Sump Setups

[jeremoose]

Hey all, just in the process of setting up my first sump and it seems like an incredibly daunting challenge.. Let's see your sump setups to prove it CAN be done! Additionally, the tank I just bought is a 240g, was considering a 55g sump, thoughts?

[jvision]

I always go for the largest sump I can (which is usually just the largest spare tank at the time). I've had everything from filter socks in the first chamber, to floss or nothing. I've filled a biochamber with lava, scrubbies or K1 (and had over 20 gallons of media!). I've also done an undivided tank!

The most important thing that I've foun is that the chamber with your return should be the largest bc that's where all of your evaporation will be realized. One way to mitigate against that is to get an Auto Top Off system.

[damtrees]

I went cheap as well buddy had a old 90 gallon but was to tall so i took the pain off cut it down and put it on the top so the tank sat on its side still 90 gallons then i cut up my first fish tank (15 gallon ) made the baffels out of it. i have about 140# of ceramic rings in the center i put filter whool in the first chamber to polish. there is enough room in the last chamber to go about a week worth of evap if i dont have the lids on but always do water changes before then anyways. i wish i went bigger yet i havent noticed a problem and everything seems to be in check. clean it about twice a year i pull everything out rince it off and wash everything. only thing is when the power goes out because of the tank has such a wide foot print it only frops 3/4 inch but comes up to about a cm from thr top of the sump but so far so good

[damtrees]

keep the heaters in the second bubble trap and seem to do a good job of pushing all the water around them

[jeremoose]

Thanks for the input guys, exactly what I was looking for. Anybody else have some pictures?

[blink]

Imo a 55 isn't going to be big enough for overflow in case of a power outage but depending how you set up your overflow in the tank you may be able to get it to work.

For a 240 I'd go with at least a 90 gallon sump.

For setup, I'd look at two 8" diameter socks, plenty of biomedia in tge second chamber with good baffles that force the water through it, imo most freshwater sumps have too much bypass but I'm picky about making sure the water flow makes the most of my media.

Heaters in the third chamber along with CO2 if you are using it then a bottom pass baffle into your fourth/return chamber to maximize capacity.

[jeremoose]

Imo a 55 isn't going to be big enough for overflow in case of a power outage but depending how you set up your overflow in the tank you may be able to get it to work.

For a 240 I'd go with at least a 90 gallon sump.

For setup, I'd look at two 8" diameter socks, plenty of biomedia in tge second chamber with good baffles that force the water through it, imo most freshwater sumps have too much bypass but I'm picky about making sure the water flow makes the most of my media.

Heaters in the third chamber along with CO2 if you are using it then a bottom pass baffle into your fourth/return chamber to maximize capacity.

My calculations show that if my overflow in the tank is 2 inches below water level I only need 15 gallons of extra space in the sump to accept all the water but maybe my calcs are way off? The main problem with going with a 90 for the sump is that I have a 2x4 stand for it and can't fit an 18" wide tank under the stand. Hmmmm....