7 x 2.5 x 2 gall sump size
- Thread starter dexbagetz
- Start date
Some people might say go as big as you can when choosing a sump.
1. More total water volume.
2. More space for media.
That's all very well but I don't buy into this massive sump and fill it with quadrillion tonnes of media thing. I run two highly stocked 180's. The sumps on them both are about 36"x14"x14". The middle section on both sumps (dedicated for bio media) are only a third of this. You'd think I'd absolutely stuff this section with bio until it was overflowing out, wrong. You'd be surprised how little media I have in there and yet my tanks parameters are steady as you like, no spikes or mini crashes, nothing.
Reason being? People all too often think that their bio section is the only part of the aquarium with beneficial bacteria in. In fact they are everywhere, on every surface. I do like to maintain a good flow through my tanks so oxygenated water is getting everywhere and feeds all surfaces, and due to the minimal amount of media in my sump I have a good flow through there, no dead spots which is important. I also rinse out my media a couple of times a year to encourage new colonies of bacteria. What I do works perfectly for me, other people will do it differently.
So, taking all the above into consideration i'd answer your question by saying your 75g sump is fine.
(Unless you want your sump to double up as a refugium, a place to grow plants, keep critters down there, run multiple pumps etc etc. Then yes, a huge sump would work better because obviously you'd need the extra room).
1. More total water volume.
2. More space for media.
That's all very well but I don't buy into this massive sump and fill it with quadrillion tonnes of media thing. I run two highly stocked 180's. The sumps on them both are about 36"x14"x14". The middle section on both sumps (dedicated for bio media) are only a third of this. You'd think I'd absolutely stuff this section with bio until it was overflowing out, wrong. You'd be surprised how little media I have in there and yet my tanks parameters are steady as you like, no spikes or mini crashes, nothing.
Reason being? People all too often think that their bio section is the only part of the aquarium with beneficial bacteria in. In fact they are everywhere, on every surface. I do like to maintain a good flow through my tanks so oxygenated water is getting everywhere and feeds all surfaces, and due to the minimal amount of media in my sump I have a good flow through there, no dead spots which is important. I also rinse out my media a couple of times a year to encourage new colonies of bacteria. What I do works perfectly for me, other people will do it differently.
So, taking all the above into consideration i'd answer your question by saying your 75g sump is fine.
(Unless you want your sump to double up as a refugium, a place to grow plants, keep critters down there, run multiple pumps etc etc. Then yes, a huge sump would work better because obviously you'd need the extra room).
Thanks a lot. I get what you mean. Better water flow through your media and tank, and well oxygenated water.
Yes submerged. Got my pumices clean and ready. Planning to relocated my asian arowana and a couple of datnoids currently housed in a 75 gallon. Thanks!
