Sump on a FW? Cannister filter? Or bioballs?
 

Ok so here's my question.

If you wanted to put a sump on a FW tank, would you still use a cannister filter? Or would you use bioballs and some filter floss and be done with things?

I'm trying to figure out how best to setup my new tank. I want to have a sump so I can remove some equipment from the main display, plus not have to worry about water level fluctuations (maybe even throw a float valve on it for auto top off).

But if I have a sump in the cabinet I may have trouble fitting the cannister filter.

Would it even be necessary? Would it be better to use bioballs? I don't really understand the benefit of a bioball system over conventional power filters... are they better?

FW have you lost your mind. :mrgreen:

I'd say skip the canister filter all together, it's not needed if you're going to have a sump. We used Bio-balls and a sponge filter in the sump when we had the tank set up for freshwater. I've attached a pic showing how it worked.
Debbie

Have I lost my mind? Undoubtedly! :p But I can't get rid of the FW fish, and they're outgrowing their current setup. Plus my current setup is most definitely not toddler friendly and my little guy just loooooooves flipping switches and flipping the powerbar on and off is not so good ... I have a 65g with a cabinet style stand, thanks to Impreza, and it can be toddler-proofed so time for an upgrade.

Thanks for the info doublette. I would sure find it easier if I could do without the cannisters. :)

Go
 

Yes Tony, you can nix the cannister.
It won't do anything more than the sump will do (straining - mechanical filtration and hosting biomedia). You could use bioballs but for a small sump you would get more bang out of ceramic rings or rena chemstars. I've also used plastic pot scrubbers, sponges and pond filter matting - anything that provides surface area. You can also try your hand at creating a F.W. refugium.
I have also lost my mind it seems as I have a 140G. F.W. and only a 75G. S.W. :wink:
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RV90

Personally, I would run a canister because I would want to use it for carbon, NitraZorb, RowaPhos, and crushed coral.

Cheers,

Go
 

On a fresh water system Mark?
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ZR1100A

Yup. Carbon to remove negative trace elements and odour; NitraZorb for nitrate control; RowaPhos for phosphate control; and crushed coral (not much mind you) for pH maintenance.

Cheers,

Go
 

Just curious mark, what kind of F.W. tank do you have?
I have a planted community and don't really worry about nitrates - my plants use it and out compete the algae. The same with phosphates. For passive pH control I like to incorporate large pieces of driftwood.
All of those things you've mentioned can be incorporated into the sump anyways but to each his/her own :smile:
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FXR150

Many thanks for the suggestions everyone!

I had a 135g SA Cichlid tank, non-planted, which I just recently shut down. Also have a 90g planted tank which at one point was primarily Discus. I'm shutting this tank down next week. (Getting out of FW and upgrading SW). Finding time to do water changes can be a challenge for me sometimes, so the chemical medias I mentioned are a compromise. I agree that they could be incorporated into a sump. I'm just saying that I would use a canister....as the question was basically "What would you do?".....and this is what I would do.:smile: I've never had sumps on my FW tanks (although I thought of it) and have always used canisters. With my reeftank....I use a canister off the sump just 'cuz I'm so used to them and have it in my head that it is easier than media in the sump. But that may be just because working on the sump on my system is awkward due to minimal clearance under the stand. My thoughts may change on this when my SW upgrades are done. We'll see. Anyhoo, feel like I'm hijacking here, so I'll shut up now.

Cheers:smile:,