I am new to the word of Aquaponics and would like to construct a hybrid sump that features both media (of any sort) and plant filtration. I have never built anything filter related before so I am looking for ideas, suggestions and help for filtering my indoor pond. The pond is not raised from the ground so it may not be drilled from the bottom.

Here is what I am working with.

The pond: My pond's inner dimensions measure 8'x4'x2'. It will contain about 400 gallons of water.

The stock: I will be keeping the pond lightly stocked. I plan on keeping two Ceja stingrays (Paratrygon Aiereba) alone in it. They will be starting out at about 10 inches in diameter and can grow to a much larger size of 47 inches across. Of course I do not plan on keeping them in this pond for life, but it will be a "growout" enclosure until I can house them in something much larger.

Restrictions: The only restriction I have regarding the construction of this sump is that the water flow can't be too strong, but strong enough to produce a gentle current all throughout the pond. Ceja stingrays are from deepwater so I must try to replicate the conditions as best as possible (slow flowing and cool).

What I am looking for: I am looking for a sump that features both media and aquaponics. It will be lightly stocked, but the two rays will grow large, so the filter should be able to handle a LARGE bio-load.


Here is the pond (still in need of more bracing and cosmetics)




I am a beginner and have NO technical skills with building sumps. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Tom