# A functional sump...



## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

So i plan to make a sump out of an old fishtank thats no longer in use. I've seen people putting their heaters in the sump, i'm not totally convinced that it would work properly? Also, there would be room for some open space in the sump and i'm considering raising guppies as live food inside it?

Anyone else doing this or anything similar?

Any tips/suggestions?


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## cevvin (May 2, 2008)

Why do you not think the heater in the sump would work. It heats the water around it, then that water is pumped into your tank, keeping your tank a constant temperature. And many people use there sumps for fry raising, just make sure that the flow isn't to much for the fry, and that you can keep fry out of places you dont want them. And you would want to have hiding spots for the fry. Just make sure the guppy waste doesn't go back to your main tank.


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## venustus19 (Aug 30, 2007)

i just got done making my DIY sump not long ago, and my heater is in there... my tank stays at a constant 79... not sure why you wouldn't think it would work... it def. does...

as for the guppy thing, just like cevvin said, make sure the guppy waste stays in the sump... use some baffles like you would for a bubble trap possibly...

HTH... good luck


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Yeah i'd have sponge filterpads fitted either side of the guppy area to catch the waste. As the tank will be either CA cichlids or Malawi cichlids i cant have plants in the tank, so i'd plant the sump instead. Just fill it with hornwort and have a light/reflector above it. Plants help increase water quality and would give the guppies something to swim around.


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## jcushing (Apr 6, 2008)

your going to have to seperate the pump section from the fish/plants somehow, i have a glass divider that the water flows over but when the sump is "full" theres a few inches of water above the divider.

oh and the heaters certainly do work in the sump. i was so glad to take my 2 ugly "stealths" out of the tank and hide them.


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

K so i had a think and came up with this as an idea. Modeled it like most other sumps i've seen. The sump would be a standard 24"x12"X15" and would look like this.









I think I'd leave the bottom bare and maybe stick a rock or something in with the guppies if they need it. Would i need to have lighting on the sump for the guppies to breed?

Any thought tips or suggestions please? All welcome


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## madmax666 (Sep 11, 2008)

my guess is that the tank u plan to use as a sump is a 10 gallon i believe...? What is ur main tank setup going to be because this will tell how much filtration and gph you will need for the best results. Aslo have you looking into ways of an overflow??? MANY MANY on this site if you havent. i am in the plans of making something like this and the best way to get info is read up on other peoples sumps that are alike then cusomize them! :lol: got a lot of ideas from venustus19!!!! haha


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

Yeah already decided what i'm gonna do for the overflow. It would be a 20gal tank for the sump on a 112gal. Would also use 2 canister filters on the main tank for surface agitation and to keep the water perfect.

An additional question.. Would using an air pump in the sumps heater/guppy area help oxygenate the water in the main tank? Obviously i'd be using a spray bar on one of the filters for surface agitation which would oxygenate the water. But would the oxygenated water from the sump make it to the tank?


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

After discussions with the other half and much deliberation we've come to the conclusion that we wont have room for 3 tanks so i'll be breaking down my 45gal and using that as the sump for the 112gal.

Also, anyone have any idea on the airstone thing?


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## sleepy09 (Jan 15, 2009)

If you have the in coming water from the tank into the sump flowing over a drip plate that drips over some bio ball you will be getting plenty of oxygen into the water. There will be no need for an air stone. Commonly know as a wet/dry filter. Great bio filtration


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