Hi I was wondering is there any difference in a sump made for a reef tank to a sump for freshwater? And also I have a 150 gallon set up I've had for awhile and I have the eshops wet dry 200 series for my 150 and I can't find the right filter pad for it. So I'm thinking of making a sump or pad or getting a new one. Any ideas or suggestions?
Difference in sumps?
- Thread starter Andrew101
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Sumps are highly customizable to your specific needs and preferences. This sight has oodles of information for you to research. I'm sure your answers are here if you look. I know mine were.
I think that as the previous poster mentioned, they are highly customizable. However, if I had to give differences, I would say that many saltwater sumps are designed to keep a steady water level for the protein skimmers, and most are designed for a refugium that can house chaeto algae or a deep sand bed. These additions are really optional for freshwater keepers and, if you want, you can go with a much larger media chamber, or just run an open sump with a lot of media.
There are some differences, but I think that sumps are mainly made to be customized to what you want/need for your tank.
There are some differences, but I think that sumps are mainly made to be customized to what you want/need for your tank.
In a saltwater sump, as Travis said, you have to have I think 3 chambers. A settling chamber where you may see filter socks, a chamber with steady water level where the protein skimmer goes, and then a final chamber where the pump goes. There can also be chambers for a refugium where they grow "pods", small animals that small fish eat in the display tank. If the pods were hatched in the tank, the fish would eat 'em all and they'd never grow to a self-sustaining population--so they try to hatch them in the sump and let them migrate to the display tank.
A freshwater tank doesn't need any of that. However, some do still use pads or bio-balls for filtration in FW sumps, and that requires chambers I think. I don't use any chambers at all in my tank. I just have one big open sump.
that being said, you could certainly use a manufactured sump designed for marine tanks to filter a FW tank. You'll probably just have more chambers than you need. But it'll still work just fine.
A freshwater tank doesn't need any of that. However, some do still use pads or bio-balls for filtration in FW sumps, and that requires chambers I think. I don't use any chambers at all in my tank. I just have one big open sump.
that being said, you could certainly use a manufactured sump designed for marine tanks to filter a FW tank. You'll probably just have more chambers than you need. But it'll still work just fine.
Ragin hit the nail on the head. I'm using a "saltwater" sump (Trigger Systems Emerald 39) to filter our 265 gallon tank. I bought this ready made sump, because I didn't have the time to build my own sump. You can definitely save lots and lots of money if you can build one yourself. The sump I bought has multiple chambers, but I just put a bunch of mesh bags full of Pond Matrix in each chamber. I'll post some pics tomorrow when I get home from work.
A sump is just a box to put stuff.
I use protein skimmers on fresh water, and find them to be very useful in removing the by-products that produce nitrate, they also remove free floating algae, and can help remove parasites. You just need the proper amount of flow and turbulence.
I find anything you can use is salt water, is interchangeable with a fresh water set up.
I have even used plenums, under the substrate.
Below is a protein skimmer removing TOC, free floating algae, etc in my fresh water pond.
click on pic to run video.
I use protein skimmers on fresh water, and find them to be very useful in removing the by-products that produce nitrate, they also remove free floating algae, and can help remove parasites. You just need the proper amount of flow and turbulence.
I find anything you can use is salt water, is interchangeable with a fresh water set up.
I have even used plenums, under the substrate.
Below is a protein skimmer removing TOC, free floating algae, etc in my fresh water pond.
click on pic to run video.