# 240g tank filtration setup: sump or canister?



## paaschjc (Nov 16, 2005)

I'm setting up a 240g (8' x 2' x 2') tank with 2 overflows. I currently have an Eheim 2228 as well as a 32g acrylic sump with 4 compartments and an old 55g tank available for use. I'm trying to decide whether to use canister filters or a sump for filtration. As you can see I have some of both available. I don't have a pump yet for the return from the sump nor would the eheim be sufficient for a tank this size. So, for both options I would have to purchase something. Questions is, which way is the better. If I went with a sump, how would you recommend setting it up in order to avoid the CO2 loss. If I went with canisters, what should I buy and how should I set it up using my existing overflows. THe tank is acrylic, so hangning things over the top of the tank is not an option. It has a very large lip with covers over the access holes. Also, how to plumb in the CO2...

I would really appreciate your advice.
THanks
Janina


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## TWood (Dec 9, 2004)

I have both on my 90 gallon and I really like it. The canister keeps the water clear and also doubles as the CO2 reactor. The canister intake is a DIY perforated pipe along the back bottom. The outlets for the circulation pump are at the back top and pointed toward the front, pushing water down the front glass then back across the substrate toward the canister intake.

TW


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Janina...is it safe to assume that you have a pump that can be run externally seeing as how you have the sump already?

If so, have you considered using an Ocean Clear filter? I believe Red Sea is the manufacturer. It's a large canister filter that is run using your choice of plumbing and external pump.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Since you have both, As Tom W said, use both.

Simply raising the overflow box part to about 2-3" below the tank level will help.
Also, plug any holes in the tower for the wet dry section that might exchange air with the dry part of the chamber.

Feed CO2 outflow from the reactor directly into the return pump.
also, make a DIY CO2 reactor and add a venturi loop to this. This is the best method for CO2 on large tanks, well, there's another way if you want to use a disc plate and pump the gas directly into the tank. Both methods work well.

I'd get a pump that does about 1000 gph at 4ft head for the return.

you will get the benfits of the surface skimming as well as a constant level inside the tank, and a place to put heaters, do water changes, dosing pumps, CO2 stuff etc if you use a sump.

I hate the water level moving due to evaporation on large tanks as refilling them stinks. You can expect 10 gal a week on this tank, not sure if you wanna do that or look at that every week.

I'd load the sump and cansiters up with 20-30 open cell foam and use plain bioballs in the dry part of the tower. Bacteria will grow well as the O2 is still high in the water, and give off CO2 as they respire, so as long as the system is sealed inside the dry part, no exchange will take place except what the bacteria convert.

Many people will tell you all sort of stuff on this issue, don't believe it.
We tested this in the 1990's and 3 folks all found indepentdly the same things about this.

Regards, 
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## paaschjc (Nov 16, 2005)

Thanks Tom, the only problem is that my sump is not a wet dry, so there is no tower. Just a 32 gallon acrylic tank with partitions (I think it used to be a store tank in which you have 4 seperate sections to put fish with slots both on the top adn the bottom of the dividers to allow for circulation. With two overflows, how would you recommend plumbing in both the canister and the sump? Should I out the drain of one overflow to the sump and the other one on the canister on then cross over the return lines? 
Would you put the C02 reactor into the sump?


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Well, if there is no wet/dry tower, then it's not an issue, there's no degassing potential except for the overflow.

I'd run the intake of the canister with a bulk head in the tank.

Or you can run it in the sump also, up to you.

CO2 reactor would go in the sump.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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