Building my own sump have a question?

[ZX10R]

My current tank is running on two canister filters with UV lighting in them. I am setting up a new 120 gallon tank and I think I want to do a sump filter on this one with overflow box. I am going to build a three stage sump filter

First stage: Filter
Second stage: bio media
Third stage: Pump

In my first stage I can't decide if I want to use two 100 micron filter bags or use 100 micron filter pads. Has anyone used both and which would be better and hold up longer?

[jeffh2]

I have used both in my sump. I have a dual 1" overflow and one goes through a 4 tray plastic filter with sponge pads, bio-balls, and purigen to polish. The 100 micron pads plugged up to fast in the trays. The other overflow goes into the 100 micron bag. The bag collects most of the particles in the water. I have 2 bags and swap them weekly to clean one while the other is filtering. I use a mag 95 pump and get about 1000gph flow.

[jeffh2]

Here is a picture
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j196/jeffh2/newsump/P9190066.jpg

[ZX10R]

Thanks for the info

[hary]

Hi to all of you. My first post also although I am reading SD quite a while now....

I got tempted to write on this post cause I am running 4 tanks with cannister filters long time now, and about 4 months ago I finished my display tank of 320 gallons with a 90 gal sump. It has 6 compartments of filtration more than 5 gal each. The first one I use for mechanical filtration with sponges and filter wool and the rest with biological media. It is very interesting of how easy of use is having a sump. The visual contact is very important (in canisters you can not see what is going on). Anyway here is a picture so you can see my version of filtering.:D

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_0432800x600.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_0167800x600.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_08811024x768.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_08801024x768.jpg

[ZX10R]

That is a sweet setup thanks for sharing. I like how you did the flow of water thru the sump.

[CajunAg]

Wow that is some nice work, how much bio (weight or surface area) do you have in that thing? I really like how you have the flow of water, ingenious.

Keep the pictures coming, I for one would like to see the rest of the tank.

[acroken]

Hi to all of you. My first post also although I am reading SD quite a while now....

I got tempted to write on this post cause I am running 4 tanks with cannister filters long time now, and about 4 months ago I finished my display tank of 320 gallons with a 90 gal sump. It has 6 compartments of filtration more than 5 gal each. The first one I use for mechanical filtration with sponges and filter wool and the rest with biological media. It is very interesting of how easy of use is having a sump. The visual contact is very important (in canisters you can not see what is going on). Anyway here is a picture so you can see my version of filtering.:D

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_0432800x600.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_0167800x600.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_08811024x768.jpg

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab66/hary80/DIY%20aquarium/DSC_08801024x768.jpg

Hary,
sweet looking sump. did u make that yourself. If so, outstanding job. Have u noticed and difference in flow rate by submerging your over flow pipe into the sump vs. releasing above the water level?It sure is quieter submerged when submerged.

Kenny

[hary]

Sorry all for the late reply.... too much work and the Duisburg championship :D



Wow that is some nice work, how much bio (weight or surface area) do you have in that thing? I really like how you have the flow of water, ingenious.

Keep the pictures coming, I for one would like to see the rest of the tank.

Thanks a lot..... It has something like 20 gal of biological media and 5 gal of sponges etc.... If it is a general inquiry yeah I can saw you the whole thing in detail....


Hary,
sweet looking sump. did u make that yourself. If so, outstanding job. Have u noticed and difference in flow rate by submerging your over flow pipe into the sump vs. releasing above the water level?It sure is quieter submerged when submerged.

Kenny

The basic structure was designed by a friend of mine and the construction was also done by him with my help :D ....... No I have not noticed any difference in flow rate because there are two pipes and they are very big (to be honest I have the eheim compact 5000 and my one pipe is permanently closed.... i am thinking of getting a second pump....).... Yes it is much quieter with the pipes submerged and due to the fact that this thing is in my living room I really like to keep it that way:D

[Darrell Ward]

Nice sumps, but you don't have to build a fancy sump to have a good filter system. This one is about as basic as it gets, and only took minutes to construct. I'll put this filter up against any of similar size. I just took an old 55 gal. tank, threw a mesh bag of 2 liters of SeaChem Pond Matrix (cycled) in the bottom. 2 pieces of Poret foam was wedged in the tank. 2 Ehiem return pumps were added, along with 2 Jager heaters. Done! It easily supports the 240 gal. tank with 8 six inch growing, peacock bass that eat live food. This same tank has supported up to 25 adult discus in the past. My point is that you don't need a fancy sump to have a really good filter.