Could I Use A Sump As A Filter?

[ljbutler]

Right - little bit of background first.

A few months ago I bought myself a 6x2x2 foot tank and a 4 foot sump intending to upgrade my marine tank. However, due to the pressures of work I've never had time to set it up. Now, since work doesn't look like letting up any time soon and energy costs are soaring, I'm wondering about the wisdom of such a large marine tank. So - I'm contemplating setting it up as a low maintenance planted tank instead.

Now here's the question - because it was intended as a reef the back of the tank is drilled for overflows to a sump. I know they're not common on freshwater tanks and that water running over a weir and down pipes will cause surface agitation that will remove CO2 from the water, but could I use the sump as a giant filter? On this sort of water volume I'd be looking at quite an expensive external (something like the Eheim pro 3). However, I already have pumps with a suitable flow rate, and the sump would offer many times the filter volume of even the biggest external. I could quite easily pack it with foam and other filter media, as well as using it to keep heaters out of sight etc.

So - could it work? Has anyone else done it? What are the pitfalls?

 

[Crazy fishes]

Right - little bit of background first.

A few months ago I bought myself a 6x2x2 foot tank and a 4 foot sump intending to upgrade my marine tank. However, due to the pressures of work I've never had time to set it up. Now, since work doesn't look like letting up any time soon and energy costs are soaring, I'm wondering about the wisdom of such a large marine tank. So - I'm contemplating setting it up as a low maintenance planted tank instead.

Now here's the question - because it was intended as a reef the back of the tank is drilled for overflows to a sump. I know they're not common on freshwater tanks and that water running over a weir and down pipes will cause surface agitation that will remove CO2 from the water, but could I use the sump as a giant filter? On this sort of water volume I'd be looking at quite an expensive external (something like the Eheim pro 3). However, I already have pumps with a suitable flow rate, and the sump would offer many times the filter volume of even the biggest external. I could quite easily pack it with foam and other filter media, as well as using it to keep heaters out of sight etc.

So - could it work? Has anyone else done it? What are the pitfalls?

John Hunter used to say 'don't think, experiment' which really sums up my view on this situation. You should give it a go and see what happens. It will be a mammoth filter for a freshwater setup but you can never have enough filtration, right ??

Regards

 

[ljbutler]

Oh - I'll probably end up trying it anyway! I just wanted to see if anyone had already done it and had any advice.

To be honest if I don't go this route I need to consider selling this tank and replacing it with an undrilled one, not out of the question, but not ideal. The sump filter thing I can try with very little cost. I already have the pumps - I'd just need to buy some glass to change the partitioning in the sump appropriately and some foam/media.