Sump required?

[leheath]

I am setting up a 65 gallon tank with plenty of LR, 1-2" sand bed, decent skimmer, PC lighting (220-260W), heater and 2 powerheads. I was planning to just us a HOB skimmer (such as the Remora) and no sump. I want to keep some basic corals (leathers, green polyps, mushrooms etc) and reef safe fish. Do I really need a sump? The HOB overflows don't seem like the best idea, and a built-in, pre-drilled tank is much more expensive that a regular tank. Is a sump just really helpful for hiding equipment and adding extra water for stability, or are there other benefits I am unaware of?

Thanks in advance

 

[hdtran]

As you said, a sump helps keep unsightly equipment out of the way, and generally allows easier access for maintenance. Furthermore, it increases your total water volume, and the larger the amount of water, the better.

That said, I have a 120g tank, and I'm running without a sump. Everything is hang-on-back or hang-on-side. I have a plenum in my display, lots and lots of live substrate, 145# of live rock, a ton of hitchhiking critters, cleanup crew, an epicystis anemone, green star polyps (debatable whether it's briareum or pachyclavularia), and zoanthids (palythoa or protopalythoa). I also have a number of smallish fish (with the exception of the tang, which is growing fat), and will soon add a coral beauty angel and not-so-soon add a mandarin and tridacna.

If I were to do it again, I'd think a bit more seriously about a sump, but would probably not do it.

Hope this helps.

Hy

 

[hillbilly]

I have tanks with and without sumps. Maintenance is a lot easier on tanks with a sump. A tank is not that tough to drill, and most LFS stores will do it for you for a fee of $20-$30 a hole if you don't care to do it yourself.

 

[down&dirty]

Go ahead and get a sump. Pre-drill the tank at your LFS. It is cheap and worth every penny. I have kept both sump, and HOB tanks and the sump is the way to go. Don't skimp here or on the lights. The sump allows for easier maintanence and also provides a great place to run a refugium for macro alge and a quick stable place to put any corals or livestock that is getting beat up in the main tank. I am about to increase the size of my sump from 20 gallons to 50 gallons on a 75 gallon tank. Mainly because it will allow me to leave for a week or more without having to worry about my pump running dry. My sump also gives me a calm place to put frags while I try to decide what to do with them.

 

[fujianboy]

I have a corner tank and wish i had done the sump. Maintenance can be a bit tough with all the hang ons... Plus I would have a good amount of room to grow some macro algaes and help keep the nitrates lower.. unfortunately, since it's a corner tank, the cabinet's door is too small to add a tank below the tank right now... space is also limited around the tank. When i move, i'm definitely doing a sump. Want to offload all the equipment into the sump. It'll also be easier to drip freshwater into the sump and better visually. Right now I have the dripper on top of my tank. I take it down whenever guest come over. I've drilled holes in my tank myself. I purchased the diamond studed drill bits off of ebay. Cost me $20 and was fun to do. Of course, like the other said, if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, let the LFS do it.

 

[Anonymous]

I like the idea of keeping the display as natural looking as possible. That being said, I hide heaters, and skimmers in the sump which is totally behind closed doors (under the tank). I like the clean look. If someone is interested I open the doors... most people who come over don't care though.
~wings~