What size sump????

[allincuddy]

I am setting up a 120 gal. tank with 120-150 lbs of live rockand a 4" bed of sand, the tank will be filled (hopefully) with all kinds of different corals and only have maintenance fish and cleaners only.
My question is:
How big of a sump do you think I need, is a smaller sump, just to house pumps, skimmer and ca reactor with an overflow drain incase of power outage sufficient.
What would you do????
Smaller sump meaning 33 gal.
Please any adivce would be welcomed.
Thanks in advance.

[Doormatt]

As big as you can afford and fit in your stand.

The bigger the sump, the easier your chemistry is, and the slower bad things will happen.

[allincuddy]

Originally Posted by Doormatt

As big as you can afford and fit in your stand.

The bigger the sump, the easier your chemistry is, and the slower bad things will happen.

Well instead of making the sump bigger, I would rather add another tank to look at, but can you have a sump too small or does the size matter if you have a non fish reef system?
Thanks

[untamed]

If the sump is too small in relation to the water you are trying to push through it, you might run into trouble with bubbles getting pushed through into the tank.

That being said...the tank runs fine without a sump, so any sump is simply an increase in overall water volume, and a place to hide heaters, skimmers and whatever else you want to hide.

So I can't see there being any hard/fast rule about how large the sump needs to be...except to consider how much water you want to flow through it.

[mark]

I'm setting up a 145g display with 75g sump plus 33g refuguim.

Some of the reasons for 75g sump
-lots of room for heater and skimmer
-wanted a high water volume
-I'm sold on the DSB but only want 1/2" in display, I'll place the DSB in the ref and will try in sump also
-able large water changes
-move room for evap.

[allincuddy]

Thans everyone, I am use to freshwater and the concept is totally different.
Thanks again,
Mark

[Delphinus]

The other thing to take into account, other than the size vs. water flow thing, is that it needs to be able to hold the extra water volume that you'll get if the sump return pump turns off. Ie. the tank will always drain a little bit in that situation, so the sump needs to hold that volume without overflowing.

[allincuddy]

Thanks Tony.
Mark