What is a sump tank and would i need it.

SeaSerpant

hi i'm thinking of starting a saltwater aquarium in a few years so i need all the help i can. At a shop near by me they have a 10 gallon saltwater aquarium. if i were to start a 10 gallon tank would i need a sump. (i don't know what it is so i need to know that so i can know if i need it) i'll need some more help so you can go to this post http://fishforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=12113

fish_4_all

A sump is simply another tank that is used as your filter. I do not know if you will need one for a 10 gallon but I would suggest getting a larger tank if you want to do much with a salt tank. This goes for most fish keeping also, the bigger the tank the easier it can be to maintain it at proper levels.

MattD

A sump/refugium refers to a water processing area. It cleans the water in a natural, superior fashion compared to filters. It is usually stocked with chaetomorpha, live rock, live sand, and critters to clean the sump.

In my opinion, regardless of how small a tank is, a refugium is essential. It truly is a benefit to the setup and will prevent many problems and headaches in the future - particularly in the way of water quality. I have one setup for my 8 gallon, I would do one for sure for a 10 gallon.

SeaSerpant

ya i know. I read your posts on your nanocube. if i could get the nitty gritty details from you i can do it the same way as you. I wanted actually to do an 8g nanocube. So if you can post the way you did yours and it turns out good you can help me!

caferacermike

If it was me, I'd run a 75g sump with a 10g display.

I actually saw this once and it was awesome.

SeaSerpant

That would be crazy but it would keep your levels good.

Age of Aquariums

lol. Thats what I was going to do with my 125g, I found a 300g sump on eBay. :D

SeaSerpant

that would be very.. um interesting. what are in each compartment of the sump?

SKAustin

I agree whole heartedly. And why not. The sump/fuge is where the interesting stuff grows.