I have kept both types of sumps.
A long thin tall sump with many partitions, 142cm x 25cm x 35cm (or there abouts) with 6 or 7 chambers. I loved the look of it. And that is where it ended. It was a PITA to do maintenance and get busy in one chamber the others are effected. Having a piece of filter floss in each chamber to keep it crystal clear, then, having to fish it out and rep[lace it. With that many chambers it become a constant chore. Each chamber was just too small to do anything meaningful or experimental beyond different biomedia.
My other, and still current sump, is a 55 gal tank, 90cm x 45cm x 50cm about. It has 2 partitions and three chambers. I really prefer these more open sumps. First and second chambers are the largest with the last partition being only about 17-18cm. A filter sock acts as machanical filtration in the first chamber and has plants potted in pond bacskets. These are easy to lift up and clean or change. The secons chamber is filled with those black spiky bio-balls topped with some ceramic "tubes" and epiphyte plant grow outs. Third chamber is filled with 50 ceramaic tubes, pothos and the outlet to pump.
This setup is super simple, easy to change around and fun to play with. Also handy having extra space to keep other tank media cycled or cycle new media.
