Plant filtration in outdoor sump

[Justin Martin]

like to hear everyone’s thoughts

Live in south Florida. Can keep 100 gallons of water outside year round at a pretty reasonable temperature for tropical fish. I currently keep peacocks and a few other tank mates.

My plan: 100 gallon outdoor sump, feeding tank on other side of wall. Loaded with low light plants, in a constantly shaded area. Anyone have any experience/experimentation with the thought? Would have the thermostat on the heater set at a bottom end for the tank temperature for the few cold nights we get a year. Rain water would keep my pH low. Plants would be thickly stocked so I wonder how much bioload could handle. Temp would rise and fall pretty drastically i presume on a regular basis. Too much?? Have more ideas , has this been touched on? Couldn’t find a thread

 

[duanes]

I used tanks in window boxes and outdoor sumps to accomplish a similar purpose. In Wisconsin the short summer would not allow for use all year though. I found papyrus worked well as a nitrate user, and could be brought in, in winter and survive.
It was possible in summer outdoor tanks to use actual ponds, I found the diurnal temps made water temp fluctuate wildly (50s at night 80s during the day) and by using a in ground pond, the water temps stabilized by the large water well (the pond was 1500 to 1700 gallons) The outdoor ponds had papyrus and water lilies.

 

[tlindsey]

Anubias and Java Moss may work They are low light plant species.

 

[Justin Martin]

That lead me to my second question, has anyone ever linked an outdoor pond acting as a sump to an indoor tank. Java ferns and anubias are part of my aquascaping in the tank but I am more focusing on something like a large pathos being the nitrate consumer.

High temps don’t concern me, I wonder what diurnal fluctuation is acceptable to my arowana and peacock bass

 

[Deadliestviper7]

That lead me to my second question, has anyone ever linked an outdoor pond acting as a sump to an indoor tank. Java ferns and anubias are part of my aquascaping in the tank but I am more focusing on something like a large pathos being the nitrate consumer.

High temps don’t concern me, I wonder what diurnal fluctuation is acceptable to my arowana and peacock bass

Anything above 70 and below 90 or so should be acceptable, with plant filtration more is better, you can use : pothos,elephant ear,and perhaps corkscrew willow

 

[Justin Martin]

Anything above 70 and below 90 or so should be acceptable, with plant filtration more is better, you can use : pothos,elephant ear,and perhaps corkscrew willow

When you say above 70 below 90, do you mean daily fluctuation? I would tend to agree for wild caught fish but mine I have to assume are from a breeder. They’re young enough now but I feel that may be a shock by fingerling stage

 

[Deadliestviper7]

When you say above 70 below 90, do you mean daily fluctuation? I would tend to agree for wild caught fish but mine I have to assume are from a breeder. They’re young enough now but I feel that may be a shock by fingerling stage

Ok if they're young keep it under 84 or so, but most of the breeders I'm aware of breed them outdoors anyway

 

[markstrimaran]

You could run a 100 foot "geo thermal" underground loop, coil, back to the tank. To help moderate the temprature.