Sump vs In-line filtration

[Metasyntactic]

I am currently designing my filtration system for a 220 gallon tank. I see a lot of sumps in the hobby but I was recently at a fish store in Oahu where they had all of their filtration in-line, external of a sumps and I really loved the feel of it. I'm considering having my outflow come down and flow through all my filtration like turf scrubber and skimmer in-line. Each component of my filtration having a bypass so I can individually control flow through parts of it or completely isolate them.

I was wondering what the pros and cons of running your filtration outside of a sump. The one major benefit of the sump that occurs to me is that it adds water volume to your system.

 

[WussyBussyCoral]

Okay, so I own a 55g puffer tank so I love ur prof pic, but I have seen a lot of sumps and I’m thinking of making one too. In line is very hard to manage and a sump can even have a reefgium! You can also store a protein skimmer and much more! Go with the sump! Let it pump!

 

[Metasyntactic]

Okay, so I own a 55g puffer tank so I love ur prof pic, but I have seen a lot of sumps and I’m thinking of making one too. In line is very hard to manage and a sump can even have a reefgium! You can also store a protein skimmer and much more! Go with the sump! Let it pump!

Puffers are the best! ;Joyful

What about them makes them hard to manage? Is it a waterflow issue? A potential leak issue with all the plumbing?

 

[Ubergroover]

I am currently designing my filtration system for a 220 gallon tank. I see a lot of sumps in the hobby but I was recently at a fish store in Oahu where they had all of their filtration in-line, external of a sumps and I really loved the feel of it. I'm considering having my outflow come down and flow through all my filtration like turf scrubber and skimmer in-line. Each component of my filtration having a bypass so I can individually control flow through parts of it or completely isolate them.

I was wondering what the pros and cons of running your filtration outside of a sump. The one major benefit of the sump that occurs to me is that it adds water volume to your system.

are you going to use a HOB skimmer?

 

[Metasyntactic]

are you going to use a HOB skimmer?

For a 220 gallon tank? No, I would do a large skimmer in the cabinet. I figure, if the skimmer has a bypass line with flow valves, I can keep the actual flow through the skimmer slow since much of the water goes through the bypass.

 

[JoshH]

What particular types of filtration are you looking at running inline? A skimmer and some reactors would be doable but once they start clogging up it will effect your flow rates to the rest of them. You can't really run heaters in line unless you go for a crazy expensive one so those would have to go into your tank. ATO sensors would have to go in your tank, if you went with an apex those sensors would have to go in your tank too Along with dosing lines if you go that route. If you have to take a piece of equipment offline you will have to be ready to deal with the water that spills everywhere when you unhook it... I think you see what I'm getting at. For me, I don't see much advantage to running in line vs running things out of a sump. You'll spend more time playing with your valves than enjoying your tank

 

[Metasyntactic]

What particular types of filtration are you looking at running inline? A skimmer and some reactors would be doable but once they start clogging up it will effect your flow rates to the rest of them. You can't really run heaters in line unless you go for a crazy expensive one so those would have to go into your tank. ATO sensors would have to go in your tank, if you went with an apex those sensors would have to go in your tank too Along with dosing lines if you go that route. If you have to take a piece of equipment offline you will have to be ready to deal with the water that spills everywhere when you unhook it... I think you see what I'm getting at. For me, I don't see much advantage to running in line vs running things out of a sump. You'll spend more time playing with your valves than enjoying your tank

Was planning on my outflow passing through a turf scrubber that feeds through a pool basket filter (to catch seaweed that breaks off), then a protein skimmer and fluidized media bed filled with K1 kaldness. I've had good experiences with using FMBs with turf scrubbers. The FMB converts ammonia and nitrites into nitrates and then the turf scrubber exports the nitrates. The heater would be in the tank near the outflow and I would add drain valves to everything if I wanted to take it out. Any dosing lines can feed directly into the outflow line.

I like that it minimizes humidity issues, is a cleaner form factor, allows more fine tuning of flow for individual components, and I like that it becomes modular if I want to change anything. But yes, I get your point about clogging. Running them in parallel to a bypass line helps that but it's still a concern.

 

[mcarroll]

I am currently designing my filtration system for a 220 gallon tank. I see a lot of sumps in the hobby but I was recently at a fish store in Oahu where they had all of their filtration in-line, external of a sumps and I really loved the feel of it. I'm considering having my outflow come down and flow through all my filtration like turf scrubber and skimmer in-line. Each component of my filtration having a bypass so I can individually control flow through parts of it or completely isolate them.

I was wondering what the pros and cons of running your filtration outside of a sump. The one major benefit of the sump that occurs to me is that it adds water volume to your system.

I'm not sure what you mean by in-line?

Like one of Lifeguard's systems?

Modular System Packs


Complete pre-assembled Modular Systems ready to go in two configurations.
Reefpack 500
For fresh or salt water Aquariums up to 100 gallons.

FEATURES


In-Line System R440450

• 31″L x 9.5″W x 18.5″H

Compact System R440455

• 23″L x 13.5″W x 18.5″H

Both Versions include:

• Quiet One 4000 Pump (1022 GPH)
• AF 94 Mechanical Filter, AF 93 Chemical Filter, AF 92 Heater Module, QL 15 UV Sterilizer
• Complete Customflo Water System Kit. Assemble parts in multiple ways to create desired flow patterns
• Union Shut Off Valves

I'm not sure how you'll run a skimmer without a sump to return the water to the tank – skimmer's aren't pressurized by their nature, so water will have no way to get up to the tank.

AquaC has made Remora hang-on skimmers that were the right size for this tank, so I'd investigate one of those.

I think I'd also consider a Tunze Comline® DOC Skimmer 9012 DC + one or more Comline® Multifilter 3168's or Comline® Streamfilter 3163's for media filtration and equipment hiding and an Osmolator® for ATO. (One unit can hide your ATO sensors, the other can hide a small heater, which actually boosts the heaters effective rating.) That gives you an in-tank setup: Skimmer, filter and ATO, which all fit into as few as two magnetically-fit in-tank modules. If you wanted, you can expand the system with more modules, inlcuding a second filter module, a wave box, etc.

That's basically setting up a super-sized Reefpack 500 with that lineup if you wanna compare with that for the idea.

Reefpack 500
Comline® DOC Skimmer 9012: Designed for mixed aquariums or soft coral aquariums with 200 to 1,200 ... mehr

0500.000

608.40 USD

The 500 is only rated up to around 150 gallons for a heavily stocked system. Upgrade the package to the DC version of the 9012 skimmer and it should be great for a 220 gallon system.

 

[Ubergroover]

https://www.marinedepot.com/filters_pentair_aquatics_rainbow-lifegard_inline-ap.html

I'm "guessing" he means something like this? How you would integrate a Skimmer into this without causing a flood I would be interested to see. However its a interesting concept.

 

[Dom]

This sounds like an interesting idea to me.

Yes, the sump adds water volume, but it also gives you a place to do other things... like dosing. Personally, I've never been a big fan of dosing directly into the tank.

Have you sketched a layout of your plan?