critters in sumps??????

[aweeks95]

i built a 10g sump for my 15g tank......could i or should i put any hermit crabs in there? it will get no lighting other than any daylight that might go through a material cover i have on my stand. any other things i should put in there?

 

[brandon4291]

Hello! If you haven't already been welcomed, consider this a Texas one minus the lone star brew.

I'd be curious to know how you are plumbing and what kind of pumps/return system you are using to help decide what might be fun to include. For the most part people are using sumps to house mechanics, it's the refugiums they look to include animals and plants for various reasons...and there are sump/refugiums as well@! just wanted to know what angle you are shooting before we narrow it down.

Glad to have you on,

Brandon M>

 

[aweeks95]

i took a 10g tank and divided it...not quite in half, but for all intents and purposes....in half. on one side, where i have to over flow box drain to, i have about 7 pounds of live rock (i will be adding a few more pounds soon). then i have two dividers. one that is about 3"high and goes from the bottom of the tank...up and then about 3" after that i have a taller divider that is about 2" off the bottom of the tank. between the divders i have a sponge filter to grab ahold of the large stuff. on the other side of the tank i have my return pump heater and a backpack CPR skimmer.

lastnight i found what i think is an emerald crab in the live rock as a hitch hiker. also some glass enemones for which i just baught a peppermint shrimp to try to rid me of these.

so i was just thinking about trying to keep some live stock down there to help keep it cleaner...like the shrimp maybe, but if he eats all my enemones i might try to get him to my main tank, i'm not sure yet. i'm not worried about snails for i have no light to grow algae, but other things to eat the larger things that don't quite make it to to sponge.

thanks for the interest....

 

[aweeks95]

 

[Anonymous]

If it were *me*, I'd yank the sponge and maybe place more rock in its place
if you're concerned about microbubbles shooting into the main tank that is..

Or heck, just because more rock is almost always a good thing!

Also, some folks might give you a hard time about big pics like that too..
If you need a hand figuring out how to reduce them just say the word.

As far as what to add...... - I wouldn't sweat it.. - Rock is good..
If you had lighting I'd say some macros, but in absence of light you'll
probably eventually wind up with some really nice sponge growths over time..