Sump or Canister Filter

[NelsonTheNaturalist]

Hello everyone!

I am new to newts but fairly experienced with fish, reptiles, and other amphibians. I am planning a tank for pygmy newts (T. pygmaeus), I have been told they are more aquatic than the marbled newt (T. marmoratus) that they were previously considered a subspecies of. With that in mind I am planning a paludarium with about 10-gallons of water in it. I have a 29 gallon aquarium (30"x12"x18") that I am planning on using for this enclosure, it would have a fill depth of around 8 inches or so for that 10 gallons. My question is should I use a sump or a canister filter for filtration?

I have a 10-gallon trickle sump that I have in my garage and I am willing/ready to try my hand at drilling a glass aquarium. Alternately I have been thinking of purchasing the Eheim Classic Canister Filter 2213. I do also have a sponge filter I could use.

Either way I am planning on having the output run down the background to reduce the flow. I like the idea of the added water volume in having the sump. I have even thought of using the canister filter as the return pump to the tank.
Any other suggestions are welcome!

 

[minorhero]

The biggest thing people struggle with for canister filters is figuring out how to get them through the lid. I have 2 newt tanks with canister filters and each requires a custom lid to make it work. Not sure if you knew this or not, but newts can climb glass. Not well, but they can manage it. So they need lids or at least lips a few inches wide (they can't go upside down) all the way around the tank or they will escape.

In a tank like what you are describing, I would do a drilled tank with a canister filter. I would drill two holes in the tank (one for intake and one for return). I would put an intake strainer over the intake to keep critters out, and then would attach hosing to the other side that led to a canister filter. I would not try to do a waterfall (they are frequently way way way more trouble then they are worth) and put the return in the water. I would use a barb valve on the return line to reduce flow to appropriate levels. A small filter like the Oase 60 would be fine for a tank like this.

Good luck.