sump vs canister filter

[firebird5134]

I just purchased a used 55 gallon and was wondering what is the ideal set up, a sump or canister filter for freshwater? This tank is most likely going to be a chichild tank.

The tank is also going to be in my bedroom so noise will also be a deciding factor. The quieter the better.

 

[Sum22]

I'm not sure I've ever heard of anyone using a sump for a fw tank. So I'm going to suggest the canister.

 

[roka64]

I'm a "saltie" and the only advantage to a sump (that I can think of) is more water volume, in the FW world.

 

[CaptainAhab]

If you wanted a place to hide all your equipment then a sump would take care of it but if you use a can w/ an inline heater you get just about the same thing at much less cost Check out the 404 thread in the equipment section. Nice deal on Ebay for a great set of...... er I mean on a great canister filter.

 

[Innovator]

A canister should be quieter, but a sump is always a better option whether fw or sw due to added water volume, as Roka mentioned, ability to store equipment out of view, and the ease of maintenance due to compartmentalizing (is this a word?) i.e. more filtration options XD
You can quiet an overflow to the sump, but unless you are going to drill the tank I'd rather canister it.

 

[Phoenixphire55]

I've been planning to eventually have a 55 gallon goldfish tank with a sump. Why are sumps noisy? How do you fix that?

 

[Mudfrog]

I'm using a 29 gallon wet / dry (sump) on my 120 fw tank. You can hide your equipment, the heaters won't burn your fish or bang into the glass. Not to mention they can be built for cheaper then a comparable canister fitler (for big tanks at least).

 

[jsoong]

Agree! A DIY sump can be had for 1/2 the price of say the Fluval FX.

Sump advantages:
Larger water volume (so you can stock more).
Equipment out of sight.
Constant water level in show tank - in spite of evaporation.
Easier dosing of ferts, etc .... no need to mix, just dump in sump.
Ability to act as fuge ... eg. keep your feeders in the sump so they won't get eaten.
Ability to do fancy things like a reverse day-light algae/plant NO3 absorption unit ... just like the salties!
Much higher gas exchange capacity.
You can service multiple tanks with one large sump - less maintenance .... that's why LFS's has them.

Disadvantages:
Noise - sump/overflow generally entrain air in the plumbing ... the air water mix falling down can be loud .... this can be reduced, but never as quiet as a good canister.
Risk of flooding unless it is properly setup. Drilled tanks are safer than overflows.
If you inject CO2, the sump will outgas it - although Chuck's page has a CO2 injected sump system that is sealed.... but I suspect he will still use more CO2 than a canister.