Setting up a sump IS easy. You just need to have a high level design in mind and deal with the minor details as they come up.
1. How much flow tells you what size pumps to buy. You want enough flow to turn the tank volume over 8-10 times per hour. Some say 6-8 times per hour. Let's just say 10 times because that's easy. So you'd need a pump or two that will get you 4500 Gallons per hour.
2. Your sump tank should be 20% or more of your tank volume. For a 450 gallon tank, just go with a 100-125 gallon sump.
3. Drop your pumps into your sump, run PVC pipe (or hose, or flex pvc) into the top of the tank.
4. Drain lines--quiet or not? If you want them quiet, run a herbie setup. If you don't care, don't.
5. Mech filtration -- Let your drains drop water into filter socks. Easiest thing to do. If you want to get fancy, you can do wet/dry, or bio balls. Filter socks are pretty easy, though
6. Bio-filtration -- Just get some laundry bags, put some Pond Matrix in them, and drop 'em in the sump. Leave 'em in there. Never let them dry out.
That's it. You have a highly effective sump, easy to clean cause you just swap out filter socks every couple weeks. There's nothing in the sump but some submersible pumps and some bags of Pond Matrix. The hardest part is gluing PVC pipe. This set up will work great if you have fish, even big fish, even too many fish. You might need to do a little more than this if you have a bunch of stingrays, but maybe not.
If you want to get really elite, get a chloramine filter and drip 40-60 Gallons per Day into your sump. Now you don't have to do water changes anymore. You just change filter socks and vacuum solids. About as easy as it gets.
1. How much flow tells you what size pumps to buy. You want enough flow to turn the tank volume over 8-10 times per hour. Some say 6-8 times per hour. Let's just say 10 times because that's easy. So you'd need a pump or two that will get you 4500 Gallons per hour.
2. Your sump tank should be 20% or more of your tank volume. For a 450 gallon tank, just go with a 100-125 gallon sump.
3. Drop your pumps into your sump, run PVC pipe (or hose, or flex pvc) into the top of the tank.
4. Drain lines--quiet or not? If you want them quiet, run a herbie setup. If you don't care, don't.
5. Mech filtration -- Let your drains drop water into filter socks. Easiest thing to do. If you want to get fancy, you can do wet/dry, or bio balls. Filter socks are pretty easy, though
6. Bio-filtration -- Just get some laundry bags, put some Pond Matrix in them, and drop 'em in the sump. Leave 'em in there. Never let them dry out.
That's it. You have a highly effective sump, easy to clean cause you just swap out filter socks every couple weeks. There's nothing in the sump but some submersible pumps and some bags of Pond Matrix. The hardest part is gluing PVC pipe. This set up will work great if you have fish, even big fish, even too many fish. You might need to do a little more than this if you have a bunch of stingrays, but maybe not.
If you want to get really elite, get a chloramine filter and drip 40-60 Gallons per Day into your sump. Now you don't have to do water changes anymore. You just change filter socks and vacuum solids. About as easy as it gets.
