hey guys

i have the opportunity to get a used 5 ft tank, its a complete bargain and am keen to buy it purley for that reason (am talking like £20!) the only thing is it has a sump hole drilled in it, i have ZERO experience with sumps,i onyl use external canisters. would it be worth me using one with this tank, if for nothin else than to get used ot them? i could always seal it up which wouldnt be a big deal as im making my own hood and stand for it anyway if i get it.

if it would be a good idea, how easy are they to make? i have plenty of small glass tanks which are not in use which i could use.

has anyone here built thereown before? if so what did you put in it? am i right in thinking charcoal? would love to get some info from u.

cheers guys and gals

Matt

for a 5 foot tank a sump isnt really necessary. there are canister on the market that can easily handle a tank of that size. now having said that a sump filter is the best way to go to provide biological filtration on an aquarium.
sumps themselves are simple to construct and run. all you really need is an empty tank a pump and a bit of plumbing. that along with a little bit of elbow grease and your on your way to having a sump filter for your tank.
heres a link on how to construct your sump using an old tank and some pieces of acrylic.


www.oscarfishlover.com/oscar-fish-advice...ry-or-trickle-filter


the first step is to determine what size of sump you are planning on. then the rest will fall into place.

good luck with the sump if you do decide to go with it. and if you have any question just ask. there are a few of us on the site that use sumps on our tanks.

I would not bother going to all the trouble of installing a sump on a tank that size, if you were keeping marine fish then it may be worth it, but not with fresh water tropical fish. Seal it up properly and stick with one large, or a couple of canister filters, you can't be wrong there

def not going down tropical route, assume thats what it was used for in past, as i was baffled by the sump hole in a ft tank.

if i was to set one up it would purely be to experience settin up and using a sump.

ill see when i pick it up whether ill be sealing it or going for it!

do have alot of work building base and hood so we'll see, thanks guys

Sumps are WELL worth the effort. Not only is a properly setup sump better than ANY canister filter (more space for all sorts of media), they have HEAPS of other advantages:

- Add things directly to sump (medications etc will be mixed in properly)
- Get things out of your display - things like thermometers, heaters etc can all be placed in your sum
- Easy maintenance - MUCh easier than a canister, just reach in and doo stuff, rather than draining, pulling out, cleaning, repriming etc

The only thing is that you have to be careful setting up, but if done properly you wontregret it.

After you have used a sump - you will never want to go back!

Has the tank got the sump with it already? As mentioned above these filters can be very efficient but if designed poorly can be a right pain in the backside to maintain and clean. However properly designed they are a very very good, easy to maintain and work incredibly well.

no ofl, i was thinking of making my own....with that being the case and me not doing it before would u stil reccomend i get a canister?

main reason i want a sump is because iv never used one and want to experience it i suppose!!

Like Goobs said, if you decide to get or make one, you will love it.
I never made one but the one i have looks pretty simple.
If you can cut glass (which i couldn't before i got into the hobby, but was forced into craftsmanship by breaking the coverplates...) and use silicone, it can be done yourself.
The only thing that looks more difficult is the Anti-splatter box that catches the water when coming from the overflow.


But that part is not stricktly nescesary.

you can also just plumb your canister into the holes for the sump. just cos it has sump holes you don't have to use a sump ))) or plug them.

askhammatt wrote:



A couple of decent canister filters, or may be one of the large Eheim 3, or FX5 will maintain your water quality just great. It's not as if you're going to be heavily stocked, you're not going to have any more than a couple of Oscars and a few tank mates. Sump filters really work best on freshwater aquariums when the aquarium itself is very large containing lots of fish.

However, if you want to install one then there isn't going to be any disadvantage to you having one.

i see, ill have to have a think but i suppose its tru i wont be really over stocked so as marcus says i could use sump holes for my canister and just get a nice new shiny one

If you had your sump already with all the pipework in place then it would be easy for you to start using it. However, even though sump filters at simplicity in themselves, constructing one needs to be done with some thought because if not, you will just end up with a filter that could create more hassle for your self in the long run.