How big of a tank would I need, before I should consider a sump

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Do a sump if your worried about drilling you can get an overflow box for not much or make one.

It's cheaper more effective and quite frankly the best filtration system out there other than sponge filters.

I love sponge filters they're classic filter and can even put it in large aquariums as a sole filter system.

Check out king of diy on YouTube he shows you different styles how to even make an overflow and much more.

Depends what your stocking I would do sump. Something like one fahaka id just do two sponge filters
 
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I love sump. Once you use one you will never want anything else. So easy to maintain plus the added water is a huge benefit. I have a 75 g sump on my 75 and a tote style sump on my 40 breeder with a drip system and auto feeder. Both ore wet and dry style with Sterilite drawers. Very easy to make also. I use cheap pumps from Harbor Freight and run two just in case one goes bad, but I haven't had one fail yet.
 
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Im a sump fan and would go sump over canister/hob any day on a 20 gallon+ setup.
 
For freshwater tank, you can go as large as 250 gal without a sump system, just use multiple HOBs to provide the flow capacity. 3 AC500 can get you 6 times turn over rate per hour. Beyond that, the noise of and task of cleaning multiple HOBs can be daunting and a single consolidated sump system is the way to go. Forget about using multiple canister filters, because even cleaning one is no easy task.

For saltwater fish and reef tank, even small 55 gal requires a sump system to provide adequate bio filtration as saltwater BB are far less efficient than freshwater.
 
As an example of how there are no rules to size, or construction of a sump...I liked keeping tanks outside in summer, but the water would usually get too warm.
So I used my inground pond as a sump for a 55 gal.
The 55 is drilled and would drain into the pond, pond water would be pumped back into the tank, keeping its temp stable.

The tank would grow tons of free floating and filamentous algae being partially in the sun, but this fed lots of fry throughout the summer.

the only rules for sumps, are the extent of your imagination.
 
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