides another small tank..

all of the above!
sand,cheato LR rubble anything

wildbeanerz wrote:

So what all do you put in a HOB fuge while we are on the topic?

Rubble, chaeto, do you put some live sand in there?

I used live sand on the bottom then some small pieces of live rock
and a handful of cheato. its a super simple way to add live foods to your tank
and help with nutrient export as the water from your tank passes through the
cheato in the fuge then back into your DT. it takes about 30mins to hook one up
once you have your fuge,sand,rock and cheato.

Sumps have many many many uses; hide equipment, wet dry filtration, refugium, added water volume, the list goes on.

You could have just about any size sump on the tank that you like, for salt it is a great place to hide all of the various equipment so keep that in mind when selecting your size. In all actuality you could use a larger aquaclear filter as a very basic refugium, a rock and some macro algae and a light and you have a nice home for the little bugs.

If you want your sump can even be larger than your tank, I have a 360g sump on a 240g fw tank

mine had sand some rubble and chaeto in it.

How much light do they need? What spectrum?

Get one of those clip on reflector fixture things from walmart, pop in a cfl plant bulb. Done.

I use the little pc light thats made for it only because the hob was in my living room and hanging on the end of my tank I wanted it to not only be functional but look nice.
like pope said you can go with the clip on too.
this is what mine looked like

Wait... why are you running a hob fuge on a 180?

popebosephus wrote:

Wait... why are you running a hob fuge on a 180?

I'm not. I started with small non RR tanks and thats what I used on both 55's and my 29.
I think I posted pics of the sump/fuge on the 180.

You did, sorry I got confused.

popebosephus wrote:

You did, sorry I got confused.

nothing to be sorry about lol there on pg 2 of this thread.

Do you have to have a light on a hob fuge Cindy?