Hi,
You can make a sump as expensive and cheap as you want. In general what i see around and i don't know why that is but most sumps are made completely overcomplicated. And that's what makes them expensive.
Just think of it and make a comparison with a canister. Lets say you have a 200 litre tank and filtering with a cannister, than you suffice with a 5 litre volume cannister? Make it a 10 litre canister? This would be 30% mechanical filter media and the rest biological, if you take off 10% free space leaves you for the most with 6 litres of biological media? If you go for a 10 litre canister.
If this is sufficient, why would a sump need so much more than 6 litres of biological media? To make it even more sufficient? Enough is enough, is more than enough beter or just a waste?
So than we go back to the sump.
If you take a 25 litre tank than you will have more than enough room to put 10 litres of media in it and still have 15 litres left. Even more simple if you make 10 litre drip tray in it you ca have 50% of the biological media emersed and the rest submersed to have the best of both filter principles. a 25 litre standard tank takes 40cmx25cmx25cm of space.. If you take a Eurobraced version, you can easyly put a plastic box on top as drip tray, leaves with the entire tank as extra water body for all other material.
I made a sump from a 25 litre eurobraced tank for my 100 litre aquarium, this sump could easily run double the size if not more.. The tank was brandnew less than €20 all i needed more was a pump.. Funny is the most powerfull pump i found was a 800l/h DC 12V-24V with a 5 meter lift performing the best.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-24V...338627?hash=item2cc36e2d03:g:jCIAAOSw5vBZdpfr
Already running for over 2 years now without any issues.
So that's less than € 30 for the tank and the pump. €15 more for 0.5m² acrylic sheet fot the deviders of which i only used half. Than even if you go for a expensive USA ready made $80 overflow box, you still didn't reach far over a €120.. Neglect the media and the heaters etc. These you have to buy anyway.
You simply only need 1 media compartiment to create a sufficient sump.. Since a sufficient canister has the same.. And it's sufficient, why would a sump need more?
It doesn't.. Find a + 5 litre cannister bellow €120..
An Eheim suitable for a 200litre tank with a 5 litre cannister volume goes for € 350. Bless you if you want 2.