Are sumps worth it?

[leeishom]

for tanks under 200G - personally, id go with canisters.

 

[Laticauda]

I prefer my FX5 over the particular sump system I have any day.

I keep goldfish, and the single FX5 was able to handle the bioload of the 90 gallon even after I added 15 fish to the system in one day (emergency situation, would have avoided it if I could have.) Now, I only have 5 goldfish in this tank, but with this sump I have it's running 840 gph, AND 2AC70's and it's still having cycle issues. Possibly it's just the particular sump I have. Its room for biomedia leaves something to be desired. I'm hoping that once I switch my biomedia over to matrix, I'll see a significant improvement. Either way, my FX5 is WIN, and this sump is FTL.

 

[DustyBZoo]

Good stuff!

I have an eheim wet/dry canister, a power head w/ filter, and an AC 300 on my 120g. It's completely silent, and I've never had much maintenance.

I think I would rather spend extra $$ than mess with a sump.
However, I like the idea of building it myself and having extra space for fish.

I'd say they're both wins.

 

[jcardona1]

I even have a sump on my 57g. The benefits are endless. I hate canisters, and I hate HOBs even more. It's a no-brainer that a sump is so much better in every way possible, and cheaper than expensive canister filters.

 

[DustyBZoo]

.....I've always wanted to set up a refugium with plants for nutrient export), but none of it is actually necessary to filter an aquarium.

If you ever do this, try water sprite. That stuff grows like mad and can grow out of the water. Would be an awesome plant for that.

 

[FlorabamaTrigger]

I guess I've just been lucky. It was pretty much 'plug n play' so to speak for my setup. Then again, I also don't have PVC, and have flex tubing instead coming from my overflow back to the sump.
I've heard people say dealing with a sump was a pain for them, but most of the time, it's been dealing with the Refrigium portion of it, or it was a DYI setup.

 

[Joe M]

Are sumps worth it?

.......

Well i was gonna try to turn that into one of those gieco commercials that i hate, but i drew a blank. But yes, yes they are.

 

[bdog]

You can make a sump quieter, but silent, they are not. I would not put one next to my head where I wanted to sleep. That looks a little small for a 180g, I'd guess you'll want something in addition to that.

 

[jcardona1]

You can make a sump quieter, but silent, they are not. I would not put one next to my head where I wanted to sleep. That looks a little small for a 180g, I'd guess you'll want something in addition to that.

Then you have no experience with sumps. My sump with Herbie pipes and submerged ceramic media is dead silent. Quieter than any canister filter. If you put some thought into the setup, it can be made silent. Most guys have no clue what they're doing when it comes to sumps, and don't bother researching. Then they complain when they sound like a waterfall.

 

[dayak]

Then you have no experience with sumps. My sump with Herbie pipes and submerged ceramic media is dead silent. Quieter than any canister filter. If you put some thought into the setup, it can be made silent. Most guys have no clue what they're doing when it comes to sumps, and don't bother researching. Then they complain when they sound like a waterfall.

LOL i agree i recently visit a friend of mine, he has sump set up for his 150G SW tank, i hear nothing come out, he tried to hand me down his marineland c360 to me