Aquarium sump setup for a 45 - 90 gallon freshwater tank.

Aquarium sump setup for a 45 - 90 gallon freshwater tank.

This 29 gallon sump can handle grow tanks for Cichlids, Discus, Angels yes I know Angels Discus are cichlids but pretty much whatever you wanna throw at it up to about 90-100 gallon range. I could increase the media to handle even more. I'm using some coarse and some fine sponges that I found on Amazon for about 12$ us. 2 bags of 100ml bags of purigen 7.99 ea. My overflows are an Eshopps pf-3000 and a 1" DIY consistent siphon. I like having 2 siphons just in case one gets clogged. Plus the positioning helps to balance out the flow within the tank itself. My return is via a low wattage dc pump the Jebao DCT-4000 65$ Amazon up to like 1085gph at 3 foot head height. But thru a only a 1 inch I.D. hose and pvc it's probably only pushing high 700s gph on max. I'm usually around 2-3 150-225gph on my controller so the flow is easy for all the fish. With both types of overflows, a sponge prefiltered standpipe and a dual prefiltered over flow box I'm able to keep my 4×14, 200 micron felt socks relatively clean. But if they're not stained something is wrong. They're catching all of the large debris that gets thru the prefilters. I have egg crate elevated pile of lava rock 5$ lowes and 2 bags of ceramic bio ring bags 6$ each from Aquarium Co-op with a free 50 watt heater that I received when buying my tank from Craigslist, sitting in top of the rocks barely making the 300w Eheim 40$ Amazon in the tank as backup work at all. I'm also running a bunch of Honey Pothos 3.99$ for a small planter Lowes, aka devil's ivy plants. In a hang on back filter just stuck behind sponges. I want them to root into the sponge so they're easier to maintain. I can pull them out one side at a time and trim the roots if needed (I don't want them growing into or near the uplift tubes impeller). They're also thriving in the refugium portion of my sump just elevated to 11" so the roots drag thru the water on egg crate and pawfly suction cups. The egg crate a big sheet only 11$ lowes. Pawfly suction cups 7$ Amazon for 12 of them. These plants work wonders in grow out tanks and long term tanks. They process ammonia into amino acids first and then use the nitrites and nitrates. They are a living part of this tank/sump. I've tried to incorporate all of the best things I know about water filtration into this sump and to make it efficient as possible. The Thermometer is from Keynice Amazon I think it was 11$ But I did buy a usb extension cable from Amazon basic for 4$ something. The stock cable is too short. It is nice though and easy to see. I'll try to answer any questions that I can. Thank you !