Sumps and other filter questions.

[Kribensis]

Ok, this thought always comes and goes. and comes and goes. And now its back again. So Im posting it, now that its on my mind again.

Whats better, sumps, canisters, or HOB filters?

When I was a kid it was HOB filters. And after years I am getting back into the love of keeping and raising fish. And now all our tanks have Canisters(Rena xp3 and 4's). I love them and think they work very well.

But the thought of a sump is back online.

My questions on the sump are:

If the filter pad gets too dirty, wont water back up and over flow, making a mess?

If the water pump quits working. Wont the sump continue to fill with water?

I think the strainer grooves on the overflow box is to prevent fish from being sucked in. And "I THINK" somehow you have to match the lower end of the overflow grooves that help prevent the sump from over flowing. Right?

A canister and HOB Filter has a tube that goes down half or almost all the way down the aquarium wall with its suction intake. And a sump is more like a surface skimming filter. How does it catch as much food and stuff as a filter that is half way down the wall does?

One of my 125g tanks have a stand with Narrow doorways. I think I may have to cut one of them posts to get a sump into it. Right?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

A tank that's smaller than 4' a hob and or canister filters are great. Tanks that are 4' or bigger i would use a canister or sump. Imo a sump is really the way to go especially on a 6' tank. But it can be done with canisters.

If a sump is set up right it can't over flow. At the overflow box it is set so the tank won't overflow if the water drops below the box water will stop going down.

 

[Fresh2o]

Looking at a typical overflow, if the filter pad/sponge becomes clogged, then excess water will travel down the hole in the center of the prefilter. As mentioned previously, if the pump stops then the current in the overflow will stop shortly after that.

The slots are to prevent fish from entering the overflow box but they sometimes get through.

Good question on the location of the intake. If the output is directed properly then the water flow should push debris to the surface. But debris can be heavy so it does not always work that way.