Although there are general guidelines to follow, there is no one right way or three right ways to run an aquarium. There is such a large variety of aquariums, lights, pumps, power heads, controllers, dosing pumps, and all other kinds of equipment. However, when it comes to filtration styles, most hobbyists agree that sumps are the best method.

 

For smaller aquariums around 1-40 gallons, a sump might be overkill (though still applicable). However, for anything 50 gallons or larger, a sump is probably the best method of filtration. There are lots of reasons for this. In this article, we'll go over the reasons why sumps are so popular as well as what makes certain sumps better than others.

 

The majority of aquariums utilize sumps to filter and maintain an ideal reef environment. Why is that?

To start, they are the most visually pleasing option. Yes, they are a separate aquarium, but they can be easily hid under the aquarium in a stand. You can even put a sump in a separate room of your home. Every other method of filtration takes up a large portion of the tank space or looks intrusive. Using hang-on-the-back equipment is certainly viable, but it is often distracting and takes people out of the immersion of your aquarium. The focus should be on the corals and fish.

Probably the most crucial reason sumps are so great is because they are large. This stems off into several other benefits as well. First, more water volume is always better. With more water, changes generally happen slower. More water offers more stability. If you put a fish in a jar and add a drop of gasoline, the results won't be good. However, if you add a drop of gasoline to the ocean, it'll be as if nothing happened. That's a weird analogy, but hopefully you get the point. If you can add more water volume to your aquarium, you should. Using a sump adds a lot of water. A 100 gallon aquarium can have a sump around 20 gallons or larger. Some sumps are even larger than the main display.

The large size of aquarium sumps also makes them more practical. It is easier to service equipment and clean the filtration system. With all-in-one aquariums, it can be difficult to fit your hand into the tight sections to do cleaning.

Sumps allow you to use a larger range of equipment as well. They allow for the best of the best when it comes to equipment. You can have everything from a skimmer to a calcium reactor to a refugium in your sump. Most filtration is made to be used in a sump, and if it isn't specifically made to be used in a sump, it probably can anyway. It is also easier to try different kinds of equipment and upgrade your equipment as your tank progresses.  

There is just so much more you can do with a sump opposed to other methods of filtration. Even hobbyists without sumps agree they are the most ideal way to filter and manage an aquarium.

 

If sumps are the best form of filtration, what is the best sump? What sump is best?

The number one thing that makes a sump "the best sump" is if it is the best sump for your particular aquarium. A sump that is good for one aquarium set up, may not be the best for another. Like most things in this hobby, there is no one right way to do a sump. One person may tell you that this sump or that sump is the best, but it really depends on what you want from your aquarium and the other parts of your aquarium. Do you want a refugium? Is it important for you to have cutouts made for dosing tubes? Do you want the sump to be visually pleasing or do you simply want it to work well? Those are the things you need to ask yourself when picking out a sump.

Probably the second most important thing is for a sump to work well as a sump. Try to pick out a sump that brings out the best features in having a sump, if that makes sense. One of the great things about sumps is that they can be large, so get as large of a sump as possible. Don't you use a five gallon sump on a 300 gallon aquarium. That just doesn't make sense, and it defeats the purpose of having a sump at all.

 

There are a lot of great companies that are making awesome sumps. One of the more famous sump companies is of course Trigger Systems, known for their intricate and visually pleasing designs. To name a few, IceCap, Reef Octopus, and Eshopps all make sumps as well. There is a lot to choose from.

However, those sumps can be quite expensive. You can easily spend $500-$1,000 on one of those sumps. If that doesn't bother you, then by all means go for it. For most hobbyists, the goal is to spend the least amount of money without sacrificing the quality of the aquarium. One of the best ways to add a sump to your aquarium is to build your own. A 40-60 gallon breeder can be $100 to $150 new. If you buy a used one, you could get a "sump" for as cheap as $20 or $50. Of course, that won't be the total cost. You will also need to buy some glass sheets to make the baffles. Depending on where you get the glass, that can either be cheap or expensive. Then, you will need to glue in the baffles yourself. The risk is that the sump may not work the you think it will. It may take some trial and error. The upside to going this route is that you can configure your sump to be almost exactly how you want it. You can make the sections as small or large as you want. Also, if you are smart about it, it can be much cheaper than buying a prebuilt sump.

What if you don't want a DIY sump? The final option we'll go over is what are sometimes called all-in-one aquarium set-ups. Not to be confused with aquariums that have the filtration in a separate portion of the tank in the back, these set-ups come with the tank, stand, and the sump in one package. Everything is designed to fit together. Red Sea, for example, is very well known for their complete reef set-ups. Remember when we talked about getting a sump that worked well with the aquarium? Well, this is probably the best way to do it.  A not as well known Australian aquarium company called CADE Aquariums makes excellent complete aquarium set-ups. They are not as popular as other aquarium companies (they are still very popular aquariums),  but don't let that fool you because they are some of the most innovative aquariums a hobbyists could ask for. Dare I say they are underrated. CADE aquariums come with a stand, a sump, the aquarium, a lid, and even an auto top off that is built into the return section on certain tanks. CADE aquariums are incredibly clean looking and beginner friendly as well. These aquariums come completely pre-plumbed and can be set up in as little as 20 minutes. They also have amazing full sump access. The sumps on CADE systems are incredibly easy to access which makes maintenance more enjoyable. Another awesome feature is the power management. CADE stands have power outlets on the inside with switches on the outside. These switches can then be covered by the side door.

What about the sump, though? CADE aquariums come with a sump that fits the aquarium. They are simple but effective sumps that are versatile and easy to add equipment too. They aren't necessarily flashy sumps, but the simplicity of the design and the lack of ugly braces makes the sump fit elegantly with the aquarium. Depending on the sump you get, CADE sumps often come with media chambers, macroalgae/refugium sections, auto-top-off valves, and filter sock holders. If you haven't bought your aquarium yet, consider buying a CADE. You will be very pleased.

 

Those are things to consider when buying a sump as well as some recommendations. If there is a particular sump you want to purchase or build, be sure to do plenty of research on that particular sump. And again, you can never go wrong with CADE. There are plenty of happy hobbyists that would quickly agree.