- I'm Thomas and this is the tiniest,
most feature-rich little sump I have ever held,
very easily, I might add, in my hand.
Singular, because I mean, it is just, it is so tiny.
Some designs range from pretty basic to complex,
from a simple box to a feature-packed labyrinth
from DIY to OMG.
Okay, now I'm just getting ridiculous.
But one thing I can say is
when it comes to nano size sumps,
our options as reefers tend to be pretty limited.
Tiny sumps usually get whittled down to the basics.
Some form of water entry system,
a baffle or two, and that's about it.
So when I come across something like this
I tend to get pretty excited.
Fiji Cube's gone above and beyond
with their Fiji 12 Advanced Reef Sump,
a super compact cube design with all the bells and whistles.
From having your choice of mechanical filtration,
to the locking probe rack, this little sump
is calling out loud to all of us gear junkie nano reefers.
It is very well thought out, even down to maintenance.
So let's dig into it.
The Fiji 12 is just 12.5 inches by 14 inches
by 12 inches tall, rated for aquariums
between 10 and 40 gallons.
It offers three sections
including a quiet water entry system
with mechanical filtration,
a 12 inch by 7.5 inch skimmer section
and a six inch by seven inch return section.
While this model doesn't have a dedicated refugium,
there are four larger models
that are currently available that do,
plus, I mean, there's nothing really stopping you
from using the skimmer section for a ball of chaeto instead.
The flow path is very straightforward.
Water enters the sump through a quiet water entry system
that includes two drains,
a primary drain and a single emergency drain,
which makes it perfect for Herbie-style overflow systems.
And from there, it enters a mechanical filtration chamber
that holds either a single 4 inch filter sock.
Or by swapping out the sock holder for the media basket,
it can hold media like filter floss.
From there, it will travel into the skimmer section
and through it until it meets an adjustable baffle
that it will then pass over into the return section
where the pump will send the water up
through a bulkhead and back to the aquarium.
You probably noticed quite a few cool features
that this sump has to offer during that little run through.
And I'd really like to break those down for you
because they are really what makes
this little sump so impressive.
First off, the ability to choose
between a filter sock or a media tray
for something like filter floss is fantastic.
I also really appreciate the small viewing window
that they've marked with a line to indicate
when your filter media is actually bogged up
and needs to be cleaned or replaced.
The locking probe holder is very well executed
and holds up to four standard
or two standard and two oversized probes.
And right across from it there is a dosing tube holder
for up to seven tubes.
There's also an adjustable baffle
that allows you to adjust
the skimmer section's water depth
between roughly six and 10 inches
with graduated markings on the inside.
So you don't have to get your ruler wet.
The return section has a bulkhead for the return pump
which we don't usually see on sumps this small.
The sump also has clear polycarbonate lids
to help retain humidity and keep dust and debris out.
And the larger one sitting over the skimmer section
has a cutout to allow for the skimmer to pass through it.
And the cutout that acts as a handle for it
is conveniently placed right above the probe rack
so that the wires are able to pass through.
There are also notches in the trim
to allow for the power cords to pass through
underneath the lids.
It is all very well thought out
and comes together quite nicely.
They've also done a great job
of taking the maintenance that you're eventually
going to have to perform into account
and made the bulkhead plate
over the water entry system removable
so that you can access it easily from the top
should you need to clean it.
The same goes for the media tray,
as well as the sock holder.
There is no part of this sump
that's going to take a contortionist to reach for cleaning.
And I definitely appreciate that as well.
There are some considerations
when you are dealing with a sump that is this compact.
For example, there is somewhat limited space
to get your return pump in and out of the sump.
Meaning sticking to a smaller return pump
is definitely going to be a priority
and whatever skimmer you choose,
you'll wanna make sure that it'll line up nicely
with the cutout in the lid,
which shouldn't be too hard given the generous size
of the opening that they provide in the lid.
I did try a few different pump and skimmer configurations
with the skimmers and pumps that I have on hand here.
And I did find that it was pretty adaptable,
even though it's so dang tiny.
Ultimately when you're nano reefing, even with a sump,
all of the gear you're gonna be using
is likely to be equally as small,
so using your favorite gear with this sump
should be no trouble at all.
And if you're just as glad as I am
to see that there is an option
for us gear junkie nano reefers
that matches our reefing mantra,
you can pick one of these Fiji 12 sumps
up for yourself by clicking right here.
(light music)