Specifically with respect to your question I think you should be more concerned over what you will get for the money. If your gift giver is rich and money is no object then by all means ask for a centralized 10 tank sump system. But if we are talking generous but conservative gift givers I would point them to the Ebay FX5 becasue for the price of $220 and performance its probubly the best value out there. I have sumps on my large tanks augmenting my FX5's but only for water level management and topping off into a bottom sump tank with a bucket rather then over my head (ouch). But I have done the head to head comparison independent filter testing using flake food, and the skimmer sumps don't come remotely close to the FX5 performance. At least that is what my objective test have shown, I cant speak for others realities. 50% of the satisfaction is sump building for practically nothing. Save up and buy a new/used $15 pond pump and build a wet/drt sump using parts from $1 garage sales, some garden hose, used Tupperware, plastic storage container and and discarded PVC for a skimmer.