Hi, I’m a noob here, been lurking for a while so I just signed up. I was wondering if you actually need a sump for larger tanks? If so, how big of a tank do you need a sump for? I’m thinking about getting a 6ftx2ftx2ft but I don’t want to have to go the route of getting a sump. I’m not very mechanically minded and it all just looks too complicated. I was thinking of just getting a 2700lph canister filter and a 2500lph internal power filter. Is this a horrible idea? If so, can u tell me why and what is so important about having a sump. Thanks
Do you need a sump??
- Thread starter AussieNativeFan
- Start date
Sumps offer far more in the way of customization, ability to support significantly higher bioloads and can dilute waste even more due to extra water volume. You don't NEED one, but they are so great, that on bigger tanks, you SHOULD have one
Welcome aboard
A sump can be made simple but would be great if the aquarium is drilled prior for a sump. I agree with
Damascus
A sump can be made simple but would be great if the aquarium is drilled prior for a sump. I agree with
Damascus
Damascus
has it spot on. Anyone who hasn't had a sump before is understandably unnerved by the concept. But anyone who has conquered their nerves and set one up will, I can pretty much guarantee, never run any other type of filtration on their tank again. They are that good.
What scares people to death more than anything is the myth that if there's a power outage your display tank will empty into your sump causing a huge flood. However, this is impossible, if you have it set up correctly, so don't let that ever deter you from getting one.
If you do go the sump route there's masses of info on the forum, tutorials online and you can also tap into the wealth of knowledge which fellow members have, and many of us run sumps.
A sump can easily be set up in such a way that you can clean or replace the first mechanical filtration medium in a few seconds. You can literally remove a huge amount of waste every day if you want to, before it has a chance to be broken down by bacteria and eventually end up as nitrate in your water.
A canister filter, no matter how well designed, is much more of a PITA to clean. It takes longer to do and is pretty sloppy by comparison. Combine that with the fact that all that detritus is being collected out of sight inside the sealed canister, and the upshot is that you will be doing it far less often. Some canister manufacturers and many canister owners brag about how long you can go without cleaning...weeks or months. Think about that: you feed your fish, it poops, and that stuff gets "swept under the rug", so to speak, and sits in the water with the fish for weeks or months along with all the ensuing stuff that the fish produces during that time.
Of course, you can mitigate this a bit by vacuuming your substrate regularly. This is a great idea, especially when your canister filter is working furiously to hide all that gunk away where you can't see it. If you can vacuum it up before the filter gets it, that's a good thing. The problem is...you've gotta do it. More time, more effort. By comparison, with a sump you can use the pump outflow and perhaps combine it with strategically placed circulation pumps or powerheads to sweep bottom gunk towards the overflow, so that it gets into the pre-filter medium and you can get it out quickly. The bottom stays clean, much less vacuuming required.
If you get a bit fed up with cleaning your canister filter, take heart; cleaning your internal filter will be even more of a dog-and-pony show, so the canister won't seem so bad then.
Let's say the unthinkable happens: your pump fails. With a sump, you can easily change it, or upgrade it if you need more flow, or add a second one for redundancy. With a canister...you can buy a new canister; it'll likely cost less than buying the replacement parts you need for the old one.
Does your tank need a heater(s)? Do you see yourself adding other gadgets later, like UV or fluid media or a "Biocenosis Clarification Basket"
or perhaps keeping an extra sponge filter on hand for immediate use in another tank? All of that stuff can be housed in your sump. You don't need to display the gadgets in your tank and pretend that they are "decor".
Sumps have basically only two downsides: they take up more space than other filters, usually hidden under the tank...and they might be a bit more trouble to initially set up. Once done, they make fishkeeping so much easier, save you so much time and have so many advantages that I personally think you would be doing yourself a huge disservice by not using one.
A canister filter, no matter how well designed, is much more of a PITA to clean. It takes longer to do and is pretty sloppy by comparison. Combine that with the fact that all that detritus is being collected out of sight inside the sealed canister, and the upshot is that you will be doing it far less often. Some canister manufacturers and many canister owners brag about how long you can go without cleaning...weeks or months. Think about that: you feed your fish, it poops, and that stuff gets "swept under the rug", so to speak, and sits in the water with the fish for weeks or months along with all the ensuing stuff that the fish produces during that time.
Of course, you can mitigate this a bit by vacuuming your substrate regularly. This is a great idea, especially when your canister filter is working furiously to hide all that gunk away where you can't see it. If you can vacuum it up before the filter gets it, that's a good thing. The problem is...you've gotta do it. More time, more effort. By comparison, with a sump you can use the pump outflow and perhaps combine it with strategically placed circulation pumps or powerheads to sweep bottom gunk towards the overflow, so that it gets into the pre-filter medium and you can get it out quickly. The bottom stays clean, much less vacuuming required.
