# Internal sump.



## Mark Brown (Jan 21, 2017)

So I am looking to buy a new 75 gallon tank and stand, I have outgrown my wee little setup. I think my freshwater is getting jealous of my salt tank. The question I have is this. Has anyone had much luck/experience building a internal sump inside of the tank. I am thinking of on one of the side walls. Probably 4ish inches deep and the full 18 inches across. I love the idea of the functionality of it all and my hatred of hob filters wins me over. Just looking for any input from anyone that has done it.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Sounds like a fun build and probably not super difficult either. A few commercially available tanks designed that way where it's the side that has the filtration instead of the back. Like the Nuvo peninsula tank. Probably can glean some ideas from that. 

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## Mark Brown (Jan 21, 2017)

well that's kinda where I am coming from. I got a red Sea max from Anthony a while back and even though I recognize the limitations it presents in a reef system I have fallen in love with the simplicity of it. I am currently running a plumbed tank and sump combo for my freshwater but am having a really hard time finding a bottom plumbed tank so I was coming up with alternatives. Canister filters make me upset, I despise the look of hobs and I don't like junk gunking up the look of my tank. I figure sacrifice a small amount of space and build it internally. Sure I lose the additional volume with a conventional sump, I am willing to make that sacrifice, but I gain all the simplicity and media capacity.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Yeah its a super simple design. I even have a little 2.5 gallon that I was using to keep my kids bettas in that was designed with that type of filtration. Water overflowed in from one side, passed through some foam and bio media and then onto a little heater and a tiny submersible pump to return. Simple like you said. 

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## smccleme (Aug 20, 2012)

So easy to do. I have a few setup this way. No overflow required, just foam from bottom to top. Squeeze out every 6 months or so.


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

Well the issue is once you start getting up in size the equipment gets bigger and bigger. I wouldn't do it on a 75 as it would take up to much space. One big advantage of a sump is an increase in water volume. But that's just me I have built the in tank units for my small tanks


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## VElderton (Jun 3, 2015)

*Internal Sump*

I agree with smccleme the corner version of the Hamburg Matten filter in his post has become my favourite filter.

1) It can be powered by air lift or submersible pump ... in fact I even have one with both airlifters and submersible pump ... that tank Tropheus, Trets and Petricola breeding group have really done well in.

2) You can fill the space behind with as much media or type you like

3) Maintenance is minimal

Ocean has two Swiss Tropicals set-ups he is selling here on BC Aq. The folks at Fish2Water in New Zealand have a couple informative videos about them.

Overall a great way to go.


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## VElderton (Jun 3, 2015)

*Internal Sump*

As follow-up to my previous post. We just built two corner-type H. Matten filters with Poret foam into a friends 90 gal (350 l) powered by a 1200 gph submersible pump sitting on 4 in (10 cm) of bio-media ... it's operating really well with great water clarity.

DIY Joey has a great build video on internal filter / sump as well.

I have not built one of these as the H. Mattens, once I found a Canadian source for Poret foam and Swiss Tropical lifters @ AngelFins, are an easier build and do what I want.


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