Sump tanks are necessary for those worried about keeping their saltwater fish alive and healthy. If you have your heart set on a marine aquarium, it’s important to get the Best Reef Sumps to keep the water clean and fresh.
Comparison Table – Best Reef Sumps
 Top Top | 5/5 STARS (2 reviews) | Pro Clear Aquatic Systems Red Flex 4-in-1 200 Gallon | Prime | View on AMAZON | |
 Top Top | 4/5 STARS | Eshopps AEO14015 Reef Sumps Rs-300 for Aquarium Tanks | Prime | View on AMAZON | |
Top Top Top | No reviews yet | IceCap 30 Reef Sump | Prime | View on AMAZON | |
 Top Top | 4.3/5 STARS | CPR Aqua Fuge Medium Refugium w pump | Prime | View on AMAZON | |
 Top Top | 4.1/5 STARS | Fiji Cube Fiji-20 Advanced Reef Sump 2nd Gen | Prime | View on AMAZON | |
 Top Top | 4.3/5 STARS | Bubblefin Aquarium Sump Refugium DIY Kit for Protein Skimmer Sump - Chamber dividers (20 Gallon Long) | PrimeEligible | View on AMAZON |
There are many reef sinkholes on the market. Finding the right one can a challenge, but we’ve put together this short guide to make the process as easy as possible.
A sump is the life support system of a healthy seawater aquarium. Some hobbyists may start with a filter canister and stick to the rear gear, but modern saltwater aquarists choose to use a catch basin for many beneficial reasons.
Benefits
Seawater aquariums are made of durable acrylic and contain all the space needed to house mechanical, chemical and biological filtering equipment. Most manufacturers offer a range of products suitable for beginners and advanced hobbyists, giving all aquarists the option to install a sump.
The sinks fit under the main screen, allowing all your equipment and cables like your heater to be tucked away, creating a clutter-free display tank. An advantage of using sumps is the increased water volume, which helps improve gas exchange and oxygenates the water.
Today, let’s talk about what an aquarium crate is, what a shelter is, then the Best Reef Sumps available to buy with ease.
What Is a Reef Sump?
A reef sump is a container that goes behind or under an aquarium. It holds the water and gives you a place to store the equipment the system needs.
A reef crate can be made from acrylic and glass, food-safe plastics or feed troughs. The chosen material depends on how much available space you have.
You usually need a glass or acrylic tank if the sump has to go under the aquarium. If the sump is in the basement or has a lot of space, storage tanks are suitable. The type of container and the receptacle must be taken into account.
Best reef sumps benefits
It helps to know the many benefits of a sump to understand why you need a catcher.
Contamination in the tank can accumulate in the water. Having a container increases the total water volume and slows down that problem. The container also skims over the water surface, giving your tank clear water.
Sinks can also lower the water temperature by up to two degrees Fahrenheit, providing an environment for your reefs to thrive and grow.
A tank can benefit from a sump as it’s a place for your equipment to hide out of view. This means the protein skimmers, heaters and monitoring probes won’t be filling up the empty space of your display tank anymore.
Most aquariums require additives to help the water. You can pour the additives directly into the receptacle. This allows the chemicals and RO / DI water to be mixed well before entering the tank.
Best Sumps for Your Reef Tank
We’ve put together a list of the ten best reef sumps for your reef tank below, to help make the best-informed decision for your tank.
Best Reef Sump Reviews
1. Pro Clear Aquatic Systems Freedom Reef Sump
The Pro Clear Aquatic Systems Reef Sump is available in four sizes: 100, 200, 300 and 400 gallons. It’s designed to work well in saltwater systems. An easy-to-use tank that is inexpensive to maintain.
It includes dual inlet ports for efficiency and also has muffler tubes that eliminate bubbles and suppress noise. This sump diffuses the flow of water to prevent debris from passing through.
The Pro Clear Aquatic Reef Sump also has water retention with a foam block on the back, helping remove bubbles before the water goes to the return pump.
The receptacle also comes with wire clamps, a probe holder and a dispenser holder. The crankcase also has bulkhead couplings, flexible hoses, and 4-inch Micron bags.
All consumers who have tried this product have been raving about its effectiveness. However, the upper chambers may be slightly wider.
Benefits
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive to maintain
- Available in multiple sizes
Cons
- Upper chambers may be wider
2. Eshopps RS-75 Reef Sump
The Eshopps RS-75 Reef Sump is suitable for tanks up to 75 liters. The dimensions are 45 x 30 x 40 cm. The return pocket is 3.5 “x9.5” and the Skimmer compartment is 8 “x9.5”.