If you get a bit fed up with cleaning your canister filter, take heart; cleaning your internal filter will be even more of a dog-and-pony show, so the canister won't seem so bad then.
Let's say the unthinkable happens: your pump fails. With a sump, you can easily change it, or upgrade it if you need more flow, or add a second one for redundancy. With a canister...you can buy a new canister; it'll likely cost less than buying the replacement parts you need for the old one.
Does your tank need a heater(s)? Do you see yourself adding other gadgets later, like UV or fluid media or a "Biocenosis Clarification Basket"
or perhaps keeping an extra sponge filter on hand for immediate use in another tank? All of that stuff can be housed in your sump. You don't need to display the gadgets in your tank and pretend that they are "decor".Sumps have basically only two downsides: they take up more space than other filters, usually hidden under the tank...and they might be a bit more trouble to initially set up. Once done, they make fishkeeping so much easier, save you so much time and have so many advantages that I personally think you would be doing yourself a huge disservice by not using one.
Agree with all the above.
Do you absolutely need a sump?......No.
Is it better? depends on you, and your ability.
What size? Does it matter? I used a 1500 gallon pond, as a sump for a 55 gal out door tank.
Does it matter where the sump is placed?
A sump can be in a basement, and the tank on another floor.
Does a sump does need to be placed directly below the tank? No
Mine is is about a foot lower and to the right.
Does a sump need compartments? No. mine does not have them.
In the beginning of my aquarist days, I ran internal filters, evolved into canisters, they are now what I consider, useless paper weights.
Once I started using sumps over 30 years ago, I never went back.
My sump is on the right, it is a 125 gal tank running as a sump for a 185 gal tank
Do you absolutely need a sump?......No.
Is it better? depends on you, and your ability.
What size? Does it matter? I used a 1500 gallon pond, as a sump for a 55 gal out door tank.
Does it matter where the sump is placed?
A sump can be in a basement, and the tank on another floor.
Does a sump does need to be placed directly below the tank? No
Mine is is about a foot lower and to the right.
Does a sump need compartments? No. mine does not have them.
In the beginning of my aquarist days, I ran internal filters, evolved into canisters, they are now what I consider, useless paper weights.
Once I started using sumps over 30 years ago, I never went back.
My sump is on the right, it is a 125 gal tank running as a sump for a 185 gal tank
One of my favorite parts, and advantages of a certain type sumps is that they can be a pleasant looking aesthetic additions.
I consider mine (along with its general filtration aspects) a refugium.
The 125 used as a sump is filled with plants, and shrimp that help breakdown metabolism by-products like nitrate, and other non-testable deleterious substances.
I consider mine (along with its general filtration aspects) a refugium.
The 125 used as a sump is filled with plants, and shrimp that help breakdown metabolism by-products like nitrate, and other non-testable deleterious substances.
I find sumps easier to deal with than canisters or hang on backs and can perform better. Given that, there are things to consider such as how the water flow is controlled and will prevent overflows such as potential clogs (which I think are rare) and backflow from the pump risers. But even HOBs and canisters can leak or have issues.
I got back in the hobby 3 years ago. Went with sumps. Only way to go. I have a single riser tank (no back up riser) and a dual riser (it has an overflow).
I have had canisters in the past. To me they are more of a pain to maintain than a sump.
I don't see a canister being any more simple than a sump. They are sort of a sump, though a sealed system.
Don't get me wrong, plenty of people use canisters and the can perform well on small and huge systems. They are just not for me.
I got back in the hobby 3 years ago. Went with sumps. Only way to go. I have a single riser tank (no back up riser) and a dual riser (it has an overflow).
I have had canisters in the past. To me they are more of a pain to maintain than a sump.
I don't see a canister being any more simple than a sump. They are sort of a sump, though a sealed system.
Don't get me wrong, plenty of people use canisters and the can perform well on small and huge systems. They are just not for me.
Thanks everyone for your responses, it seems like you guys really know what you’re talking about. I suppose if I’m going to get my dream tank, I should spend the time to research how to setup a successful sump. It is somewhat intimidating but by going from what everyone here is saying, it sounds like it’s worth it. Thanks again for the advice.
Add to the advantages, kinda mentioned by
duanes
, you can have a nice big section as a refugium. Put plants in it, smaller fish to grow them out, fish that might have been beat up, etc
duanes
, you can have a nice big section as a refugium. Put plants in it, smaller fish to grow them out, fish that might have been beat up, etc