sump question

T

timrome

AC Members
Jan 19, 2006
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hi everyone, im new in here but i have been keeping fish for over 20 years,

i have a 6 x 2 x 2 tank at present with a redtail, a niger cat and a leiarius marmaratus and a megaladoras irwini.

now very soon i will be getting an 8 x 2'6" x 2'6", until now i have always used external power filters i have 3 fluval 404's running at the moment, but i was thinking of using the redundant 6 footer as a sump, but i dont know anything at all about sumps (how they work, whether i need anything drilling, do i still use other filters, what goes in a sump)

can anyone help please

thanks
tim
 
the 6 foot may be overkill

a sump is pretty much a huge filterand ill see if i can find some good diy plans but its basically like 5 filters in 1 and also an areator

basically you divide a box (tank) into chanbers with diffrent filter media and it useually has an over under over pattern where the water has to go overthe first divider and under the second and over the third then gets pumped back into the tank.

some people build overflow chambers to feed their sumps. this acts as a protine skimmer. but if your useinf a powerhead to force the water back into the tank you need to mke sure your water levels are allwas right cause a waterpump isnt designed to pump air. ive probably just confued you more but maybe someone else can take my thoughts and make them make sense.

id skip the overflow on your first one
 
In fact and operation, a sump is nothing more than another tank or comparable vessel linked to the "display" tank in order to move certain functions out of the display. Your choice on what those functions are.

Most commonly filtration (frequently wet/dry, but any is possible) is the biggest function of the sump.

Heating is also common, especially where big nasties live in the tank and are notorious for knocking equipment around.

Veggie/plant filters are aslo an option, but with that bioload are pushing it a bit.

It is personal option on whether or not the display is drilled (either bottom or back wall), or whether over-the-side/back surface extractors are used. FWIW, for really large fish and large tanks with high flows, I would drill. Hole diameters for the bulkhead fittings depend on projected flows. If the new tank is tempered glass (many tank bottoms are, some sides are) it cannot be drilled.
 
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