Is this enough sump?

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Aqualoon

Aqualoon

Piranha
MFK Member
Jul 8, 2009
1,787
52
81
Minnesota
Tank Size: 150 Gallons
Sump Size: 40 Gallons

Will I need to add any extra filtration to this? I have an extra 350GPH HOB filter I was going to use for just carbon and to get some more water movement but could use it for BIO if the sump isn't large enough for the tank.
 
Big enough to do what?

It would all depend on the goal of your sump and the design of your sump...

Very few sumps are designed to manage "Mechanical Filtration" therefore if you follow typical designs then yes, you will more than likely need to suppliment with other filtration (or do lots of manual cleaning via siphon).

It is possible to be more creative with the design of your sump (primarily the intake/overflows) to make them efficient mechanical filters removing the need for other filters... I have no clue why doing so seems to be so rare.
 
Enough sump to provide adequate filtration for that size of a tank.

I didn't make the sump, it was pre-made and I just picked it up over the weekend. And that's a good point about the mechanical filtration - I never thought about that so I'll probably end of getting a canister filter with a long intake to help with that.
 
i used a 40 gallon breeder tank turned into a sump for my 150 works like a charm :) i have some mesh over the intake for the overflow which removes coarser particles and then i have foam in the first chamber of the filter (water rises up through it and into the next chamber)
 
Actually yeah I do...

The entire sump...

IMG00106-20090823-1834.jpg


Left side of the sump

IMG00108-20090823-1834.jpg


Sorry for picture quality - was taken with my phone.
 
Biological should do the trick, but then again it depends on how crowded your tank is gonna be.
I got a 6'x2'x2' with a 5'x1'x1' sump and my tank is pretty full.
I have to vaccuum the gravel nonetheless every week.
I definitively want a different set up on my next tank.
 
Well I thought a few kittens would make excellent biological filtration :D

The little guy was interested in what was going on back there.
 
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