Sump help

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Damascus

Damascus

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Apr 19, 2020
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Looking for advice on a sump set up for a 300. So I am limited with space on underneath my stand due to stand design. I am limited to a space of 2 inches short of 8 foot, 17 inches wide and 21 inches tall. I would like to go as big of a sump as possible but not sure how to approach this.

I can get a 55 gallon down there no problem, but have concerns if this is big enough. This will be my only form of filtration and stocking is on the heavier side. I currently run a 75 on my 220 and am wondering if I try and get mismatched aquariums and try and drill them together. I really am lost here.


Do I attempt to build something custom?
 
Damascus said:
Looking for advice on a sump set up for a 300. So I am limited with space on underneath my stand due to stand design. I am limited to a space of 2 inches short of 8 foot, 17 inches wide and 21 inches tall. I would like to go as big of a sump as possible but not sure how to approach this.

I can get a 55 gallon down there no problem, but have concerns if this is big enough. This will be my only form of filtration and stocking is on the heavier side. I currently run a 75 on my 220 and am wondering if I try and get mismatched aquariums and try and drill them together. I really am lost here.


Do I attempt to build something custom?
Click to expand...
I have been considering making a 2 by 4 frame and using a pond liner. Thoughts on this approach? Planning on using a drip plate for mechanical and then simply filling my sump with pot scrubbies and bags of media with pothos on top. Not fancy but effective.

Really looking to figure something out soon. My arowana really needs the extra space at the moment!
 
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Damascus said:
I have been considering making a 2 by 4 frame and using a pond liner. Thoughts on this approach? Planning on using a drip plate for mechanical and then simply filling my sump with pot scrubbies and bags of media with pothos on top. Not fancy but effective.

Really looking to figure something out soon. My arowana really needs the extra space at the moment!
Click to expand...

I like the idea of building the sump frame and the pond liner. As you already know if the sump is effective it can be made from several things aquariums, totes, buckets etc. My sump for my 180 gallon is a Rubbermaid storage tote been in use over 10 years. Also my sump isn't underneath my aquarium but behind it.
 
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tlindsey said:
I like the idea of building the sump frame and the pond liner. As you already know if the sump is effective it can be made from several things aquariums, totes, buckets etc. My sump for my 180 gallon is a Rubbermaid storage tote been in use over 10 years. Also my sump isn't underneath my aquarium but behind it.
Click to expand...
I normally will run my sumps in other rooms bit this tank is fitted into a recess in my wall. No other space to work with other than underneath.

I am also keeping rays in this tank so the heaters have to go in the sump. I don't expect this will be an issue as long as I don't place the heaters directly on the liner.

I will also place the return pumps in a submerged container. Since I won't have baffles, if for whatever reason, the sump doesn't get any new water, and the pumps keep going, it will drain the container, and not the entire sump, thereby saving the media and making sure the heaters aren't exposed.

Any other advice here? How thick of a liner do I go with?
 
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If clearance is very tight and you can't reduce the size/height of sump then consider a slide out sump for maintenance access. Use some hollow bar steel under a plywood sheet as rollers.
 
A sump doesn't need to be directly below the tank.
It can be off to the side, even on a lower floor.
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I have been running sumps off to the side for years, because I usually find rummaging around in the limited space under a tank is uncomfortable, hard to do maintenance on and often limits size of gear like pumps, filtration opportunities and other stuff.
At the moment I am running a 180 gal tank with a 125 gal sump off to the side, and it makes maintenance easy, allows for any filter modification I can dream up.
It also allows me to put the sump in direct sun, promoting algae growth, and other terrestrial plants to use nitrate
199D2C17-C09F-4662-B57C-C0C9E02E1E3A_1_201_a.jpeg
A friend that kept salt water fish, had his sump in the basement (although the tank was on first floor) to help maintain a more stable (cooler water temp) in summer.
The sump was placed in a laundry room near slop sinks, that allowed for filter cleaning and water changes to be done (and sloshed around) without compromising the aesthetics of the display room.
 
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fishdance said:
If clearance is very tight and you can't reduce the size/height of sump then consider a slide out sump for maintenance access. Use some hollow bar steel under a plywood sheet as rollers.
Click to expand...
Tank is built into a recess in a wall. No space for a roll out unfortunately
 
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