# DIY Sump/WD



## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

Let's see those DIY sumps and WDs that everyone built -- explain the design as well so everyone else can learn from it.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

10g sump - not the usual design.

The basic concept is fairly simple: drain section with skimmer, then baffles, then refugium, which drains into a return section with return pump and heater. The red lines were supports, but it was decided (with much help) that they would not be needed.

Plans:









In the actual sump, the drain and the tunze skimmer are reversed, so that the drain line just goes straight down. Since there's no bubble tower, I added a cover just over the space that the tunze doesn't take up to catch the salt spray. Baffles are 1" apart, with the middle baffle 1" off the bottom.

The acrylic sections were made as a single piece and installed into the tank with silicone:









From the drain side. The first baffle (right side) is 10" tall, with the second also 10" tall, but 1" off the bottom. Finally, the black center divider is the last baffle.









From the back side, you can see the teeth for draining into the return section. Water in the refugium stays at about 9.5" when the return pump is on.

The middle divider between refugium and drain/return sections is black acrylic so that the return/drain sides don't get much light that could promote algal growth.

Here is the dry look:









Everything hooked up and fits. The tank is a glass tank (standard 10g). The refugium light is a current USA 20" 36W T5HO fixture. Return pump is an Eheim 1250 with 1/2" return line. With 4' head pressure, probably only puts out about 150gph.

This is the sump in operation:









Has been working great for 2 months now. Refugium is filled with chaeto, and I took out most of the sand. The return section has a MJ400 feeding a single phosban reactor, as well as the optical and float switches for a Tunze Osmolator. My stand is a little full. But there's still more room!


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

looks awesome. that is some really efficient use of space.
what tank does it filter? is there any other filtration as well?


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

here was my old setup. top dripping evenly throughout all 7 drawers into a 30G tank which stored my pump/heater and an airstone.










1st level = polyfiber floss/foam
2nd = scour pads/jap mat
3rd = fiber pads/open-cell foam
4th = carbon/zeolite bags
5th = 500 bio-balls
6th = 4kg ceramic rings
7th = fiber pads/open-cell foam

changed it up after a few months as it didn't seem too effective with the bioload that i had. i have the media, just not the space.


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

redid the filtration. bought 2 cheap acrylic tanks and built myself a wood stand.

i chose to use silicone rather than prime/cement like i'm supposed to because i wasn't sure if i would keep this setup permanently.

and the top frames and divider in the middle had some limitations. such as the size of my biochamber and my incredibly ugly silicone job.

water pours in from the main tank into left side of top tank









through divider into right side of top tank which gets drained by the drilled hole









drains diagonally into the left side of the bottom tank









into the right side and gets pumped back up to main tank


















1st chamber is thick filter floss.
2nd chamber is more filter floss + dish washer scrub things + prefilter ceramic rings.
3rd chamber black sponge foam
4th is drip plate into bioballs supported by a sponge, with scrubbies and course ceramic rings under
5th channels through more black sponge then to the heater + 1200gph pump

i plan to turn the 1st chamber into a moving bed when i have time as the thick filter floss isn't really doing much. just threw it in because i had extra.


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

all from home depot. check different stores...if not try rona or lowes.

acrylic can be found at home depot as well. they have a section in the back depending on which store....although it's relatively expensive. sometimes it may be better to go to plastic stores and check their pricing, they can cut for you too. sometimes if the pieces are small enough they'll just give it to you from their scrap pile.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Try plastic world ( http://www.plasticworld.ca/index.asp?pid=1 ) for your acrylic.

Try JJ Downs for your PVC fittings. They pretty much have everything you'll need: http://jjdownsplastics.com/


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Me too, I have to figure out everything I need, give them a call to price it out and then go over to pick it up. And then take the rest of the day off to put everything together


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