Sump + Canister filter question for 80g

[Mekong]

I am moving from reef keeping to planted. My DIY sump has baffles taking up about 1/5th of the sump.

1. Can I run a canister filter in the sump? If so can anyone suggest a good canister filter for a 80g tank? Would a rena XP3 be good?

2. Is a mag 12 return pump (1200gph) too strong?

3. Should I setup a wet/dry?

[shrimpNewbie]

I would run much more than an xp3 I have an xp3 going and my 25g cube, get an fx5 or just use your sump, sumps make eveything easier, no in tank equipment and wc is easy

[shrimpNewbie]

1200 is fine depending how the flow is diffused and it will need to be, set up several outflows

[Kathyy]

If you already have the sump I would go with that. Canisters are fine but sumps and canisters are doing the same job after all. Canisters tend to be quiet and the pump may use less electricity but hiding equipment in the sump, constant water level, surface skimming and infinite possibilities of media are pretty nice pluses for sump use as you must know.

A Mag 12 is pretty strong, we generally suggest 10x tank volume turn over per hour. If you didn't restrict the flow and provide several outlets so there aren't super strong streams I suspect you would like the result though. With head loss you might be at 10x.

I used a wet dry for years. If you seal up the compartment CO2 diffuses back into the water and much isn't lost. I like running a Herbie with the drain going down into the water and through thick sponges in an unbaffled sump ATM though. Quiet, very quiet but the jury is still out as to whether the CO2 tank is going to last any longer or not.

[Mekong]

Originally Posted by Kathyy

If you already have the sump I would go with that. Canisters are fine but sumps and canisters are doing the same job after all. Canisters tend to be quiet and the pump may use less electricity but hiding equipment in the sump, constant water level, surface skimming and infinite possibilities of media are pretty nice pluses for sump use as you must know.

A Mag 12 is pretty strong, we generally suggest 10x tank volume turn over per hour. If you didn't restrict the flow and provide several outlets so there aren't super strong streams I suspect you would like the result though. With head loss you might be at 10x.

I used a wet dry for years. If you seal up the compartment CO2 diffuses back into the water and much isn't lost. I like running a Herbie with the drain going down into the water and through thick sponges in an unbaffled sump ATM though. Quiet, very quiet but the jury is still out as to whether the CO2 tank is going to last any longer or not.

I am still not sure how to filter this tank. I was considering just putting a canister next to the sump in the stand pumping from the sump. Currently I do not own a canister filter. I do own a AquaClear 500, and could redesign the sump to use that. The sump currently is designed to use a filter sock, would that alone be enough? I also thought about redesigning the baffles to have space to jam some filter floss in between the panels. Does a planted need a wet/dry? I thought the plants did all the work that the wetdry should?

here is a quick sketch of how my sump is currently setup