Small fish and sumps

[Cardeater]

Can someone explain how sumps and small fish mix? I've never had a sump but am considering one for a future tank build. I remember that Cory from Aquarium Co-op has mentioned possible issues with a sump on the 800g and small fish.

I think the smallest fish I'd likely have in a future tank maybe 300g-350g) would be panda garra. Maybe I'd consider a school of cherry barbs and or runny nose tetra.

Would these fish get sucked into overflow? Does having such fish preclude one from having a sump?

 

[twentyleagues]

Depends on the overflow. You can take steps to stop this from happening, like using something like matala mat in front of the weir, or plastic mesh.

 

[Randys]

When my fish were small I bought some fiberglass window screen, cut some little pieces, and zip tied them over the overflow weir teeth.
Worked like a charm.

 

[esoxlucius]

Can someone explain how sumps and small fish mix? I've never had a sump but am considering one for a future tank build. I remember that Cory from Aquarium Co-op has mentioned possible issues with a sump on the 800g and small fish.

I think the smallest fish I'd likely have in a future tank maybe 300g-350g) would be panda garra. Maybe I'd consider a school of cherry barbs and or runny nose tetra.

Would these fish get sucked into overflow? Does having such fish preclude one from having a sump?

If you don't take precautions then eventually you can expect to have some casualties. I have bottom suction, not surface skimming, and i found that small bottom feeders were more likely to get sucked up the way I had mine, especially the likes of corys and very small clown loach. I don't have corys now and my clown loach are way to big to be sucked up, as are the rest of my stock. So I don't have these issues now. I was never a breeder either but I suspect that fry would find their way down to the sump too.

As others have said it's very easy to remedy by cutting and fitting very coarse sponges or mesh to the outlet area so water can pass and fish, no matter how small, can't. But if you have a planted tank and the associated "bits of greenery" that go with it, then these can be problematic and hamper the flow as they get caught by the sponges. If this goes unchecked your display tank level will rise and your pump section in your sump will run low.

But we all do our daily checks and monitor our systems so things like this shouldn't be an issue. Good luck.

 

[ichthyogeek]

It depends on the overflow you're using.

If you're DIYing an overflow using something like PVC pipe, then you can cut either small holes, or teeth into the drain pipe. It's not foolproof, but it gets the job done unless the fish are known jumpers.

If you're using something like a weir box (fancy word for a box that surface skims), you can outfit open cell sponge on the teeth of the weir, or on top of it if it has no teeth, to keep the fish out. Said sponge trick will also work on the DIY overflow.

If you're running an overflow with the prefilter, just make sure to check the sponge once a week. Ideally it would be part of maintenance, and you'd take that sponge and clean it out, and then use another sponge, interchanging the sponges each week. Otherwise, most overflows (from the saltwater world) use filter socks. If a fish bypasses the sponge prefilter, then it usually gets caught in a filter sock or filter cup.