# Canister filter or sump?



## Burks (May 21, 2006)

This is just MY personal reasoning:

With a sump I have to always worry about overflowing it, or the overflows stopping. Also outgasses more CO2 than a canister (but you can do things to keep this to a minimum). And I like the little amount of room the canister filters uses. Also, not having to drill a tank is a major plus to me! Now if we were talking saltwater, whole different story there. My main thing with a sump there is to have room for extra equipment (fuge, DSB, extra rock, skimmer, top off, etc). 

HOWEVER! I will be setting up a 65g community with a sump. Why? Because I want to compare it to my 40g breeder (same footprint, 65g is just a bit taller). Boredom.

Also, I am a fan of using two canisters instead of one. Reason being what happens if your single one breaks? You're sort of screwed. Now what if one of the two breaks? Well at least you have a filter running! It's better than nothing and your tank can get by until the second is fixed. Same reason I run two smaller heaters instead of one large. I learned my lesson using a 1000w heater on a 180g tank (300g system). Never again.


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## Blown 346 (Dec 8, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback. The tank dis use to be a reeftank, which is why I continued to use the sump. 

As for overflowing the sump and flooding, I have a check valve inline and 2 anti siphon holes in my retunr lines. My tank is not drilled, nor do I have to worry about gassing off C02, since I dont use it.

I was trying to decifer if there would be more advantages using a cansiter than a sump and couldnt think of one.


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## Burks (May 21, 2006)

If you aren't going to use CO2, I see no reason to not just use the setup you got. Heck, stuff the sump (if you have the room) with fast growing stems plants and toss a light on it. Freshwater fuge. Or stuff it with extra rock for more filtration. Nice place to hang any carbon reactors (if you used them in your SW).


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## Blown 346 (Dec 8, 2008)

We think alike. When I first set this tank up I used the tank I had as a fuge for my reef with the FW. I am growing some small stem plants as Anubias, Swords, vals.


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## DiabloCanine (Aug 26, 2005)

You do not have to worry about outgassing CO2 if you set the sump up correctly. See links below, plenty of pics and it works well......DC


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