Dear guys,
This is my 1st post and I consider myself still new to this hobby.
Here to learn from you guys.
My current setup is 3ft goldfish tank running a Eheim 2073 Canister.
2 Ranchu and 2 Oranda.
I am planning to start a 4ft goldfish tank, dimension is 4 (L) x 1.5 (H) x 1.5 (D) ft.
Tank will be bare-bottom with no plants.
Should I go for a sump or just use back my existing Eheim 2073 Canister?
I have never own a sump before and afraid that I do not know how to maintain it.
Eg. How often must I wash the piping of the sump and how do I clean it?
Any advice?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by devil78; 23rd Nov 2015 at 13:37.
0Just treat the sump as a 'huge canister filter'. Basically, the principle is the same in that fouled-up water is pumped through the bio-media to be 'treated' by the good bacteria residing in the media.
As for cleaning the filter pipes, I personally don't like to clean them, as I also value the dirt which is formed on the pipes' internal surfaces, since they are additional places for bacteria to reside in. But I know of many who meticulously clean the pipes.
Last edited by tetrakid; 23rd Nov 2015 at 21:13.
Thanks tetrakid for your advice. Most probably will look into the sump as it will also increase the water volume of the tank.
Yes, certainly, that is another important aspect of a sump. The increase in water volume contributes to overall stability of the water body. A sump is the ultimate in aquatic filtration.Originally Posted by devil78
LIFE IS UNBEARABLE WITHOUT A FISH TANK!!!
Yup, this is what I understand from some aquatic website too. Can add more media and also hide all the equipment in the sump setup.
Willing to give it a try and hope I can maintain it well. Thanks bro.
I prefer sump setups because of the freedom you have to customize it. Sumps are pretty straightforward to maintain. Just remove the media, give it a good scrub, and then return it to your tank. I don't believe in cleaning the tubes because the tubes contain benefical bacteria and all those "Gunk" you see are actually colonies of Nitrifying bacteria so if I were you, I won't touch those tubing.
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
Thanks happydanio123 for your advice.
Btw, is it true that a sump very much noisy than canister?
Currently my canister is so quiet that I can't hear anything when it is running.
Hi Devil78, actually, sumps can be quiet. It depends whether or not you're using a overflow system to deliver the water. Overflows can be quite noisy but it all depends if you are DIYing it or buying a commercial sump.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
What you can do is you can use a DIY overflow system that is positioned like 0.5 cm below the water level and then use tubing to connect it to your sump. That way, the water that is flowing in should not make too much noise but once again, it all depends on the diameter of the overflow PVC pipe. Alternatively, you can drill through your tank glass and insert a standpipe there. However, this is super risky and I wouldn't even try that......
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
To sum it all up, sumps are only noisy because of the overflow or method that is used to deliver the water from the tank to the sump. Other than that, a sump should be quiet.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
Go for the sump. You can put in more media there and definitely, the increase in total water volume is the best part.
I had to go for canisters for my 5ft tank because HDB will not approve a 5 ft tank + 4 ft sump on top of each other.
Many thanks bro.
I will see how I can DIY my own sump since I have a old 2ft fish tank sitting in my storeroom.
Suppose I need to study more about sump design and start building one myself.
Getting excited on this new project! 😁
Bro, thanks for your advice.
I am looking into sump and hope to build a budget one myself.
So u are on dual canisters now?
Last edited by devil78; 1st Dec 2015 at 00:16.
I am on Dual Canisters right now bro Devil78. I'm using two Eheim 2213 and I am pretty disappointed with my flowrate. There is one Filter that is hooked up to a Hailea Chiller and the flowrate is like halved because of the chiller! Teh other canister is flowing fine but I suspect it might grow weak and flowrate decrease.
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
I assure you you will find the project satisfying, especially if you fill the 2ft sump with as much media as it can hold. Increasing the overall water volume should not be a consideration, as more media means a more efficient filter. After all, a 4ft tank is already reasonably big.
But do make sure the syphon tube (overflow) is not too deep in the fish tank, as you would not want your sump to overflow when the water pump stopped.
Last edited by tetrakid; 1st Dec 2015 at 20:46.
Please note that getting the Flowrate for your sump is very important. Inaccurate calculation of Flowrate can either leave your sump water pump running dry or even worse, drenching your floor if the sump overflows. I suggest you use an Overflow system to draw the water from the tank since an overflow will not act as a siphon and even in a rare situation should your pump fail, the water will go below the overflow standpipe and the water will stop flowing from your tank. I actually wanted to DIY my own overflow but then the problem is that I could not find any merchant who would be able to sell me some glass. So I suggest if you want to DIY your sump, then you should use those corrugated board found at Popular to use as dividers for your sump chambers. If you stack two of these sheets together as a divider, I'm sure it will be able to withstand the water pressure.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
Also, I suggest you try to incorporate a "trickle filter" into your sump because these "trickle filters" are a really good source of bacterial colonization and will definitely aid your biological filtration.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Does this make sense: ~Imperfect Past equals future tense~
In place of a sump or canister, one can also create a partitioned compartment in a fish tank as a sort of built-in sump/canister. The partitioned part, say about 6"-8" wide on one side of the tank, will be filled with your favourite media. Water flow will be by means of an air pump attached to air tubing with the outlet placed below the media.
The big advantage of this method is that the air bubbles rising to the tank top will agitate the surface vigorously to provide good oxygenation. This is my preferred filtration method.
Appreciate all your advice, happydanio123 bro.
Guess I have so much to learn about sump setup.
Will need to test out the sump properly with the correct calculation.
Overflow of water in the sump is my biggest concern.
Btw, maybe upgrade your canister might help u since u connect it with a chiller.
My Eheim 2073 flowrate is pretty powerful but I am not using a chiller.
Only clean my canister once every 3 months.
Last edited by devil78; 2nd Dec 2015 at 21:30.
Thanks so much tetrakid bro.
I have been reading about sump design n setup these days to learn as much as possible.
Wait till I go n buy some materials and will start on this project during late December.
Guess it will take me a while as this is the first time building such setup.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks