Filtration Advice

[Chris@els]

A sump alone is not a filter.
A sump is a box to put gear like heaters and pumps (just like the shell of a HOB filter, or the can of a canister.
It's what you put in the sump that makes it a filter.
Some people put chambers is sumps, some do not.
I do not, I use filter socks on on outflows to the sump for mechanical filtration, put lots bio-media in mesh bags for things like matrix, or lava rock for bio.
I also put plants on sumps to help remove nitrate.
Some people have shallow water in sumps, some don't.
I like to run my sumps a full as they can get, but not enough to overflow during a power outage. (but this has more to do with placement of overflows than actual water level.
Ease of cleaning my filter media is how I design my sump.
If its easy to clean, it will be done more often.
You can also run more than one tank on a sump if its large enough.

Can you please post a pic of your sump? id love to see that

 

[Chris@els]

A sump alone is not a filter.
A sump is a box to put gear like heaters and pumps (just like the shell of a HOB filter, or the can of a canister.
It's what you put in the sump that makes it a filter.
Some people put chambers is sumps, some do not.
I do not, I use filter socks on on outflows to the sump for mechanical filtration, put lots bio-media in mesh bags for things like matrix, or lava rock for bio.
I also put plants on sumps to help remove nitrate.
Some people have shallow water in sumps, some don't.
I like to run my sumps a full as they can get, but not enough to overflow during a power outage. (but this has more to do with placement of overflows than actual water level.
Ease of cleaning my filter media is how I design my sump.
If its easy to clean, it will be done more often.
You can also run more than one tank on a sump if its large enough.

Can you please post a pic of your sump? id love to see that

 

[duanes]

I have had many different style and size sumps, rubbermaid stock tanks, barrels different size tanks, and even a pond as a sump to keep the water in an outside tank cool.
a planted sump below

same sump as above, but during a water change

below a barrel sump

filter sock on flow to sump for mechanical filtration

biomedia in mesh bags, for ease of cleaning

Bio tower filled with lava rock leading to a 75 gal tanks sump, I do not always put sumps directly under tanks

below tank, using a rubbermaid as intermediate, and pond a sump

below typical 55 gal tank as equipment holding sump

 

[Chris@els]

Thanks for the inspiration I'm definitely going for a sump