Canister vs sump tank for shrimp tank setup

[noidea]

I notice that almost all shrimp tanks setup use canister instead of sump tank.

I wish to know it is better for shrimp tanks to use canister instead of sump tank. Are there any pro and con on this two type of filter system.

[Urban Aquaria]

Sump tank is better in terms of the larger amount of filtration and bio-media it can hold, and it's larger water volume also increases the effective water volume of the overall setup. Note that you'll need to either drill an overflow hole in the tank or use a hang-on overflow system. The disadvantage is that the sump tank takes up more space under the stand or cabinet.

Canister filters hold less amount of filtration and bio-media, but the advantage is it takes up less space and you can easily transfer and use it for other tank setups.

Most people will use sump tanks in larger setups, like 3ft and above tanks as there will be more space under the tank to hold a good sized sump tank.

For tanks 2ft and below, sump tanks can still be used but it kinda becomes abit overkill and there already isn't much space under those tanks anyways, so canister filters are sufficient.

Its basically about space considerations, if you have it, go for sump tank setup.

[noidea]

Thank you for the explanation between canister and sump tank.

[Navanod]

Sump tank is better in terms of the larger amount of filtration and bio-media it can hold, and it's larger water volume also increases the effective water volume of the overall setup. Note that you'll need to either drill an overflow hole in the tank or use a hang-on overflow system. The disadvantage is that the sump tank takes up more space under the stand or cabinet.

Canister filters hold less amount of filtration and bio-media, but the advantage is it takes up less space and you can easily transfer and use it for other tank setups.

Most people will use sump tanks in larger setups, like 3ft and above tanks as there will be more space under the tank to hold a good sized sump tank.

For tanks 2ft and below, sump tanks can still be used but it kinda becomes abit overkill and there already isn't much space under those tanks anyways, so canister filters are sufficient.

Its basically about space considerations, if you have it, go for sump tank setup.

Sump tanks may hold a larger volume of filter media, but water will flow through the path of least resistance as its is a passive process, which creates dead pockets in certain sump tanks. So yes, there's more media, but efficiency suffers.
Canisters gets around this by creating a sealed and slightly pressurized environment. Water are forced through the media trays and, unless the trays are choked from poor maintenance, most media would come into contact with moving water and bacteria can colonize a higher percentage of the media in use.

To me, the sump tank's advantage is that it is opened and easy to check for anything that may have gotten sucked into it.
The large volume is useful as you've pointed out, and for display tanks, this volume can be helpful in maintaining a constant waterline (by offsetting evaporation) in the main tank, which prevents unsightly deposits from forming. This requires an overflow system though.

Sump tanks are also good when we want to "share" water between tanks or in a rack. This sharing is usually to make waterchange less tedious, to have a more stable water parameters from a larger shared volume, and sometimes, to share the chiller.

[xuan87]

Sump tank is also good if you want to create an algae scrubber system.

[noidea]

Sump tanks may hold a larger volume of filter media, but water will flow through the path of least resistance as its is a passive process, which creates dead pockets in certain sump tanks. So yes, there's more media, but efficiency suffers.
Canisters gets around this by creating a sealed and slightly pressurized environment. Water are forced through the media trays and, unless the trays are choked from poor maintenance, most media would come into contact with moving water and bacteria can colonize a higher percentage of the media in use.

To me, the sump tank's advantage is that it is opened and easy to check for anything that may have gotten sucked into it.
The large volume is useful as you've pointed out, and for display tanks, this volume can be helpful in maintaining a constant waterline (by offsetting evaporation) in the main tank, which prevents unsightly deposits from forming. This requires an overflow system though.

Sump tanks are also good when we want to "share" water between tanks or in a rack. This sharing is usually to make waterchange less tedious, to have a more stable water parameters from a larger shared volume, and sometimes, to share the chiller.

Seem like sump tank have more pro than con. The only worry I have using the sump tank to share chiller and filter is if one tank got infected, the rest of the other tank will get infected.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[noidea]

Sump tank is also good if you want to create an algae scrubber system.

First time I heard about algae scrubber system. Thank you.

[thebaldingaquarist]

sump tank pros
1. more potential filtration power (efficiency is debatable)
2. easier maintenance
3. provides wet/dry filtration by default (canister requires modification to intake or outlet)
4. better customize-bility because of larger real estate and flow rate

Sump tank cons
1. larger rate of evaporation
2. requires larger space
3. enclosed cabinet needs to be moisture tolerant


take the reverse of the above for canister pros and cons. ie, canister pros == sump cons

[xuan87]

First time I heard about algae scrubber system. Thank you.

I learnt about it when I went searching for a way to reduce nitrate level in tanks without doing water change as I wanted to be lazy

Anyway, if you're interested, you can do it without a sump too but if you ever want to set up a sump tank, then it's worthwhile to consider setting up an algae scrubber system too. Not only will it reduce nitrate level, it will prevent algae growth in your tank too.

