Diy Sump Filters

[robo]

Does anyone have plans for a good DIY fresh water sump? filter please

 

[ihasanzongi]

Does anyone have plans for a good DIY fresh water sump? filter please

haha i was just lookin for the same thing if anyone could help us, forsome reason i thought there was a pinned post about this?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, there's really 2 types of freshwater sump filters... Those with trickle towers and those without, which one would you guys be thinking of?

 

[ihasanzongi]

Well, there's really 2 types of freshwater sump filters... Those with trickle towers and those without, which one would you guys be thinking of?

i was hoping for freshwater, now trickle towers what are those? i just want one for my mduna tank, its alot of overkill but iwould like to see how it works for then i get a large tank witch will be soon hopefully

 

[SkiFletch]

A trickle tower is just what it sounds like . Water trickles over trays of bioballs usually held up with an egg-crate tower. 3 or 4 tiers typically. Then maybe a couple dividing walls to keep air away from the return pump, and a return pump back up to the tank. They of course sound like a shower but work GREAT and can handle LOTS of fishload because the bacteria on the bioballs get lots of oxygen from contact with both water and air.

Other option is to just have some dividing walls and stuff the sump with bioballs or filterfloss and eventually a compartment for the return pump.

The sump tank itself is pretty easy to make/design. Just use a standard tank and silicone in some acrylic or glass walls. More importantly would be how you intend to overflow into the sump? Are you going to drill the bottom or side/back, or will you use a hang-on overflow box?

 

[ihasanzongi]

A trickle tower is just what it sounds like . Water trickles over trays of bioballs usually held up with an egg-crate tower. 3 or 4 tiers typically. Then maybe a couple dividing walls to keep air away from the return pump, and a return pump back up to the tank. They of course sound like a shower but work GREAT and can handle LOTS of fishload because the bacteria on the bioballs get lots of oxygen from contact with both water and air.

Other option is to just have some dividing walls and stuff the sump with bioballs or filterfloss and eventually a compartment for the return pump.

The sump tank itself is pretty easy to make/design. Just use a standard tank and silicone in some acrylic or glass walls. More importantly would be how you intend to overflow into the sump? Are you going to drill the bottom or side/back, or will you use a hang-on overflow box?

it will be an hangpn overflow boxx. i was plannin on using an old 10 gallon for the sump will that work?

 

[SkiFletch]

Maybe, how big is the display tank?

 

[ihasanzongi]

Maybe, how big is the display tank?

4ft. then 10 gallon is like...14inchs long? i think

 

[SkiFletch]

Humm, well a 10g is gonna be a little small for a sump for a 4' tank. With a sump tank during operation evaporation manifests itself in the final compartment of the sump where the return pump is. If this compartment is too small, evaporation through the day will lower the water level below the return pump, causing it to run dry which is obviously bad for the pump . Most 4' tanks should have at least 4-5 gallons of water in their final compartment of their sump, pretty much forcing you to use half of a 10g for the return pump, and only half for bioballs/filter floss. Long story short it'll work but you'd be much more "comfortable" with something like a 20g. Not sure if the dimensions of a 20 are able to fit where you want to put it but if so, I'd lean towards that option.

Having said all that I'll direct you to melevsreef.com which has some really great diagrams of how sumps work. I unfortunately dont know any similar sites for freshwater, yet the concepts are all the same between the two. In saltwater we usually have refugiums or protein skimmers, while in freshwater you use bioballs and filterfloss. Otherwise all concepts are the same.

 

[ihasanzongi]

Humm, well a 10g is gonna be a little small for a sump for a 4' tank. With a sump tank during operation evaporation manifests itself in the final compartment of the sump where the return pump is. If this compartment is too small, evaporation through the day will lower the water level below the return pump, causing it to run dry which is obviously bad for the pump . Most 4' tanks should have at least 4-5 gallons of water in their final compartment of their sump, pretty much forcing you to use half of a 10g for the return pump, and only half for bioballs/filter floss. Long story short it'll work but you'd be much more "comfortable" with something like a 20g. Not sure if the dimensions of a 20 are able to fit where you want to put it but if so, I'd lean towards that option.

Having said all that I'll direct you to melevsreef.com which has some really great diagrams of how sumps work. I unfortunately dont know any similar sites for freshwater, yet the concepts are all the same between the two. In saltwater we usually have refugiums or protein skimmers, while in freshwater you use bioballs and filterfloss. Otherwise all concepts are the same.

ahh thats alright then, i guess il just stick with the filters i have. i just saw the 10 gallon, i and thought i was try it out, il just wait till i get a like a 20g. il think im going to try the 10g in saltwater. just a feef.. thanks for the help anways!

 

[SkiFletch]

np