This reef crate offers plenty of room in the sump area to store your gear. The kit can include pumps, skimmers and other devices for your aquarium. It also has a prefilter sponge that keeps air bubbles and debris out of the pump.
This collector has an open-top design, making it easy to access for maintenance. The Micron bag is also easy to remove.
The Eshopps Sump is suitable for reef and seawater aquariums. Each sump has a lid, 1-inch baffle, square foam, 300 micron bag, and 90 cm flexible hose.
Many consumers claim that this product is suitable.
Benefits
- Lots of space
- Open-top design, easy for maintenance access
Cons
- None that we can see
3. IceCap 48XL Reef Sump
The IceCap 48XL Reef Sump is made for today’s reef aquarist, designed to meet all your needs and measures 48 “x23.5” x16 “in length.
The sump is well suited for 300 gallon tanks.
Includes a 2.5 cm double drain and two 10 cm filter sock holders. The fresh water tank holds 15 liters of water and has a 24 “x14.8” skimmer section.
This collection has a practical design with much attention to detail, giving your home and tank setup a more aesthetic appeal.
The modern catcher has a spill design and compartment covers. It is very quiet while running and includes adjustable baffles and probe holders to meet your filtration needs.
Benefits
- Aesthetic appeal
- Quiet
- Contains compartment covers
Cons
- None that we can see
4. Windridercreations 50 Gal Refugium-Sump
The Windridercreations 50 Gal Refugium-Sump includes two pairs of socks and measures 45 “x15” x15 “in height. It also has four chambers, designed with a 50 gallon sump and offers a wet-dry aquarium filter function.
The inlet chamber is 20 inches, allowing for large sock and skimmer options. The escape room is 18 “and contains a 10” wall. The third chamber contains a 10 cm media label track.
The return chamber is 15 cm wide. It is designed to fit most internal sump pumps.
Many consumers are happy with the product and claim that it works very well. They also say that the finish is beautiful.
Benefits
- Offers a wet-dry filter function
- Contains 4 chambers
- Aesthetic appeal
Cons
- None that we can see
5. Trigger Systems
Trigger Systems is an American manufacturer of filter basins, automatic filling and dosing systems (ATO).
Acrylic sinks are assembled by hand using high quality acrylic and precision welding methods.
Sumps from Trigger Systems have rounded corners that increase the strength of the seam and have a variety of color options (ruby, sapphire, crystal, emerald and amethyst) look great under the reef aquarium.
The collection box has adjustable partitions, making the collection box easier to function as a shelter. The height of the water in the skimmer area can be adjusted. You can use filter socks or foam filter blocks to remove particles.
Trigger Systems‘ sump trays are pre-drilled to add an automatic filling system.
These collectors are available in a wide range of sizes, from the tiny 18 â€bucket to the monstrous 44†Triton collector.
Benefits
- Variety of size and color options
- Quiet
- Increased seam strength
Cons
- None that we can see
6. CPR AquaFuge2 Hang-On Refugium
The CPR AquaFuge 2 Hang-On Refugium provides an isolated safe zone for live foods such as copepods and amphipods to feed SPS and LPS corals along with fish in the reef tank.
With the optional LED light you can grow macroalgae in the hanging drain. The internal baffle system prevents sand and live food from being flushed out of the chamber.
The shelter comes with a Rio submersible pump, making it a plug and play setup. The AquaFuge 2 is available in three sizes.
Small: 33 x 4.5 x 30 cm
Medium: 48 x 4.5 x 30 cm
Large: 25 “x 4.5″ x 12 ”
Benefits
- Includes water pump
- Various sizes
Cons
- LED light not included.
7. Aqueon ProFlex Sump
The Aqueon ProFlex Sump contains three-chamber modular bins, which means you can adjust the configuration in a number of different ways.
The basic sump design uses two 200 micron filter socks in the first chamber of the sump.
Incoming water flows through the socks to remove particles. The modular design allows you to install an optional wet-dry biological container that contains plastic bio-media. You will need to purchase the rack as an additional component and provide your own bio media. Reef aquarists don’t normally use wet-dry but if you want one, it’s available.
For a Berlin filter, place an internal protein skimmer in the second collection chamber and pump again into the third. It’s easy to add shelter to the third room. Just add rock debris and macro algae along with a small LED light. The ProFlex collector comes in four sizes.
