DIY Hang on back Sump Tank

[PrestonNanoTank]

Hello,

I wanted to see if I could get some general feedback from more experienced saltwater aquarium out there.

I have a small 20 gal tank that I am trying to convert into a nano reef. Nothing in it right now but I am planning on 3D printing a sump tank that hangs on the back that will pump water in and out and this is a rough idea of what I have come up with after some research.

Water will enter through the circle at the top that will contain a filter sock, its 2.75 in diameter.
Then flow down and come back up over the edge through the baffling where I was thinking I will put a sponge filter.
I have a small protein skimmer that I hope I can place next to the return.
Finally be pumped back out in the return.

The overall size is about 16" x 8" x 4.5"

If you have any suggestions please help me out. I am not totally sure what I am doing but just trial and error at the moment.

 

[griss]

If this is hanging on the back of the tank, how will the water get from the tank to where the filter sock is located?

 

[PrestonNanoTank]

I'm thinking of running a small overflow container in the tank with a tube that will go into the sump.

 

[griss]

Hmmm, I can see several challenges there. The way you're proposing, if the water level in the filter drops below the tube, it will lose siphon and the pump will drain the filter. In this case, if there's enough water in the filter, you could overflow the tank. This could happen for a number of reasons including too strong of a return (gph) from your pump or evaporation.

Typically, hang-on filters and hang-on skimmers usually pump water into the hang-on unit and then the water flows (via gravity) back into the tank. IMO, this would be the easiest/best way to do it.

 

[griss]

@kharmaguru @wvned and @JCOLE are a little more handy than I am. Maybe one of them will have other thoughts.

 

[kharmaguru]

3d prints are usually not waterproof without some post processing. Have you considered having your sump in the tank like the Fiji cube AIO kits? That would solve most issues with leaking or overflowing, but sacrifice a few inches of space.

 

[Osman-ist]

You can manage your tank without protein skimmer. PS is not necessary . Sock and vertical sponge could be nitrate factory if not regulary cleaned. I would put one horizontal multilayer filter sponge on top of sump which is easy to remove and clean regularly. I suggest more bio filter media . Fludized K1 media %60 volume in sump is very efficient and cheap . In drawing it is better to draw real size pump and other item dimensions to be sure of size. Good luck.

 

[wvned]

Or you can use a protein slimmer and forget the sponges and socks.

 

[PrestonNanoTank]

3d prints are usually not waterproof without some post processing. Have you considered having your sump in the tank like the Fiji cube AIO kits? That would solve most issues with leaking or overflowing, but sacrifice a few inches of space.

I've thought about it and that's the main reason I wanted to see if I could get something that could hang on the back of the tank. Its a small hexagon that I think PetSmart sells but I found this one for free and am trying to do it cost efficient.

I have seen these before (Fiji cube AIO kits) but now that I am looking at them it would be nice, they are just a little expensive. But maybe I should just go for it and see what I can do.

I'll have to look into what processing I have to go through to make it water proof. Thank you for the help!

 

[PrestonNanoTank]

You can manage your tank without protein skimmer. PS is not necessary . Sock and vertical sponge could be nitrate factory if not regulary cleaned. I would put one horizontal multilayer filter sponge on top of sump which is easy to remove and clean regularly. I suggest more bio filter media . Fludized K1 media %60 volume in sump is very efficient and cheap . In drawing it is better to draw real size pump and other item dimensions to be sure of size. Good luck.

Yeah I didn't take the time for the measurements in my images, but I am trying to be mindful of everything I am going to but in there. But I didn't realize protein skimmers were not that necessary. I've always understood they are more of an essential item for reef tanks.

I like the idea of a multilayer sponge on top though, I'll look into that a bit more.
thank you!

 

[griss]

Yeah I didn't take the time for the measurements in my images, but I am trying to be mindful of everything I am going to but in there. But I didn't realize protein skimmers were not that necessary. I've always understood they are more of an essential item for reef tanks.

I like the idea of a multilayer sponge on top though, I'll look into that a bit more.
thank you!

Some people swear by using a skimmer and are very successful using them. Some people swear they are not necessary and are very successful not using one. There's no single right way to have a successful reef tank.

 

[Osman-ist]

Yeah I didn't take the time for the measurements in my images, but I am trying to be mindful of everything I am going to but in there. But I didn't realize protein skimmers were not that necessary. I've always understood they are more of an essential item for reef tanks.

I like the idea of a multilayer sponge on top though, I'll look into that a bit more.
thank you!

If you would like to understand what PS is you can read scientific laboratory test results for realistic information about them .
These are scientific resaearch and true information about skimmers. I do not mention here their prices! and advertisements .

The Development of a Method for the Quantitative Evaluation of Protein Skimmer Performance
The skimming process does not remove atoms/molecules that are strictly polar and readily dissolve in water, such as some organics, salts, inorganic phosphate, carbonate, etc. Skimmers tested removed only 20 – 30% of the total organics present in authentic reef tank water.

Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance
protein skimmers appear to have a much larger variation in their prices than they do in their ability to remove TOC from aquarium water. Recent design innovations like bubble plates, conical sides, or pinwheel impellers do not seem to impact significantly on either rate of TOC removal or amount of TOC removed, at least for the skimmers tested.
None of the skimmers tested removed more than 35% of the extant TOC, leading to the conclusion that bubbles are really not a very effective medium for organic nutrient removal.

 

[wvned]

Oh, with bold print too. I have had tanks without them and ones I added them to later. It's a necessity to me now. But I do not want to argue about it or read walls of text. I have 2 now. Big ones.

 

[wvned]

This was my first tank with a skimmer. The sump was just a 10 gallon tank in the stand. I made the overflow out of PVC and the return pump was just a Maxijet 1200. There was just the skimmer, heater and Maxijet down there. No baffles even. T-5 light. It doesnt have to be rocket surgery.

 

[kharmaguru]

I have seen these before (Fiji cube AIO kits) but now that I am looking at them it would be nice, they are just a little expensive. But maybe I should just go for it and see what I can do.

I agree they seem pricey. I mentioned them purely for the concept and would still encourage you to 3d print something since you have that option (and I love DIY). Waterproofing then becomes a moot point.