# advice on sump tank



## BASHK

hi everybody im new to this forum and i would like some helpful advice.i have a 125 gallon tank and a sump which i was going to use as a reef tank.now circumstances have changed and i want to set the tank as a planted fresh water setup but the problem i have is the tank has a internal weir and holes drilled so i have to use the sump.the sump has four equal compartments its about 3ft.is it possible to use the sump and also what can i use the four compartments up with.can any body advice me please.


----------



## willow

hello and welcome.
i'm unable to help with your question,however i'm sure someone will
be able to help you soon.


----------



## aunt kymmie

I wish I could answer your questions but I wanted to welcome you to the forum!


----------



## Krinedawg

Hello and welcome to FishForum!

I have a similar set up on my 30 gallon fresh water tank. The sump filter has it's pros' and cons. 

But if you don't want to use the sump tank, there is a simple solution to it. You know those big holes that's drilled into your tank with the pvc pipes going through them. Just take out the pvc, get a threaded piece of pvc and some screw on end caps. Make sure the caps are tight against the O rings so they don't leak and there ya have it. Shouldn't cost you more than 5 dollars to do and if you ever want to utilize your sump tank all you have to do is unscrew the caps. Now you can use any kind of filter you want. 

If you can, take a picture of the tank and sump for me, I'm basing the above info on my tank, you say you have a internal wire, which I haven't seen on a sump filter. It will help to determine what you can do ie: cut the wire and remove or seal the hole it goes through. I can't imagine they have wire rigged through a separate hole in the tank. But I've been wrong before.

The way most sump filter tanks work is through a gravity/pump system. So you should have 2 holes in your tank one on each end. On one end is the gravity drain ( a piece of pvc with holes in it) that when the water reaches the level of the drain it flows down to the sump tank (under your main tank) the compartments are for your filters I use pond filters. One catches the floating material the other is carbon coated some use other materials but that's just what I use. 

Once the water passes through the filters it is then pumped back up into your tank via a water pump at the other end of your tank, and then usually through a spray bar. Hence the need for two holes. If you cap the two the holes you will be able to fill the tank up to the black band around the tank and use whatever filter system you want. (I've grown very fond of sponge filters to use as an addition to whatever filter system you are using) 

I hope this helps you out if not just say so. We can figure something out for you.


----------



## nomel

Of course use the sump. Buy some bulk fine filter material, some bulk biological material (hay type is cheapest for surface area) and you have yourself a nice wet/dry filter! Why wouldn't you!? Wet dry are one of the best filters! Plus, you can put all of your equipment into the sump (heater, pump) to keep the tank clean. I wish I had holes drilled in my tank. I'm stuck using a siphon system.


----------



## Krinedawg

nomel said:


> Of course use the sump. Buy some bulk fine filter material, some bulk biological material (hay type is cheapest for surface area) and you have yourself a nice wet/dry filter! Why wouldn't you!? Wet dry are one of the best filters! Plus, you can put all of your equipment into the sump (heater, pump) to keep the tank clean. I wish I had holes drilled in my tank. I'm stuck using a siphon system.


I agree Nomel I love the sump tank for the hiding purposes. The cons I have for it are 1. The fish keep going down the drain into the sump tank. 2. If I place anything over the drain such as a net or stocking it clogs and I forget I have a piece of cloth over it and in the morning there is 20 gallons of water on the floor and the pump is dead. I was so mad at myself! 

But as for a filter system thing works like a charm! I just have to check the sump tank for fish every day and place them back in the upper tank. I think they like going down the slide, they don't care so much for getting stuck in the pump though.


----------



## BASHK

Hi krinedawg i appreciate your help.i originally ordered this tank for a marine set up and it was customised to my own taste it has an internal weir in the middle and it has 2 holes for return and and one for intake into the sump.i used the idea from la fish guys video on youtube you could check that out if you type it up.yes defo im going to post pics but when it arrives.lol.its due in 2 weeks.if i block the holes and take out the weir.when the water is in,the pressure of the water want this cause a leek.


----------



## BASHK

Thanks nomel that is a good idea but i dont know where to get hold of the biological medias.iv always used canister filters.and if i was to use peat how would i place it in the sump.


----------



## Krinedawg

BASHK said:


> Hi krinedawg i appreciate your help.i originally ordered this tank for a marine set up and it was customised to my own taste it has an internal weir in the middle and it has 2 holes for return and and one for intake into the sump.i used the idea from la fish guys video on youtube you could check that out if you type it up.yes defo im going to post pics but when it arrives.lol.its due in 2 weeks.if i block the holes and take out the weir.when the water is in,the pressure of the water want this cause a leek.


Okay, I checked out the LA Fish Guys, what episode are you referring to? 

