Help with setting up a sump for FW tank

[Godly3vil]

Hey guys, I recently purchased a second hand tank that has been designed for use with a sump. I have never used sump type filtration before but really want to give it a go since it seems like it would be a waste to not utilize the tank setup. It already has an overflow box with a single hole drilled out through the bottom, what I would like to know is what gear I will need to run a sump and how-to set it up. I've no experience plumbing so any advice would be appreciated. The tank is around 450ltrs when it is full so would a 60ltr sump tank be adequate for good filtration or would I need a bigger one? The tank will sit on a stand that has more than enough room underneath for all the gear I will need so that is not a problem. I would like to run this as bio-mech if possible. I have made a crude design of the tank with paint to give you some idea of what I'm working with.

Thanks in advance

Jamie.

[David R]

If you look thru the Set Up and Filtration, and DIY Filtration forums on monsterfishkeepers.com you will find loads of info and all sorts of different looking sumps, from the rudimentary simple ones made from plastic tubs to more complicated purpose built glass ones.

Your design needs to incorperate mechanical filtration before the biological filtration, usually either filter socks or a tray with filter wool and/or foam. For the biological part you need to decide what media you want to use, how much you need, and if it is going to be submerged or above the water level with the water trickling over it. You need to figure out how much turn over you need and at what head height, and find a suitable pump.

Lastly, and most importantly, you need to make sure the 'tank' part of the sump is big enough to catch the skim (how much water is above the sump with the pump running) so that when the pump switches off and the water drains down to the sump it won't overflow. The sump also needs to have enough water in it when running to keep the pump submerged.

Probably the best thing to do is have a look at as many sump set ups as possible. Here's a pic of a basic sump set up I've used on a couple of tanks with good success. I prefer to run filter socks now for better mechanical filtration but that requires a bit more height to have media above the water level.