WANTED: Walmart sump testing advice

[PufferCorps]

I just got ahold of one of those comercial sumps from Petco which is the same thing they use at Walmart and I want to run it on my 180 that im just setting up. The gal at MARS API said the manufacturer designed it so it can deal with a substantial bioload and I'm dying to test it out.
This is my first sump experience and I want my fish to live through it, so please tell me if it has a chance of working.
My concerns are:
its only 36 gallons and the tank is 180
it will house about 44 1" to 2.5" juvenile GSP's
And Walmart's bad fish keeping score may or may not be this systems fault. I'm dying to run an experiment, but I dont want to kill the fish in an ironic way.
Should I ditch the idea?

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Test the system on minnows or shiners.

 

[krichardson]

I have the old unit that Marineland used to have for sale before they produced the Tidepool system,it was called the CBW for commercial bio wheel.The wheel is huge which provides quite a bit of surface area for the bacteria but I suspect only trial and error can give you an idea of just how many of your beloved puffers the system can support.....nice find by the way.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

My walmart even used to keep fish in the filters(I've seen this done elsewhere too)

 

[PufferCorps]

I have the old unit that Marineland used to have for sale before they produced the Tidepool system,it was called the CBW for commercial bio wheel.The wheel is huge which provides quite a bit of surface area for the bacteria but I suspect only trial and error can give you an idea of just how many of your beloved puffers the system can support.....nice find by the way.

Thanks! Yes! I'm excited to have one. Its like having captured an enemy spy. Now I'm going to grill him and give him a job in my corporation. lol!

The bio wheels are HUGE! I thought that must be why they can handle extreme loads.

 

[PufferCorps]

My walmart even used to keep fish in the filters(I've seen this done elsewhere too)

How interesting! Do they aid in the cycling of waste? I've seen sumps with small creatures having a life in different compartments. Some even becoming food as adults.