Sump Filtration

[Ondreis]

Hello. This will be my first sump. I currently have a 100g tank. There are 5 sections in my sump. I plan on using the first for filter sock, the second for sponges, the third with lava rock and other rough surface media, the fourth will be plastic media, and the fifth section will hold my return pump. Is there anything else that I’m forgetting? Any extra media I should look into?

[Shan_Evolved]

Is this for fresh water or salt? Fresh water doesn't need so many chambers as each chamber reduces water volume. Just some mechanical and biological is all you need. I have only 2 chambers in my sump

[farebox]

My 20-gallon K.I.S.S DIY sump has zero chambers. I'm using Dr. Novak's anoxic filtration system for my 125-gallon tank with 10 discus+ tankmates very successfully.....

[14Discus]

Hello.

My sump for my 75g tank is 48” long, has six chambers, and it sits above my tank. I’m a bit of an overfilterer at heart, but thought I’d share my set up. Water comes in at the left and exits on the right.

Chamber 1 is a mini sock with foam and bioballs underneath. Btw.....my thoughts abt a mini sock is so that I have to change it often thus avoiding a huge sock getting all full of trapped NO3 producing waste. The more frequently the sock is cleaned, the better imho. Socks are good to remove larger bits of waste/food etc allowing for cleaner water to go through the rest of the mech. and bio filtration. Keeping large amounts of waste/food in a large sock is basically the same as if it remained in the tank molecularly speaking.
Chamber 2 is Biohome bags and Matrix bags.
Chamber 3 has a floating algae scrubber w bags of Biohome underneath.
Chamber 4 has another floating algae scrubber w Matrix underneath.
Chamber 5 is for roots of the Pathos plants growing off to the right.....roots in water w greenery above at right.
Chamber 6 has resin bags and is the double outlet. It is shallow so if power is lost, only a cup or two of water goes onto the tank w the rest of the sump maintaining its water volume. One outlet is situated above the other in case the lower one somehow gets blocked.
Also, I have two AC 110 HOBs for this tank in addition to the sump. I reduce heavy water flow by having the water enter the tank over/through very coarse filter foam pads. Thus the water is not too current heavy. Lastly, the outlet hoses from the sump to the tank are the ribbed regular sump hose bc I want to agitate the water coming back into the tank as much as possible which increases O2 levels. It’s kinda like an enclosed waterfall returning both cleaner and more oxygenated water to the tank.

Chambers: 1......mech and aerobic bio filtration, 2.....largely anaerobic w some aerobic filtration, 3....anaerobic filtration w NO3 reduction via algae growth, 4......anaerobic w NO3 reduction via algae growth, 5.....NO3 reduction via Pathos root refugium, 6....some last effort at NO3 reduction via resin bags.

Sorry I rambled, but, IMO, over filtration is indeed helpful for me between the WCs.

131103

[gunnerschh2]

I have swiss tropicals foam in parts of my 3 sumps & since using it I have found my tanks stay clearer.

[BrendanJ23]

Is this for fresh water or salt? Fresh water doesn't need so many chambers as each chamber reduces water volume. Just some mechanical and biological is all you need. I have only 2 chambers in my sump

I agree. While my new sump has 5 sections, it really doesn’t need them. I only run fine filter floss as mechanical, 100L of k3 media, and heaps of marine pure balls and bricks. Oh and a pothos vine :)

[BrendanJ23]

Hello.

My sump for my 75g tank is 48” long, has six chambers, and it sits above my tank. I’m a bit of an overfilterer at heart, but thought I’d share my set up. Water comes in at the left and exits on the right.

Chamber 1 is a mini sock with foam and bioballs underneath. Btw.....my thoughts abt a mini sock is so that I have to change it often thus avoiding a huge sock getting all full of trapped NO3 producing waste. The more frequently the sock is cleaned, the better imho. Socks are good to remove larger bits of waste/food etc allowing for cleaner water to go through the rest of the mech. and bio filtration. Keeping large amounts of waste/food in a large sock is basically the same as if it remained in the tank molecularly speaking.
Chamber 2 is Biohome bags and Matrix bags.
Chamber 3 has a floating algae scrubber w bags of Biohome underneath.
Chamber 4 has another floating algae scrubber w Matrix underneath.
Chamber 5 is for roots of the Pathos plants growing off to the right.....roots in water w greenery above at right.
Chamber 6 has resin bags and is the double outlet. It is shallow so if power is lost, only a cup or two of water goes onto the tank w the rest of the sump maintaining its water volume. One outlet is situated above the other in case the lower one somehow gets blocked.
Also, I have two AC 110 HOBs for this tank in addition to the sump. I reduce heavy water flow by having the water enter the tank over/through very coarse filter foam pads. Thus the water is not too current heavy. Lastly, the outlet hoses from the sump to the tank are the ribbed regular sump hose bc I want to agitate the water coming back into the tank as much as possible which increases O2 levels. It’s kinda like an enclosed waterfall returning both cleaner and more oxygenated water to the tank.

Chambers: 1......mech and aerobic bio filtration, 2.....largely anaerobic w some aerobic filtration, 3....anaerobic filtration w NO3 reduction via algae growth, 4......anaerobic w NO3 reduction via algae growth, 5.....NO3 reduction via Pathos root refugium, 6....some last effort at NO3 reduction via resin bags.

Sorry I rambled, but, IMO, over filtration is indeed helpful for me between the WCs.

131103

Wow that makes me nervous lol. How long has that been set up for?

[Moreetta]

That setup is really interesting. I'm excited to hear other people's opinion here.

[pablos]

That’s mine
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?137404-K1-cycling&highlight=
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?137138-Sump-design&highlight=

[14Discus]

They’ve been running just short of a year. These w my two HOB AC 110s per tank keeps the water clean and nitrates low between WCs.

[johnlfc]

So my 5ft sump will be:

Chamber 1 - mechanical sponge tower
Chamber 2 - Seachem Pond Matrix
Chamber 3 - Plant Bed (undecided which type)
Chamber 4 - PH buffering media (undecided which type) plus polishing filter media
Chamber 5 - Return pumps and heaters