Converting from cannister to sump

[theblob]

Hi all,

I have a 3ft tank running on a cannister filter...something which i regret very much... as now my nitrate is through the roof and corals are dying.... .

So decided to bite the bullet and convert to a sump. So i will be obtaining a overflow box (as me tank is not drilled) and a return pump. I got me sump for free at Irwana (Many thanks again!).

My qns is will i need to cycle the tank all over again as i already got LS inside. Or i just do up the sump (DSB and stuffs) and on the pump? Do i need to leave my filter on concurrently?

thanks

[JuzzMarine]

First of all i need some info.

1. How much LR do you have?

2. What's your bio load now?

3. How long have you use your canister?

I assume you want a refugium in your sump? You don't need to cycle your sump, but be prepare to have PL or T5 for growing of macro algae in refugium.

Before you do the switch, pls provide the above info.

[jc85]

My experience: I change from cannister to sump in a day. Just make sure that you have all your overflow and piping checked and confim working before the switch.

Cheers

JC

[giantbicycle]

a day?? whao..i got my change for 4days..

[madmac]

I use 2 cannister filters for my 3 feet. Question for those using a sump is.... do you clean the sump at all? I take each cannister apart every alternating month.... but does using a sump mean that it does not need cleaning as regularly as have a cannister. Clearly there are lots of advantages when using a sump, like adding suppliments, etc.. and cleaning the wool... otherwise it still needs regularly cleaning, no?

So far I have managed to keep NO2, NO3 at near zero levels... could I have missed something out... what other benefits are there for sump adoption in reef keeping?

thanks a million

mm

[jc85]

a day?? whao..i got my change for 4days..

The switch takes a day but preparation took me weeks.....

[minsmarine]

Well, I used cannister filter and had NO3 problem. However, it's not caused by cannister filter ( IMO ). I would believe more on lighting and feeding , live stock.

My tank is 3' and over feed , light and stocked. What do you expect in this. Of course within 3 month my NO3 shot up. Massive water change 3 time ( 75% each time ) reduced to 2PPM.

Installed 2' sump ( still using cannister filter cause UGF ) to ease the situation. Within 1 day I finished everything. Just prepare the water, piping and switch on the pump.

So far my NO3 is going up slowly. Seem like need to change water every alternate week.

So adding additional sump is just slowing down my NO3 problem. Becuase my tank is over stocked , feed and light.

In black out time, to help my live stock, I circulate water using my hand.......

So , no over stock, no NO3 IME

[theblob]

hmm..

for me, My LS includes

1 X snowflake moray

1 x whitetail Trigger

1 x blue spot puffer

1 x boxer shrimp (amazing survivor in a predator tank)

1 x yellow wrasse

1 x anemone

misc: tube worms, and some softies

I dun think my tank is overstocked. But i admit i do go overboard when it is feeding time...

my NO3 shoot up to 100PPM leading to the death of my hammer, fungia (i think)

so i will be adding a sump to my tank.

My plans so far will be to finish up the piping + overflow + return pump. Will concurrently run the cannister and sump for 1-2 weeks. In between will slowly remove the bioball and rings inside the cannister. until my cannister consist of just the foam.

how abt that?

cheers

[minsmarine]

Oh definately your tank is not overstocked. I have about 7 big fishs don't let tang police know.

However, I have only foam in cannister and nothing else. And I still run cannister concurrently, so I have both.

Clean only once in 3 months cannister as well

You hammer dead should be related to other. All my hammer are growing even NO3 crossed 100 point ( b4 changed water lar )

Some part of hammer died due to touching so much by my hand or starfish or snail. ( May be for you as well )

Just my 2 cents

[giantbicycle]

The switch takes a day but preparation took me weeks.....

yar..

[weishun]

For me i would just play safe and cycle the tank from scratch. I will place all my LS in my hospital tank and just recycly whole tank. My tank now is also recycling cos i also just upgraded my tank from a canister system to a sump system. Sian.. have to wait 1 more mth.

[Domino]

I upgraded from canister to sump. I cycled the sump seperately for two weeks as I was using sand from the sea for my DSB. As parameters were all OK, I just conected it.

If you ave a refugium instead, just let it run for a few days, test to make sure the chemistries are Ok and similay between the tank and the sump and them hook it up.

There is absolutely no need to cycle the whole system from scratch IMO. this only leads to more stress for the eco system and the LS