DIY Rubbermaid Sump

[downhillbiker]

I am thinking of building a rubbermaid sump to save cost. Here is my design. The sump will basically be a toat with the infeed on the left, HOB skimmer, and the bubble trap. I plan to put chaeto in the skimmer section with a CF light over top.

I am thinking the bubble trap will work, but would like input for better designs, or suggestions, or others that you have seen, as there is no way to glue baffles in.

I plan to use 3 different size buckets indicated by the different colors. the water will overflow over the red bucket(which will dictate the water height of sump, then down to the blue bucket which has holes in the bottom, and then up over the yellow bucket and to the return pump.

Please give me any suggestions!!!!

 

[K' Family Reef]

would make sure that you dont set any pumps (skimmer/return) directly on the bottom of the r/m container or touching the sides... eventually you may end up w/ a hole worn thru the plastic.

good luck

regards

 

[downhillbiker]

good thought. i know the suction cups wont stick to it properly, so i will keep that in mind. the sump is on top of 3 buckets thick, so it is good, and the skimmer "hopefully" doesnt move enough to do that.

 

[pex]

I have never done it personally, but I have seen Rubbermaid sumps with baffles in them at LFS before, so they can definetely be secured in there somehow.

 

[downhillbiker]

hmmm....i didnt see how it was possible because they have the grooves around the bottom of the toat and the sides arent exactly strait up. i have searched and searched but haven't found any plans or pictures.

 

[K' Family Reef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12537870#post12537870 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downhillbiker
hmmm....i didnt see how it was possible because they have the grooves around the bottom of the toat and the sides arent exactly strait up. i have searched and searched but haven't found any plans or pictures.

note theres 2 stages
skimmer stage and return/fuge stage... using grating as a divider yet having the wall as support to the sides bin... the 2 bins are connected via bulkhead and water flows from one to the other via gravity...

just something that might give you some imore ideas although doesnt sound anything like what you are planning on doing.


good luck

regards


<a href="http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc130/WarrenAmyMadelinne/?action=view&current=stage2-stage1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc130/WarrenAmyMadelinne/stage2-stage1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[jwatson31]

I realize the diagram properly isn't exactly to scale, but in your setup the water level looks to be pretty high. Be sure to leave enough room so your sump doesn't overflow in case your pumps go out.

 

[Ismellikefish]

The only thing I see could be an issue is to much of a fall into the yellow container would cause bubbles. You would have to keep your water lvl just right.

Also, if you wanted to you could add a Remote DSB and some live rock rubble in the big blue area plus some cheato.

 

[downhillbiker]

good thoughts all.

i dont have the space for more than 1 sump/fuge. and the light diffuser plastic would be great for separating the chaeto from skimmer section, but wont do anything for a bubble trap, so i still have to think on that.

i have to have the water level fairly high to allow the HOB skimmer i have to work properly.

i think that you are right about the yellow being too high. i will make sure that one is more around the 8-10" height range.