Bigfootmchinist
New member
I have a marineland c-530 canister filter that I'm not using, and wondering if I can use that as a sump for a 20 gal tank?
Can I use a canister filter as a sump
- Thread starter Bigfootmchinist
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MondoBongo
Obligate Feeder Obsessed
i would probably say no, not really.
the main point of the sump is usually to house equipment like skimmers and heaters, along with things like refugiums.
a canister filter is sealed, so you couldn't put equipment in it, and light can't penetrate them, so it couldn't be a fuge.
i've seen people retrofit them to work as reactors, containing something like carbon, or what have you, and i suppose you could include rock rubble in it, although it might still end up trapping a bunch of detritus, so would probably need regularly cleaned.
maybe i'm splitting hairs on semantics here, but i don't see how it would work as a sump.
the main point of the sump is usually to house equipment like skimmers and heaters, along with things like refugiums.
a canister filter is sealed, so you couldn't put equipment in it, and light can't penetrate them, so it couldn't be a fuge.
i've seen people retrofit them to work as reactors, containing something like carbon, or what have you, and i suppose you could include rock rubble in it, although it might still end up trapping a bunch of detritus, so would probably need regularly cleaned.
maybe i'm splitting hairs on semantics here, but i don't see how it would work as a sump.
Sapelo
New member
Agreed. Sumps house all of the equipment you don't want to see hanging inside your tank: skimmers, heaters, reactors, etc.
They also increase water volume. Although you have a small tank, a canister isn't going to hold enough additional water to make a difference.
Lastly -- and I say this as someone who started off with a canister instead of a sump -- sumps (good ones) are easy to access and monitor. You can look inside them and see what is going on. Canisters are not made for ease of access which means it's far too easy to miss what's hiding behind the curtain.
My two cents.
They also increase water volume. Although you have a small tank, a canister isn't going to hold enough additional water to make a difference.
Lastly -- and I say this as someone who started off with a canister instead of a sump -- sumps (good ones) are easy to access and monitor. You can look inside them and see what is going on. Canisters are not made for ease of access which means it's far too easy to miss what's hiding behind the curtain.
My two cents.
dkennedy1282
New member
Canister filters are notorious nitrate factories. For the amount of money that you would spend on a decent canister filter, you could make a pretty decent sump yourself. It really isn't a difficult task to accomplish. There are plenty of forums and youtube videos out there to help you out.
Bigfootmchinist
New member
i've seen people retrofit them to work as reactors, containing something like carbon, or what have you, and i suppose you could include rock rubble in it, although it might still end up trapping a bunch of detritus, so would probably need regularly cleaned.
How would I turn it into a reactor? Id be interested in that.
How would I turn it into a reactor? Id be interested in that.
Guygettnby
Well-known member
Honestly, in a way it is already a reactor.. The media just isn't fluidized. I used one to hold a bunch of carbon for something I was doing to my tank and after all said and done, I just left it running. It has been being used on my tank for almost a year with no issues at all. I have a sump and all other filtration I already need, but my tank just seemed happier with it attached. I have a conclusion about that, but that's for another conversation.
People say they are nitrate factories, that can be true if you never cleaned it. But I clean mine once a month and my nitrates are undetectable. Just keep an eye on it and make sure you keep up with your cleanings.
Now as far as being a sump? No, it can't be used as a sump.
MondoBongo
Obligate Feeder Obsessed
Exactly as Guy said, retrofit was a poor word choice. Repurposed would be more accurate.
LeRenard
New member
The answer is yes, but then again, you could also make a sump out of a 55 Buick, a baboon skull, a tea cup, or the dead sea. Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's a good idea 
As for using a canister as a reactor, a C-530 might be tough due to the way it's subdivided into compartments. The canisters I've seen used as reactors were all Eheim Classic style single chamber canisters.
If you're just looking to put your old C-530 to good use but don't want to run it 24/7 on your DT, you can still use it to do things like polish the water after a cleaning, clear out a sandstorm, or filter your QT. You could also keep it around for emergency carbon filtration if something goes really wrong in your tank. Just make sure you keep it squeeky clean.
As for using a canister as a reactor, a C-530 might be tough due to the way it's subdivided into compartments. The canisters I've seen used as reactors were all Eheim Classic style single chamber canisters.
If you're just looking to put your old C-530 to good use but don't want to run it 24/7 on your DT, you can still use it to do things like polish the water after a cleaning, clear out a sandstorm, or filter your QT. You could also keep it around for emergency carbon filtration if something goes really wrong in your tank. Just make sure you keep it squeeky clean.
I have used old cannister filters as 'reactors' many time. They're functional equivalents (one has a built in pump, the otherwise not). Key with both is regular maintenance. Reactor will become clogged with detritus just as easily as a cannister will. The only potential flaw is if the cannister is opaque which can make it tricky to get the right flow rates (particularly for something like GFO). Otherwise you just set it up as you would a reactor.
