After 22 years of keeping tanks, I needed a break. I was burnt out on water changes and it became a chore instead of a hobby.. Well it's been 5 years and it's time to revisit it. I'm going to start small, 75g with a 40g sump. Filter socks were the big thing when I left, though it seems they aren't used much any more. Is there a reason for that? Anyway, I need some insight on the current best way to do a diy 40g breeder as a sump. I'd love to have a refugium if possible, but I know a 40g isn't huge. I will also be doing some sort of aquaponics for additional filtration, but that will not necessarily be in the sump. Any insight on the current most efficient way to build sumps? For the pump, I'll probably look at something in the 800gph range and I will be doing a pvc overflow in the tank.
40g sump / refugium
- Thread starter Mudfrog
- Start date
Above in a 40 breeder I used as a refugium.
Below, that same refugium during a water change.
The plants are crypts,
As you can see, the only "compartment" was acouple pourus border walls to semi-separate the pump, from the planted area.
I used this refugium for about 20 years
These days I use a 125 cal tank as a planted refugium, and separate the pump and bio-media area from the planted are with Matten Porrett foam.
The Porrett cover the entire width and height of the 125.
The 2 photos above were taken the day the sump was set up.
Below that same sump as of late
I believe filter socks have fallen out of favor because of the constant maintenance required to keep them clean.
I have used them, and usually had to switch a clogged one out every 2 to 3 days or so with a clean one, so I usually had 1 running, 1 soaking in bleach, and 1 dry, at the ready.
These days I do not use socks because I don't worry about particulate , as I feel it helps feed the plants in the refugium, and the Porrett foam works as mechanical media closest to the pump.
I also use shrimp in the refugium to help break down detritus.
So if I'm looking at the pictures correctly, you didn't have glass walls, etc. You simply used a piece of foam as a main source of mechanical filtration and the rest of the tank was simply a refugium? I had planned to add shrimp / snails to the refugium as well. Did you have any bio media in the sump?
Did you need to use co2 or plant fertilizer in that type of setup?
Yeah things have became a lot more simpler in certain ways, given that there are some really good products now. Filter socks still work, but yeah they do get clogged up, you gotta clean them, etc. and it can be a chore. So people kinda just did away with them, letting the detritus flow through instead.
I personally don't have filter socks or any type of mechanical filtration.
My first layer is biomedia, I just shove as much MarinePure as possible within whatever the first chamber is.
Next chamber for me is usually just a variety of plants growing, specifically pothos and potato plants. They help uptake nitrate very well.
...
That's it. I do a water change every three or so months.
Algae also works in place of plants.
You are right, no glass walls.
I find glass partitions are unnecessary hindrances. they tend to restrict flow, which creates dead spots,
Get in the way of my arms when doing maintenance, and impede space and creativity for new filtration ideas and innovation.(especially in small sumps)
And especially in planted sumps, I find the room needed for bio-media is actually quite small, whereas the space for lots of plants is much more important, and plants provide surface area for BB, so I don't see that as a sacrifice.
In my 125 gal sump, only about 1/8 of the area is used for mechanical, and artificial bio-media, the other 7/8 of the area is jammed with plants.
Once a tank has achieved sufficient cycling of ammonia and nitrite reduction, my major concern is nitrate, which I prefer keep be under 5 ppm.
Plants and water changes help me hit that goal.
Below, I use a couple bags of rings and a porous block for bio.
The rest is done with heavy plants, aquatic, semi aquatic, and even terrestrial.
Am now using Vallisneria and Hydrilla as opposed to crypts, and mangrove below.
I also flip a Pleco between the main tank and sump to help rid the glass of algae, it also helps the plants with its waste.
I can't comprehend not using a form of mechanical filtration
I don't think I could bring myself to do that. I do see a lot of aquariums like that though. In the last sump that I built, I used filter floss and just yanked it and replaced it every two weeks. It was so easy. I plan on running a lot of pothos, but probably in a separate area like an aquaponic. For in the sump, I need the easiest plants available. I would prefer not to use co2, etc.
Sounds good. I'll look into using a barrier of filter media similarly to you starting off and go from there, that's a whole lot easier than creating chambers. What type of pleco are you using? I was thinking about putting a bulldog pleco in the sump until it grows a little, then move it to the main tank.
I totally get ya. XD It is a hard shift lol. Filter floss works too tbh, yeah I would not mind filter floss since it is indeed pretty easy to replace.I can't comprehend not using a form of mechanical filtration
I don't think I could bring myself to do that. I do see a lot of aquariums like that though. In the last sump that I built, I used filter floss and just yanked it and replaced it every two weeks. It was so easy. I plan on running a lot of pothos, but probably in a separate area like an aquaponic. For in the sump, I need the easiest plants available. I would prefer not to use co2, etc.
If you look for something good to grow in the sump, maybe yeah consider algae. Especially if you can get a variety, they can adapt and change based on changing nutrition conditions, growing as fast or as slowly as needed. You also don't have to worry too much about algae in the display, as well, what better competes against algae than... more algae? :3 Not in my current tank as my plants are growing so well they are outcompeting the algae, but in previous tanks I had algae scrubbers in the sump instead and they basically render really, really, really slow growth in the display.
They are pretty easy to remove as well, don't have to worry too much about cutting too much away from plants for example. With algae you just remove half each time and tada.
I believe mine is Ansistrus chagrasi, it was caught near San Martin, Panama, not far from where I live.
Caught at about 4", now (3 years later) @ 8"
I believe for a 75 gal, one of the Ancinstrus (bristle nose plecos) would be a better fit, some others (like the Bulldog) reach 12" and could easily overwhelm a 75 gal in more ways the one.
One of the Ansistrus I kept in the states below.
