canistar filters vs. sump

travis99

travis99

Member
This may be a dumb question but... Are these bascaly the same thing? Which is more benificial to a reef tank? I would think that a canister filter would be easier to handle and set up rather than a sump.
I will be getting my first large tank soon, so I just want to weigh out all my options. have a 29 gallon tank now that I can use for anything I may need once I set up my 125. I am just trying to figure this out.
Thanks
Travis
 
who dey

who dey

Active Member
Originally Posted by PrevWon
How so?
provides great storage space for clutter i.e.. heaters thermometers, skimmer etc... and makes it easier for topoffs since your water level in ur display tank stays constant and you add water to the sump.
 
scrapman

scrapman

Member
just my 2 cents.... I have a crystal clear 90 gal in a passageway between 2 rooms (like having 2 tanks!)... anyway, no cabinetry.... you see thru in, above, under... I have to Fluval 405 on the side (almost invisible)... all the plumbing/wiring if hidden in brackets welded under the metal stand....
I would never have an ugly and smelly sump.... the Fluvals do the job.... that tank is so well balanced now (LR, corals, invert, caulerpa) that i disconnect one at a time for cleaning.... I just put foam pads... one spooon of charcoal from time to time... no bioballs....
 
dawman

dawman

Active Member
Originally Posted by PrevWon
I almost got the Fluval 405, but I got the Marineland C-360 instead.

How do you like it ? Been thinking of getting one .
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
I have used both (sump and cannisters..Fluval). Both can work well. IMHO I like the sump because....
You can set up a refugium
You can put heaters/skimmers/UV light out of site
You are adding to your total water volume (solution to pollution is filtration
and dilution.....more water volume the better)
I do use a cannister on a 32 gallon in my daughter's room because I lack the space for a sump at that location, but I do have to do more maitenenace/water changes in that application.
If you go with a cannister..Fluval or Eheim.......
 
autofreak44

autofreak44

Active Member
you would be suprised how cheap they can be if you set up your own. the expensive part is the pump to pump water back to the aquarium, otherwise you are probably comming out even by using a filter sock vs a hang on back filter and a cheap 10 gal aquarium as a sump. maybe a few bucks more but well worth the trade off
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
here is my take on it.
sump:
adds signifigant water volume for maintaining tank levels
good place to put equipment like heaters skimmers etc.
can put a fuge for macro, sand, extra LR
can have wet dry section if you want
can have mechanical filtration (sponges pads etc.)
good place to plumb auto top off units to
good place to dose additaves so your not directly dosing the main DT
good place to do water changes from with out affecting the water level in your DT for quickie changes.
Cannister
has mechanical filtration
does not add signifigant amount of water to the set up
some bio depending on the type of filter Maybe you can put LR rubble in it.
annoying to maintain (IMO)
Over all sumps just have a range of options that you can even come close to with a cannister filter, cannisters can be effective for filtering, thats it. sumps are just far more diverse in the scope of things you can accomplish for your tank with them.
 
prevwon

prevwon

Member
I don't know the first thing about sumps...How do they work? What all do you need for it? How much would a setup be for a 75 gallon?
 
dawman

dawman

Active Member
Originally Posted by PrevWon
I don't know the first thing about sumps...How do they work? What all do you need for it? How much would a setup be for a 75 gallon?
There are many current threads on sumps , how they work ,and you can build one pretty cheap . Search it and you will see many threads on the topic . Also check out melevsreef.com for some good info .
As for pricing it really depends on which sump . There are many brands and you can just make one to save $$
 
prevwon

prevwon

Member
I am planning on making my own sump. If I make a 10 gallon tank into a sump, will it be enough for my 75 gallon DT?
 
dawman

dawman

Active Member
Originally Posted by PrevWon
I am planning on making my own sump. If I make a 10 gallon tank into a sump, will it be enough for my 75 gallon DT?
I would go 30 , you need enough capacity incase the power goes out , you need to turn off the pump , or the pump quits . You need access capacity for the water in the tank to drain into the sump until the water level in the tank is below the overflow . Plus if you plan to put your heaters , skimmer , and etc. you will need more room than a 10 .
 
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