6x2x2-1/2 filtration question??

[bmxbandit]

hey guys. soon i will be getting my 6x2x2-1/2 tank and i have decided to run a fx5 and a sump to filter it... i will be keepin tangs in it. 30 or so tropheus moliros, my goby pair and shellies and stuff, im not %100 sure which ones yet... but my question is... will a 3 foot sump and a fx5 be enough filtration for this big tank??
i was told a 4 foot would be better but i dont think a 4 foot sump will fit in the cabinet...

i have never used a sump before so any information will be muchly appreciated... can a 3 foot sump do as good a job as a 4 footer?? if you have a bigger pump?... sorry if it sounds all noob but i had a few bourbons tonight and i really dont know what im talkin about... :oops:

thanks 8)

[jimbozed]

3foot sump and fx5 should be heaps
i run a 3 foot sump on two 6'x18"x18" tanks and works great.
Its all about the media you run and water turnover, more turnover is not nessacarily better
i look for 2 to 3 times turnover per hour .
Bioballs seem to be old hat these days, more people going for media like Matrix, i use bio balls but you need to keep them ubove the water line and a good even flow over them

[bmxbandit]

yeah brad from aquariums alive is hookin me up with the fx5 and he is in charge of the media im gettin... im sure matrix will be included somewhere in there.
i was hoping to turn the water over about 6-8 times an hour... thats not too much is it??

[Otorix]

I think an FX5 with the right media should be enough for your filtration needs and if you want extra water movement get an internal powerhead. You save money not having a sump that way. I'm curently setting up 2 x 6x2x2ft tanks and will be running only an FX5 on each one. Check out this site awesome review on the FX5
http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7080

[bmxbandit]

yeah i was going to run a fx5 only but the tank is 800L im going to have it stocked with heaps of tangs including tropheus and they like really clean water so now im leaning more towards getting a big sump to run the whole thing...

[fishybusiness]

i have a 6x2x2.5 connect to 2 2x2x1 running with a 2ft sump and a fx5 and the filtration is awesom over 1000lts to filter and never had any problems

[kj2006]

Question re the sump, what is in it.  Some years ago I kept cichlids at that time i had a sump with bioballs and that was about all.  Then I went to salt water and a had a sump with a plenum.  Now i am going back to fresh and was courious to know how sumps are designed these days.