sumps vs canister filter
- Thread starter Jaws22
- Start date
It all depends on the size of your tank. Small tanks can get by with HOB and/or sponge filters. Canister filters can work for tanks up to several hundred gallons. A lot of people start think sump filtration for tanks over a hundred gallons since sump filtration can be customized with biological and mechanical components. 100+ to 1000+ gallon tanks consider Ultima II filters or a large sump or both.
The most simple solution to pollution is dilution.
Sumps provide this one basic rule in some cases by greatly increasing the water volume of your system.
Think of your 300gal with a 180/125 sitting under it, you nearly doubled your water volume. Not to mention the vastly more space you have for both mech and bio filtration. Can also be used as a retreat for injured fish, hiding place for unsightly heaters etc. If I didn't live in an apt where weight is an issue I would goto sumps myself. We haven't even touched on the ease of cleaning vs cannisters.
Sumps provide this one basic rule in some cases by greatly increasing the water volume of your system.
Think of your 300gal with a 180/125 sitting under it, you nearly doubled your water volume. Not to mention the vastly more space you have for both mech and bio filtration. Can also be used as a retreat for injured fish, hiding place for unsightly heaters etc. If I didn't live in an apt where weight is an issue I would goto sumps myself. We haven't even touched on the ease of cleaning vs cannisters.
Depending on how overstocked you are, you might need two FX-6s. I chose to go a different direction on my 300 gallon tank which has two overflow boxes. We have a wet/dry filter for biological filtration and use two RTL-25 filters run with a Reeflo Hammerhead pump for extreme mechanical filtration. We also have redundant filtration via an FX-6 with a 40W UV sterilizer on the return end. (We primarily needed the FX-6 for the UV sterilizer). We actually closed off an overflow box and keep the heater in it. The return line from the wet/dry filter feeds into the closed overflow box.
I think most people would go with sump filtration on a 300 gallon tank. There is no right or only way when it comes to filtration. I subscribe to the "more is better" when it comes to filtration.
I think most people would go with sump filtration on a 300 gallon tank. There is no right or only way when it comes to filtration. I subscribe to the "more is better" when it comes to filtration.
If you are really concerned about weight, sponge filters won't add any noticeable weight. Both sumps and canisters add weight. It may look ugly but 3-4 sponge filters can easily do the job for both biological and mechnical filtration
Honestly I would not try and set up a 300 in an apt. The amount of weight your looking at for a running 300gal in nearing 5000lbs.
2400lbs in water weight
500 lbs for glass tank
300 or so for a stand strong enough to hold this weight
300 in substrate
125gal sump is another 1200 lbs
This is why I have stuck to 125s
2400lbs in water weight
500 lbs for glass tank
300 or so for a stand strong enough to hold this weight
300 in substrate
125gal sump is another 1200 lbs
This is why I have stuck to 125s
So for each canister, you know the total weight full of water + media? An eheim 2217 with just sponges inside adds about 16 pounds of water. If you start to use ceramic media it's heavier than that.
