Wet/Dry vs Canister
- Thread starter FlorabamaTrigger
- Start date
creepyoldguy;4686514; said:
So then is it possible that if the pump is submersed in the bottom of the sump tank, and has to push the water back UP 4ft to go back into the tank, that getting a 1500gph might be needed to get the 1250GPH turnover for the '10x' turnover rule? I only ask because I'm going off of what the guy that I'm getting the sump setup from is suggesting. He also raises African Cichlids so I was kind of going off of what he reccomended.
FlorabamaTrigger;4686587; said:
I'm honestly not a sump guy, I like canisters myself, but yea. Before you buy a pump, check out the flow rating for x amount of feet you need to push the water and that will give you the actual flow rate. Although, I'm not 100% sure if that takes in account turns and 90's in the piping.
i use a combo of both-sump for bio and a place to put my heaters etc. and a cannister packed with mostly floss for polishing. i never run just one filter in case something happens to one when your not home( like it usually does)
In my opinion, there are no negatives to running a sump, just a very long "PROs" list:
- cheaper to build than a canister filter (use old tank or storage bin)
- more room for bio media
- BEST mechanical filtration you can get by incorporating filter socks
- remove all equipment from the tank
- maintains constant water level in the tank, and has extra water for evaporation
- keeps the surface free of scum via the skimmer/overflow
- can be made to run even quieter than a canister filter (Durso standpipe, Herbie method, etc)
I love sumps, so much that I have a 10g sump on my 57g planted with a 1,017gph pump, and the flow is just about right. For my tanks, I try to do 8-10x turnover minimum. You WILL NOT have too much flow at 10x turnover. Anybody who has ran big tanks will tell you this. You will barely even notice a current in the tank at 10x.
Here's the sump on my little planted tank:
- cheaper to build than a canister filter (use old tank or storage bin)
- more room for bio media
- BEST mechanical filtration you can get by incorporating filter socks
- remove all equipment from the tank
- maintains constant water level in the tank, and has extra water for evaporation
- keeps the surface free of scum via the skimmer/overflow
- can be made to run even quieter than a canister filter (Durso standpipe, Herbie method, etc)
I love sumps, so much that I have a 10g sump on my 57g planted with a 1,017gph pump, and the flow is just about right. For my tanks, I try to do 8-10x turnover minimum. You WILL NOT have too much flow at 10x turnover. Anybody who has ran big tanks will tell you this. You will barely even notice a current in the tank at 10x.
Here's the sump on my little planted tank:
jcardona is right, you'll barely notice a 10x turnover rate. Is it needed? No. Quite simply, no. If you want to go overkill like many will suggest on this site, that is fine, but it is not needed. Africans are hardy fish and can handle nitrates above 5ppm. Again, turnover rate is not as important as the bio media to support the tank. If you're not concerned with water clarity, I would just tell you to throw some lace rock in your tank with some eheim substrate and a few koralias. Youre tank will still cycle perfectly, you'll just have to do more water changes to keep the water clear. Regardless how much filtration you have, or what your turnover rate is, how much filter floss you have in your sump, the fine particles in the tank are still in the system, whether they're settled in your substrate or caught in a filter pad. It's really quite simple and somewhere along the line many people have gotten away with what it really means to filter a tank. Is a 17x turnover rate necessary? No, 10x? No. Just keep up with regular tank care and water changes and you'll be surprised at what you can have with out all the overkill and excess.
I use both on my 210 i have a custom made sump, with 2 filter socks that over flow to the blue matting that drips on bio balls and sponges and than underneath is ceramic rings and my heaters the flows to the pump, and my fx5, i like sumps cause it can make your tank look cleaner with no heaters and all but its really up to you. Yea ac70s arent the best models of ac I rather use the 110s. But all in all I rather use a sump.
I just received a couple quotes that I need to mull over. Financially, it went over my budget. However, for the piece of mind in the long run, it will probably be worth it. I'm going to need to think on this. I've changed my parameters and am now looking at going with a 1300GPH and going with the 10X rather than the original 15X. Either way I'll have water in this thing by Xmas if I gotta hook up those damn HOBs that came with it just to start cycling it!!!
