New here, stumbled across this great forum while searching for sump ideas. I have been looking around a bunch and lurking for awhile and now have decided to post and ask for a little help.
I'm not new to fish keeping but have been out of the groove for a few years. My previous tank was a 150g stocked with African Cichlids. I purchased this tank turn-key from my LFS so I did not get much into the how's and why's - I just enjoyed it.
I recently purchased a project tank off CL, a 220g acrylic, roughly 7'x2'x2'. All I have is the tank, I'm in the process of making a stand and starting to think about a sump.
I left the front of the stand mostly open, I can easily install a sump roughly 60"x22"x22". I need to figure out how to design it. I'm thinking of a fuge, maybe a sand bed and some sort of trickle filtration. How do I size the various chambers and media volume to my tank capacity? What about mechanical filtration, maybe socks in the sump at the entry point of the water? If you were building a sump for a 220g, what would you incorporate in it (or not). I'm looking for healthy fish and don't mind spending a few extra dollars or time to get it "just right". The tank will be stocked with African's, not sure which yet but I'm leaning towards Mbuna's.
I'm not new to fish keeping but have been out of the groove for a few years. My previous tank was a 150g stocked with African Cichlids. I purchased this tank turn-key from my LFS so I did not get much into the how's and why's - I just enjoyed it.
I recently purchased a project tank off CL, a 220g acrylic, roughly 7'x2'x2'. All I have is the tank, I'm in the process of making a stand and starting to think about a sump.
I left the front of the stand mostly open, I can easily install a sump roughly 60"x22"x22". I need to figure out how to design it. I'm thinking of a fuge, maybe a sand bed and some sort of trickle filtration. How do I size the various chambers and media volume to my tank capacity? What about mechanical filtration, maybe socks in the sump at the entry point of the water? If you were building a sump for a 220g, what would you incorporate in it (or not). I'm looking for healthy fish and don't mind spending a few extra dollars or time to get it "just right". The tank will be stocked with African's, not sure which yet but I'm leaning towards Mbuna's.
