Do sumps increase the amount of livestock a tank can hold?

burlybear

Does a sump increase the amount of livestock that you can keep in a tank? I know a sump gives a system more water to work with making the temperature more stable and does a good job aerating the water but does the increased amount of water affect the biological filtration? It just seems like a tank with a sump should be able to support more fish than one without.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions,
BurlyBear

onefish2fish

yes and no.
to start, saltwater fish will have size restrictions, territory issues . . .
these things are what restrict you, if you think about it, you have the same size swimming space (with is actually reduced due to live rock displacement ) regardless of having a sump or not. an understocked tank is always better then being overstocked. the increased water volume not only helps with air but will dilute toxins before they have a chance to get removed from the skimmer/water changes. it also makes a good place to put chaeto algae ( which IMO prefer over other algaes for refugiums ) that will feed off some nitrates and phosphates. a sumps a good place to put a heater, skimmer, carbon/phosban reactor. . . so they are out of the main tank.

burlybear

Thanks for answering my question, before I thought the biological filtration was the limiting factor on livestock it good to know that actual physical space is more important. Even without the added advantage of extra livestock it seems like it is worth investing in a sump.
Thanks again,
BurlyBear

Pasfur

Great post. So much information in such a quick thread.