[bennyc]

sump tank will lose CO2 due to water agitation so not very good for planted tank unless you pump in more CO2 to compensate for loss.
But for shrimp only tank, i will go for sump, more space for bio and mechanic filter, more water volume which also translates to more stable water parameters.
i feel maintenance for sump is also much more simple.

[bennyc]

I learnt about it when I went searching for a way to reduce nitrate level in tanks without doing water change as I wanted to be lazy

Anyway, if you're interested, you can do it without a sump too but if you ever want to set up a sump tank, then it's worthwhile to consider setting up an algae scrubber system too. Not only will it reduce nitrate level, it will prevent algae growth in your tank too.

Algae scrubber may not be a good feature in shrimp only tank. More useful for hobbists will high bioload, long hours of lights or non planted.

For shrimp tank, the bioload is very very low so may not be enough to feed the algae spot focus system. Anyway, controlled/ low level of algae is good to feed the shrimps and shrimplets.

[xuan87]

Algae scrubber may not be a good feature in shrimp only tank. More useful for hobbists will high bioload, long hours of lights or non planted.

For shrimp tank, the bioload is very very low so may not be enough to feed the algae spot focus system. Anyway, controlled/ low level of algae is good to feed the shrimps and shrimplets.

It's true that the bioload is lower, so a full size algae scrubber may not be feasible (for eg, a 2ft long scrubber for a 2 ft tank). Have been toying with the idea of a algae scrubber made up of a bulk shining on a satellite breeding box full of algae. Much easier to DIY, I've seen it done before, and may be more suitable for a shrimp tank.

My shrimp tank is planted but after 2 months of not changing water, my nitrate level rose to 40 ppm. Thought I can get away with no water change due to the plants but apparently not... So doing a weekly 10% water change.

[Urban Aquaria]

For sump tanks, instead of an algae scrubber, a compartment in the sump tank could also be used as a "vege filter"... just stuff it full of super fast growing high nitrate absorbing plants like water wisteria or water sprite and frogbits, then blast it with light, the plants will absorb the nitrates and grow like crazy in the sump compartment (every week just remove handfuls of it and give away, it basically acts as nutrient export), while leaving the above tank free of fast growing plants which may clutter up and block the view of the shrimps.

[noidea]

sump tank pros
1. more potential filtration power (efficiency is debatable)
2. easier maintenance
3. provides wet/dry filtration by default (canister requires modification to intake or outlet)
4. better customize-bility because of larger real estate and flow rate

Sump tank cons
1. larger rate of evaporation
2. requires larger space
3. enclosed cabinet needs to be moisture tolerant


take the reverse of the above for canister pros and cons. ie, canister pros == sump cons

Thank you. I intend to get a rack instead of cabinet as it is more airy for the filter but may not look nice as compare to a cabinet.

[noidea]

sump tank will lose CO2 due to water agitation so not very good for planted tank unless you pump in more CO2 to compensate for loss.
But for shrimp only tank, i will go for sump, more space for bio and mechanic filter, more water volume which also translates to more stable water parameters.
i feel maintenance for sump is also much more simple.

Thanks. Since I am thinking of keeping shrimp and a low maintenance planted tank, I guess lack of CO2 is not a big problem. Yes, I looking for simple maintenance of the filter.

[noidea]

For sump tanks, instead of an algae scrubber, a compartment in the sump tank could also be used as a "vege filter"... just stuff it full of super fast growing high nitrate absorbing plants like water wisteria or water sprite and frogbits, then blast it with light, the plants will absorb the nitrates and grow like crazy in the sump compartment (every week just remove handfuls of it and give away, it basically acts as nutrient export), while leaving the above tank free of fast growing plants which may clutter up and block the view of the shrimps.

Thanks for the good idea of using part of the sump as "veg filter".

[Urban Aquaria]

Thank you. I intend to get a rack instead of cabinet as it is more airy for the filter but may not look nice as compare to a cabinet.

If you are going for a rack setup, then do consider custom making the rack so that you can put 2 tanks (with enough vertical clearance space to work on them too)... you can still just run one tank on top first, with a canister filter or sump tank at the bottom, but eventually if you decided to have more tanks, the bottom tier can be used to house another tank, so you can save space.

Check out my 2-tier rack setup for some ideas: http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...-Setup-Journal

[noidea]

If you are going for a rack setup, then do consider custom making the rack so that you can put 2 tanks (with enough vertical clearance space to work on them too)... you can still just run one tank on top first, with a canister filter or sump tank at the bottom, but eventually if you decided to have more tanks, the bottom tier can be used to house another tank, so you can save space.

Check out my 2-tier rack setup for some ideas: http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...-Setup-Journal

Thank for the link. Nice setup there. I might custom make a 3 tiers rack that is not too tall for the top tank.