Big or small sump, what would you do??

I appreciate all the sump quieting ideas and I am going to use several for sure. Now I have a huge dilemma! My brand new 65G tank with a 18x36 footprint needs a sump, I have the choice between two setups.

#1 a Aqueon proflex mod 1 12G sump that is smaller but with a smaller footprint so I can use the reef octopus 110 external recirculating skimmer ( I hear is better then the reef octo space saver) and a little extra room to mount more stuff under the tank.

#2 an Aqueon proflex mod 3 20G sump with a larger footprint that will allow me to use an in sump reef octo space saver 110 with very little room and will make the sump and under the cabinet very cramped. Also a bigger center chamber for a refugium.

Both have their pros and cons but I am stumped. I always hear more sump space is better but it will leave me very little room for my controller, dosing pumps and wiggle room for maintnance

 

More water is better.

 

I would go with the larger sump and the internal protein skimmer for 2 reasons

- Like stated above more water is always better

- I prefer in sump skimmers because skimmers overflow and when they do I would rather have it overflow into the sump than all over the floor

 

You mentioned the proflex 1 and the 3... What happened to the 2?

 

Big sump. Mount hardware above it into the side of the stand.

 

Why don't you build your own sump? It would allow you to get the size that provides the best of both worlds, and it would be less expensive (dirt cheap if you buy the tank during Petco's dollar-per-gallon sale).

 

The solution to pollution is dilution. More water volume is always better. I also prefer more surface area so a short, long sump would be preferred over a tall sump since it has more surface area for oxygen exchange, to off gas microbubbles like from the overflow and sump and for evaporative cooling.

Not liking any of the ready made stands and canopies I built my own so it has both the height or clearance for skimmers and equipment plus built it 6" larger front to back than the display for additional room underneath. Nothing says the stand has to be the same dimensions as the display or sump.

 

I agree with largest sump you can afford and with the most surface area.

 

biggest sump you can fit is my vote. if you don't have room for electronics and stuff under your stand you can always have stuff on the outside of the stand in a electrical cabinet. I have all my controllers/dosers/topoff/electrical in a cabinet next to the tank. it really frees up a lot of room under the stand and lets the electronics be far away from any water/salt creep.

 

Bigger sump. I have a 40 breeder on my 66 gallon tank. Built my stand larger just So i could get sump in it.