You can still use the sump filter system on fresh water if you want to. It's a great system, not so much for small fish like my guppies or or apistograma's as they do tend to chase floating foods down the system. In my case I leave the first compartment empty only water so when the fish do come in they have a place to stay. In the second compartment I use pond filters non carbonized to catch any media that may be in the water. in the last compartment I have but not really needed as I have allot of plants in the tank is a carbon filter. After a while the carbon will wear down, and it acts as another media filter. I don't remove them until they are practically falling apart. Now you have the space where your pump goes in, I have that connected to pvc, with a ball valve on it so I can adjust the flow rate of the water so it's not so vigorous on the fish, about once a week I open it all the way and let it throw out any materials that may be in the pipe line. I let it run for about 15 minutes and then take the cloth cover over the intake to the pump and shut it off allowing for the water to rush back down the pump into the sump tank. I find this helps clean the pump out somewhat. I then replace the cloth turn the valve to half way and start the pump back up. The tank will be dirty for about 15 minutes and then once the water starts flowing again the system takes over and the tank is clear again. 

Now different people use different media's in the filter system, I use pond filters which basically looks like a piece of air intake material used on furnaces (it's not the same stuff just looks like it). 

As for plugging the holes it would be just the same as if you had pvc in it using it for the sump filter, only it's capped at both ends and screwed tight to the O rings. The O rings will act as a seal against the caps if it leaks then the caps aren't tight enough against the seal. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN you can snap the entire back of the tank in half by wrenching on it too hard. Your best option would be to make them hand tight, fill the tank if it doesn't leak your good if it leaks a bit tighten them until it stops then your done. 

Either way is up to you, since you already have the tank drilled to your's specific designs go ahead and use the system as you would have with the marine tank. The only difference you have at this point is salt. It won't hurt anything by changing the type of water you use. You will just be using different media, and filters. 

Oh and what is the weir? is it a wire just misspelled and if so what's the wire for?


----------



## nomel

*Bashk, *any decent fish store will have bulk filter and biological. It looks like hay.

http://z.about.com/d/saltaquarium/1/0/-/L/1/cprcyclonefilter.jpg

See the image above. The white hay like material on the right is what I'm talking about. Has much more surface area than bio balls and is MUCH cheaper.

*Krinedawg*

I keep mine at a level so that if the pump loses power, the sump will fill, but not overflow...and if the overflow gets clogged, the tank will fill to the brim, but not overflow. Water level is about 1/4 inch from the black trim when it's running...all the way up when overflow is clogged....guess it's a function of the size of the sump.


----------



## Krinedawg

I always seem to fail to mention my sump tank is a DIY made from a 10 gallon tank. If you are looking down from the top it has pieces of acrylic angled and siliconed to the edge of the tank [ / \ / ] <-- (mini diagram) with the filter media in between the angled acrylic slats. So I may be out of my league with the newer systems, but it's basically the same concept. Just different filter media's.


----------



## nomel

You have me beat. Mine is made with three large tupperware containers stacked (filter, bio material, sump), all sitting in a large 5G tupperware type container. Probably cost $5 total for the containers. Powered by a [email protected] height pump and an overflow made from a powerhead housing. Looks better than it sounds though...no really.

I always laugh when I see the LFS wet/dry filters they seem to usually use for their systems...usually just paint buckets of filter material stacked on top of biological weave, all dripping down into a sump...it's all the same. Then I tell my girlfriend, that's like my filter...and she looks at me funny.


----------



## BASHK

Hi krinedawg.i dont exactly remember exactly which episode it was there are so many sorry. A wier is basically it acts as a wall inside the tank behind it are the holes where piping would go.so when the tank is full of water it will flow over the weir and when that space behind the weir gets full of water it will then flow into the intake pipe down to the sump.its just saves you from using overflow system.i have decide that i am gointo use the sump so what do you think of my idea for the sump setup:there are four equal chamber so in the first chamber im going to use a nylon sock so with floss under it,second chamber im going to use bio balls with air stone,third chamber im going to use carbon media,ammonia remover and peat granules because of keeping altum angel fish i have to use peat to keep ph down it works well.and the last chamber im going to have the return pump and heaters.please let me know if this idea would work.thanks


----------



## Krinedawg

The substances you listed sound good, the only thing that I could see a difference on, and Byron if you're reading over this, please add your info. Is that if you are going to have live plants the carbon isn't really necessary as the plants will take care of most the ammonia and the carbon only lasts for so long until it wears down. 

I use a carbon filter only because it's attached to the filter media I use to catch the bigger particles in the sump tank. I have what I call a medium planted tank, enough to keep the ammonia down, but not enough to need Co2. 

I highly recommend live plants. Low light, nice growing plants, not only make the tank look nice, are easy to care for, but the fish will thank you for them too. (I know you don't have your tank yet but I figured if I told you now it would give you some time to do some research). The system you have sounds like your going to have a great setup, I can't wait to see the photo's of it. 

Do you know what you are going to use as a substrate, and decorations, Angel fish are a beautiful fish, I have a friend who breeds them here. 

Nomel, I showed one of them to my wife and then the price tag, and she asked what is that? I told her it was the Dom Peri om of filters. Her next question was "do you need one of those"? I told her no, I have the Boons farm of filters. She sighed and said thank goodness cause you weren't getting it until we were able to afford the Dom Peri om.


----------



## fishhelper

I would rather use a HOB pvc overflow rather than having a drilled tank. Yea you should the the sump for wet/dry filter they are the best!


----------