Small – ProFlex 1: Holds 44-55 Gallons – Size: 21 “x 18″ x 11 ”
Medium – ProFlex 2: Holds 55-75 gallons – Size: 30.9 “X 11″ X 19 ”
Large – ProFlex 3: Holds 65-110 Gallons – Size: 26.3 “x 17.4″ x 14.8 ”
Extra-large – ProFlex 4: Holds 120-210 gallons – Size: 36.9 “x 19″ x 14.8 ”
Benefits
- Modular design
- Quiet
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Many sizes
Cons
- Packaging has occasionally resulted in damaged panels
8. Fiji Cube Sump Kit – A Great Do It Yourself Sump Kit
We’re a huge fan of building your own catcher and this DIY shelter and shelter kit from Fiji Cube provides with a high-quality shelter kit.
Fiji Cube kits are inexpensive, and are designed for a 20 or 40 gallon aquarium. A 40 gallon set fits all medium sized aquariums and is easily adjustable to set up as a traditional sump + drain setup or as a triton setup.
It has a three filter sock design, but are unfortunately not designed for larger tanks.
Benefits
- DIY kit
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Only 20 and 40 gallon sets available
- No drain baffles
9. Bubblefin DIY Sump – A Cheap Sump Option
The Bubblefin DIY Sump Kit is a cheaper option. It comes with the acrylic plates to get you started. You can compose your crate arrangement according to your own preferences.
It’s a full base kit with just bulkheads, but many DIYers love this option because they can build whatever they want.
The price of this kit is the most affordable when compared with buying one already made, or making one from scratch.
This kit is missing a pipe bracket or bulkhead, but can be bought through other online providers.
Benefits
- Cheapest option
- Configure the catcher to your preferences
Cons
- Missing pieces
10. Refugium, Marine Aquarium Filter, 40 Gallon Sump
The Refugium Marine Aquarium Filter is a 40 gallon catch basin measuring 40 “x15” x15 “. It includes dual 1” baffles with sock damper chamber and also has interchangeable plates for different sizes of socks.
This reef sump has an adjustable water port with an adjustment range of 5 to 10 inches. The return chamber measures 15 x 15 cm and contains four holes for the water pipe with power cables.
This product is manufactured from all laser cut parts. All parts are also ¼ â€molded material.
Unique to this product is that you can choose your own color. You must send a message to the seller to indicate whether you want blue, black, or red. However, the body is black and the partitions are white.
The product is designed for seawater aquariums, but you can also use it for freshwater tanks. You do not need to drill holes to use this product.
Many consumers have rated this product with five stars. Everyone says the quality is excellent.
Pros
- Custom colors
- Can be used for seawater and freshwater tanks
- Good quality
Cons
- None that we can see
What to Put in Reef Sump?
Here are a few options as to what to put in your reef sump.
Some aquarists only use it to store their heater, skimmer and return pump, whereas others add more, such as sand and living organisms.
It’s recommended to put about four inches of sand on the bottom of your sump and include macroalgae to clean the tank in between water changes.
Aquarists may place Chaetomorpha in the tank as it reduces nitrates in the water, and live rock is useful for providing shelter for organisms.
How to Setup a Reef Sump?
Most of the sumps we have previously listed should have a ‘how to’ in instructing how to set it up. However, we’ve also included a few tips and tricks to be aware of here.
Make sure you have bought a sump for your tank size, the sump should be around two inches shorter than your tank.
If you have older equipment to use with your new catcher, thoughly rinse and clean them before use.
You may want to put foam under your sump to avoid pressure points that could cause malfunction and depending on the connections, you may need to drill holes in the bracket.
Once the sump is in place you will need to install the Kent valve and connect the RO / DI function. Now you can add water to your aquarium.
When the filling container is full, you can close the ball valve on the RO / DI unit. You can open the ball valve the next time you refill the compartment. If you choose the filling container, it should meet the needs of your tank for 48 hours.
Filling only takes 45 minutes. It is recommended not to leave your RO / DI unit on all the time. It only has to work about four hours a week.
The RO / DI unit keeps the filling section full. When the aquarium needs water, the float sensor is activated.
The fill pump adds more RO / DI water to the skimmer section. This step replenishes the evaporated water.
You need to connect the device and sensor in the return section of your tank. It can be secured with cable ties.
Final Thoughts – Best Reef Sumps
Finding the Best Reef Sumps is essential as without the sump, your tank can suffer from dirty water, algae problems and other problems.
Saltwater aquariums can be slightly difficult to maintain simply because it can be confusing. However, as long as you know your tank size and what you need, you can find the right reef sump for your needs.
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