Small sump vs large external filter?

[duanes]

I’m already in the dog house for having the tank in the dining room. I don’t think the Mrs would be keen if it was taking up more room haha.
.

This is totally understandable, you probably don't want to take my advice then, I ended with an X-wife, the last straw was due to 20+ tanks in a the basement.

 

[Vdubers]

Even a small sump will oxygenate the water... canister filters generally don't. With canister filters you pretty much have to pull the whole filter to clean the media. With a well designed sump you can pull just the mechanical media, clean it, and return it. Simple maintenance usually means cleaned much more often which means less detritus breaking down in the system into nitrogen compounds.

You will also quickly discover that as water evaporates from your tank the water level in the sump gets lower... not the water level in your display tank... which I think makes for a prettier tank.

I don't know if "the best thing about a sump is being able to put your heater in it" would top my list of reasons I only use sumps any more... but it is definitely a very nice benefit.

A small used commercial built sump?... heck yeah!

Thanks for the reply. I think I will check out the sump. This is the one I’m looking at local for £30. Apparently the baffles came set up like this. Should be alright yeah?

 

[Vdubers]

This is totally understandable, you probably don't want to take my advice then, I ended with an X-wife, the last straw was due to 20+ tanks in a the basement.

Haha I can see it easily getting that way. Started with a 20 gal in the lounge then managed to convince her to Let me get the large one for the dining room assuming we also get a new sofa .

 

[tlindsey]

Thanks for the reply. I think I will check out the sump. This is the one I’m looking at local for £30. Apparently the baffles came set up like this. Should be alright yeah?

View attachment 1354495

Yes that will work.

 

[Vdubers]

Yes that will work.

Ideal thanks for the help. Will get it at the weekend then get working on a diy overflow and sorting out media etc.

Will post some pics once I’m all sorted

 

[LBDave]

Hey long time lurker first time poster. I’m having trouble deciding on my filtration. I have a 160 us gal tank that I’m currently setting up to house 10 juvenile red belly piranhas. I currently have a fluval fx5 but after reading around here I’m thinking I should probably get some additional filtration going on?

I have been debating adding on another external, maybe the fluval fx4. Or going the diy sump route.
Only problem is it will need to be a pretty small sump. The space I have left under tank is around
20inch width 17inch depth 20inch height.
A found a local second hand sump that’s
18x 14x 15 inch.

Is it worth having such a small sump or better to just go the external route?

Sorry for the long post
Any ideas or tips would be welcomed.

Thanks

I am not an expert. But I have had canisters in the past. The new tank I set up last September has a sump inside the cabinet below the tank. Man am I glad I went this route. I have a heater and u/v sterilizer in the sump. Filter media. Bio balls and carbon.
Everything is easy to access so I can clean out the filter quick. If I need to clean out messy stuff like turds etc. I turn the pump up for a day. At night I can turn it down to make it quieter.
The tank has no heaters, air stones booster pumps etc. which I like. Just a glass box so it appears I am peering into a river setting.
So I always have thumbs up for sumps.

 

[Oughtsix]

Thanks for the reply. I think I will check out the sump. This is the one I’m looking at local for £30. Apparently the baffles came set up like this. Should be alright yeah?

View attachment 1354495

That should do a fine job for a sump. A sump doesn't have to be fancy... and usually the simpler the better. I don't know how much £30 is in real money... but it sounds likea good deal.

 

[Vdubers]

I am not an expert. But I have had canisters in the past. The new tank I set up last September has a sump inside the cabinet below the tank. Man am I glad I went this route. I have a heater and u/v sterilizer in the sump. Filter media. Bio balls and carbon.
Everything is easy to access so I can clean out the filter quick. If I need to clean out messy stuff like turds etc. I turn the pump up for a day. At night I can turn it down to make it quieter.
The tank has no heaters, air stones booster pumps etc. which I like. Just a glass box so it appears I am peering into a river setting.
So I always have thumbs up for sumps.

Thanks for the reply. Excited to get the sump all set up. Does sound the way to go. I hadn’t thought about air stones? I’m guessing you don’t need them when you have a sump because the water flowing through it provides enough oxygen?

That should do a fine job for a sump. A sump doesn't have to be fancy... and usually the simpler the better. I don't know how much £30 is in real money... but it sounds likea good deal.

Thanks for replying. Knowing nothing about sumps I wasn’t sure on this one but I will go for it. Hopefully picking it up at the weekend. I managed to get it for £25 in the end if all goes to plan. Or $32 dollars real money .

 

[Oughtsix]

Are you planning on drilling your tank to install the overflow?

 

[Vdubers]

Are you planning on drilling your tank to install the overflow?

I’m hoping to build this

I don’t fancy drilling the tank in case I crack it.