New to sumps help and advice welcome

[thedreme]

Hi there not new to fish keeping but new to sumps .....I've just just brought a 300l tank with a sump was used for a saltwater before I belive....I was just after some advice on how to set up this sump been looking most sumps have more chambers have some ideas on how and the best way to set this up all info will be appreciated cheers Danny...oh ps..I'm setting a freshwater tank up

 

[Colin_T]

Just put some blocks of foam in the first compartment and stick a layer of white filter matting on top to trap the gunk. Each week you take the white matt out and hose it off and put it back in the filter.

The sponges can be cleaned once a month by squeezing them out in a bucket of tank water and re-using the sponges. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the lawn.

Don't clean the filter media/ materials until the filter is at least 6 weeks old because you can wash out the good filter bacteria.

 

[thedreme]

Cheers mate ....whatever goes in the middle chamber! Bio balls ceramic rings ect ? And the heaters in the pump return chamber ? Or in the 1st or 2nd chamber ? Cheers

 

[Colin_T]

Marine tanks usually have rock and macro algae in the middle section, and maybe a protein skimmer and calcium reactor. But you don't use those in freshwater so you can leave the middle with just water, or put the heater in it.

 

[itiwhetu]

Depending how big the middle section is, you can always put a layer of gravel in it and put a whole lot of fast-growing plants in it. So, you basically turn it into a bio filter.

 

[Timbobby]

I filled mine with as much filter sponge that I could. I use 20ppi from swiss tropical. Even in the small channel between the first and second section. I have my heater in the first section. Or you could even fill it with plastic pot scrubbers. I have a large canister filter on another tank that i filled with plastic pot scrubbers that only cost me $9. Another good option is k1 media in the middle section to have a fluidized bed. Though it may need air stones or a powerhead if it doesn't circulate enough.

 

[thedreme]

Hi there sorry for the late reply been working away this week .....right so up date I've filled the 1st chamber with all different foam where the drain pipe goes I've put filter floss as the 1st layer so I can remove and add new every week .....2 heaters in the 2nd little chamber I have raised the foam off the bottom off the sump aswell with half inch pvc pipe ....in the 3rd chamber I've filled with all types off bio media iv had laying around last chamber I've got my temp return pump in there .....would it be beneficial to add an air stone in there to add oxygen ? .......Next question is I've been playing around with water going though the sump I say temp return pump as have a small one laying around to play with but flow is not good enuff so what lph pump do I need for a 300l display tank above? I've been trying to research but some places say 5x or 10x or even 20x ? Any help would be brill so I can go buy one cheers

 

[itiwhetu]

The minimum is four times the volume of your tank and from there you can increase it as much as you feel you need to. I always have found 4 times is sufficient for what I do.

 

[Timbobby]

I have my tank at only 2x turnover. I installed a gate valve on my overflow drain so I could match my return pump speed. That made the tank dead silent. I have two line lock outlets that are a couple inches below the water surface, pointed up that help give a little surface agitation. Water to air at the sump and the little surface agitation give plenty of oxygen. I added a air stone for a little while but took it out after a week.