How do I set up a sump??? (Purchased pre-owned custom aquarium with sump)

[josh515025]

So I'm totally new to the hobby and have had my tank for only a few months. I purchased a 35 gallon rimless aquarium with stand and sump included on Offerup for 130$! It seems to be custom built (stand and tank) while the sump says "Aqua Clear Aquatics".

Since I didn't want to mess with a sump at the time I purchased a Tidal 55 HOB filter and stored the sump away. A few months later and my tank is stocked a bit on the heavy side, so I'm looking to get the sump up and running to add more water volume and a protein skimmer. No corals as of now but I will be looking to add some when the sump is running.

Anyways if anyone can help me out I need to know:
1. What type of sump is this/what kind of filtration can I run or do you recommend?
2. How high should the water level be? There is a water level line but I'm not sure if it means minimum water level or that's where it should be?
3. Any other tips / things I should know to get this up and running

I have watched a lot of videos and read on the internet but still have questions because every sump looks different. If anyone has any help I'd appreciate it thanks, I'll attach pics

 

[StatelineReefer]

That used to be called a wet dry filter. Ideally, you'd place bioballs or marinepure blocks under the filter media box, put your carbon in a bag in the box, and run your return on the bottom, on the other side of the inlet. There isnt much room in there, keep in mind, so ideally you just want to put a good DC return pump down there and dial it in for flow

 

[josh515025]

Thanks for the reply! So is this not an actual "sump"? By putting all the measurements in aquarium volume calculator I get 10 gallons but realistically about how many gallons extra gallons would this get me?

Also would you recommend perhaps instead buying a cheap 10 gallon tank and DIY converting it to a sump vs getting this thing up and running? Perhaps I can use the overflow box and hose I already have and run it into a 10 gallon tank inside the stand.

 

[StatelineReefer]

I mean, technically it's a sump, just like technically a mason jar can be an aquarium if you put a fish in it.

I started with one of these, they're nitrate traps, to be honest. It looks like the same one I had so if you run no skimmer and to the line on the label, you get 5.5 gallons of extra water. I put live rock in the 'tower' to give myself a little extra biological surface, but marinepure blocks will give you more by volume.

 

[josh515025]

Thanks for all the info, now what if instead of filling the sump to the water line labeled I fill it 10 inches up? Thats close to the top of the skimmer in the picture. I could perhaps use a sponge in the overflow box, and add carbon and ceramic media completely submerged in the tower, and then the water would run to my skimmer and to the return pump,, and I'd have more water volume? Is this a good idea or is there something I'm not thinking about?

 

[Fishnut]

Stick to the recommended height for water in the sump. You need the extra room for overflow in case a power outage drains water out of the display tank