Sump for a dummy (me)

[gabepowell101]

Hey so I am fairly new to salt water and I understand the general idea of a sump. But don’t know a whole lot about how to configure/set up different ones for different needs.
I have a 45 ga FOWLR tank with just an HOB filter and am not super adamant about using a sump on this system but that being said, someone near me sold me 3 sumps for $100 so I couldn’t say no. They are all completely different and I was curious if anyone could tell me what the differences between them are and which ones are better for different uses/equiptment.
They are all roughly 30 ga acrylic and at least 2 of them are TruVu
The pictures I have of them are super rough and I can take better ones tomorrow but I figured I’d post now to see if I can get any feedback.

 

[Besieged]

Sounds like you got a solid deal, even if you’re not sure what to do with them yet. From the pics, you’ve got at least one that looks like a standard Berlin-style sump with filter sock holders, one with a built-in refugium section, and one that looks like it could be a wet/dry or modified for that purpose.

If you're planning to use one on your 45g FOWLR, the simplest route would be the one with filter socks and a skimmer chamber - assuming your tank has an overflow or you can add a hang-on overflow box. If you're considering setting up a reef down the road, the one with a refugium section might be useful for nutrient export and pod production.

Post some better pics when you get a chance, especially showing the baffles and how the water would flow through each one. That’ll make it easier to tell which one best fits your needs.