What determines a sumps limitations, the media or the size of the actual sump? Coralife states that one box of their bio balls can handle tanks from 45-60g. If 3 boxes easily fit in a 10g sump why use a 55g on a 120g aquarium? I understand over-filtering but are there any other benefits? You can only grow so much bacteria.
Sump limitations?
- Thread starter isde02
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another advantage of a big sump is that the total water of your system is bigger so your water has more bioload capabilities.
Added system volume, a place to hide heaters, uv sterilizers, all your bio,hide large filter socks(I use 2 7x16), air stones, nitrate filters and it's a good qt setup for new or troublesome fish. A few members on this forum currently have 12"+ fish living in their sump temporally.
I like a "clean" setup as in in clean to look at. If you look at my 300, all you see is, fish, sand, wood, plants and water. Nothing un-natural to see in the display at all.
I like a "clean" setup as in in clean to look at. If you look at my 300, all you see is, fish, sand, wood, plants and water. Nothing un-natural to see in the display at all.
Sure, which is why I like a separate one for "new" fish, but some members don't have the additional space so they "could" use it for that. It's much more useful for fish you've had for awhile that either need a time out because they are too aggressive or need time to heal.
My experience so far with keeping large cichlids is it's always helpful to have another tank or sump to move problematic fish to. Nice thing about moving one to the sump is , it's the same water (temp, hardness, etc.) so it can be done on the spot
What works this week might not work next week, and a sump is an excellent place to temporally house fish without having fatalities.
What works this week might not work next week, and a sump is an excellent place to temporally house fish without having fatalities.
Also having a small sump when the electricity goes out could be trouble if your overflow drains down to the overflow inlets and the sump isn't big enough to hold the water. Overflowing a sump would not be fun. 
My commercial sump is about 7.5 gallons and is very effective for my 110g tank. It is pretty much a single chamber for bio balls with caged off portion for easy access to the sump. There are probably about 5 gallons of bio balls in the bio ball chamber.
While all of the above reasons for a large sump are very valid they are not a necessity for filtering water.
I will be building my new sump in a 29g tall tank... even though my 7.5g commercial sump has never been insufficient. Bigger may be better but that doesn't mean smaller isn't very useful and productive.
While all of the above reasons for a large sump are very valid they are not a necessity for filtering water.
I will be building my new sump in a 29g tall tank... even though my 7.5g commercial sump has never been insufficient. Bigger may be better but that doesn't mean smaller isn't very useful and productive.