Bad Boy Sump

[MattTheFish]

HI, this question has a couple of parts to it, so be ready :lol: . I am thinking of eventualy setting up a 10g sump. I was wondering if i put a Mantis shrimp in there are there any Aggressive fish maybe a small lion fish that can go in there with it, if not can a couple of mantis shrimp go in one sump? what other fish can go in a sump? Would it be ok if it was a glass tank? If it makes any difference would a mantis shrimp and maybe a small lion fish or any other fish fit in a regular 15g tall tank by themselfs, but that means i would have to take my clown and seahorse raising tank which i am soon to have and put them in the sump would that work? Any way, i am probaly going to put a divider between the baby clowns and 2 seahorses, but besides that are there any other fish that can hang out with seahorses?
I am very confused with all these questions, please Help!
Thanks

[MattTheFish]

oh and will a small angler beable to go in a 10g sump. Can a mantis shrimp stay in it with him?

[Doctor_Reef]

Mantis shrimp will not survive with predator fish like lions....and anglers...They are no match for those kinds of fish...and the ones that they can match up with they can kill!!!!
If you want a mantis tank do just a mantis tank...If you want a horse tank do just a horse tank if you want a community tank do a community tank but you can not mix them up with out paying a price!!!!

Leave your sump for sump duty not for tank duty.....

[Reefnut Shop]

To add to it, clownfish larvae (and seahorses for that matter) are very delicate and would have 0 chance of surviving in a sump. It also may be difficult enough to be successful having a separate tank and dividing it into a larval rearing side/seahorse side, etc.

IMO, no fish belong in a sump.

[tim_coville_]

The benefits of a sump is increase your total water volume, have better filtation and to clean you "show" display, and have a safe area for pods to grows and populate your tank (IMO the most important part of a sump/refugium, by putting any fish in the sump/refugium your defeating the purpose of having one...

matt you seem to be anxious to get more fish....you've been making a lot of threads lately to figure a way into fitting more in your tank...why dont you upgrade?

[FishinInTheDark]

Good advice, Tim.

[MattTheFish]

I am going to a 55g. in a couple months and am going use my 15g to raise baby clowns and hopefully some seahorses, (Which i am getting for no price From my friend who breeds them) but i heard things about people putting mantis shrimps, puffers, triggers and aggressive fish in there sumps.Ok so what your telling me is i shouldnt put even a small angler in it? If not can I at least put like one of two mantis shrimp in it. Sorry if the posts get a little repedative, im just new to getting advice online.

[MattTheFish]

Oh, and this might sound a little stupid, but whats the difference between a sump and Refugeim?
Thanks

[Reefnut Shop]

I am going to a 55g. in a couple months and am going use my 15g to raise baby clowns and hopefully some seahorses, (Which i am getting for no price From my friend who breeds them) but i heard things about people putting mantis shrimps, puffers, triggers and aggressive fish in there sumps.Ok so what your telling me is i shouldnt put even a small angler in it? If not can I at least put like one of two mantis shrimp in it. Sorry if the posts get a little repedative, im just new to getting advice online.

I think the term of sump and refugium are being mixed together here, and it is solidified by your next question! It is not dumb though, many people utilize either word which can make it confusing for beginners.

A "sump" is generally a bare tank sectioned off to hold equipment, normally below the tank. It's purpose has been touched on previously, essentially an area to move bulky equipment out of the display tank, add water volume, etc. With all the equipment, these are rarely visible like the display tank (since hiding equipment is part of the point!) and thus I would not recommend any fish or invertebrate be placed in them. Some people put nuisance crabs in them over killing them, but this is still not for the benefit of viewing them (more like for mercy).

A refugium on the other hand has become part of the display system for many people. The purpose varies depending on the need of the aquarist. It can vary from a similar benefit of increased water volume, yet it also is an area where macro algae or other forms are kept to bind up nutrients and later harvested to remove said nutrients from the system. Another major benefit is that the area is free of predators, and key life forms such as amphipods, copepods, etc. are able to breed and flourish...and keep a steady population of the beneficial grazers since most of our fish in the hobby eat them. These could theoretically hold some livestock...but it may defeat some of the benefits mentioned.

Finally, there are some hybrids in which people section off an area in the sump and make a small refugium area to have the best of both worlds so to speak.

IMO, I would would not stock either with any livestock. Instead, if you want..say...a mantis tank, set up a dedicated tank that meets their needs over squeezing them into any available water space in your existing system. I believe in the long run this would be the most successful.

[Reefnut Shop]

Sump
http://www.reefnut.com/Images/DIYskimmer/sump.jpg


Refugium before macro (and used as a safe area for two foster fish)
http://www.reefnut.com/Images/Fuge/Fuge.jpg

Methods may vary but this is a general idea.

[Doctor_Reef]

Here is a pic of my refugium and sump....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v406/RLeversee/300Gal/RS041905.jpg

[MattTheFish]

oh, thanks you sooooo much i now understand better.