Need opinions on this sump set up Please

[marciemp]

Right now we have a canister filter that is not working very well and is very hard to clean out. I want to add a sump but do not have much time to research and work out a system. Found this one on Ebay and it seems to have everything we need.

300 Gallon Aquarium Sump Refugium NEW - (eBay item 110200008700 end time Dec-05-07 08:06:09 PST)

Our tank is a 92 gallon corner tank that has been running for 1 year. Does this seem like a decent set up? It is made for a 300 gallon tank, would this be too big for our tank? There is also one for a 150 gallon but I figured the bigger the better? Is there anything in the set up that you would recommend upgrading? Would this be a definite improvement from the canister filter and aquaC remora hang on protein skimmer? We would be doing a refugium in the sump, and replacing the bio balls with rock.
Thank you,
Marcie

[kwirky]

for $300 plus $90 shipping to canada I don't know... doesn't look like a very good deal. You could buy a little 20 or 33g tank for $20-30, buy that tank adapter (for the drilled hole) for about $15 or less and buy a half decent euroreef skimmer or the likes used off the forums with the rest of the money. Then you'll have something much better than that package.

If you don't have a whole lot of time then the expertise of the LFS is a good bet. Here's a thread on LFS's in the calgary area. Appears that the better ones were mentioned:

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=37265

[Doug]

Welcome to Canreef


I have to agree with Kwirky. Although its not a bad looking set up, there should be something local. Also drilling your tank is a better option, but if not possible, you need a reliable overflow. I have never used one, but the best seems to be the Lifereef overflows.

[calkrog]

since you're in cowtown, go check out wais. he has a couple of nice sumps right now. very nice setup.

[findingnemo1]

O god NO

That is who we bought our first sump from...The skimmer never worked...Still in a box
There customer service sucks. They will say it was all your fault if a part is missing...And there pumps are garbage....

Its actually just a spin off name of the actual company. They have about 10 stores on Ebay under different names.



Not a good deal.

Lisa

[marciemp]

We have looked at the local shops. The sumps at Wai's is EXTREMELY expensive. For one to for the size of our tank he told us over $2000, which is compeletly out of the question. The biggest problem with trying to put together a system is we have no time. We have a 4 year old and 2 year old twins who are pretty much too much to handle right now. We can't even drive around to the LFS anymore as it is just not practical to take a preschooler and 2 toddlers into any of them, and I have the feeling that the LFS would just as soon not have our business, even though the kids are good, two 2 year olds are always very intrusive in a store like that. We don't have much time without them, and I need hubby along for the decisions so I can't go alone. All (except one) of the LFS are at least 40 minutes from us, as we are in the far SW.

We have been looking for a sump set up for months but I have no time to figure out what size pumps , what type of protein skimmer, what overflow, it all seems very complicated to me. I am usually very handy and with it and have no problems figuring things out, but all of this SW fish stuff just can't get into my brain right now...GPH, head height, angles, all of the abbreviations, just to much for my mommy brain!

What I need is a system, something where the pumps are there, or at least I am told what they need to be (type, GPH...). And What protein skimmer, brand, size, where to get it. See I am NEEDY! And I don't have time to buy a tank, drill a hole, glue in baffles, I can't even imagine the disaster in our house when the twins get ahold of the glue (and trust me, no matter where I put it, they will get it, as is my life right now!)

Is it WAAAYY better to have a drilled overflow, and what is the reason? We have a 72 gallon tank that was our first tank, and I guess we could relocate the fish to that tank temporarily. How, or who do you get to drill a tank, and what kids of overflow do you buy then? Is there a big risk of the tank breaking when it's being drilled? How do I know if the glass is the right kind to be drilled. We were talking about tearing down the tank to start over with the rock in a different formation anyways.

I have been going to a couple of the bigger American forums but I never get an answer there, just found this site, I have hopes that friendly Canadians can help me out more!

Does anyone know someone in Calgary who we could hire to help us out with this? It would be very helpful to have someone to drill the tank and set up the plumbing as well as help us out with what to buy. Maybe I'll make a post in the Calgary forum but any help here would be greatly appreciated. And sorry if I sounded all "poor me" about the kids, they are just a lot to handle right now, they bring new meaning to terrible two's.

Thanks so much for the help and opinions
Marcie