Diy sump system help

[Indigoblue12]

Hi all

I'm new to the hobby.. This is my first
Reef tank. I have a 55g 48" tank and instead
Of using my old freshwater canister filter
And hanging a protein skimmer off the back
I decided to see if I could make a sump system
And save some money..

I saw pre-made sumps online ranging from
$180.00 to $454.00

I was wondering if anyone has instructions or a material
List to build a sump out of a maybe 10 or 20 gallon
Fish tank maybe from petsmart or something ...
I found a tank at petsmart but it's $75.00

I wanted enough room for a protein skimmer and such
I'm not at the moment thinking about a macro bacteria
Area ..

I'm brand new to this so I could use some help

 

[Eric Boerner]

Is your tank already drilled? Does it have an overflow built in? Very first thing you need to consider with the sump idea. How is that water going to get out of your main tank into the sump?

If you have a glass box with no holes or overflow built in, then you'll need to decide to drill it, or get a weir. Drilling is best, as weirs can be tricky. But then, you risk breaking the tank (If its acrylic, no worries about that).

If you go weir, then get one that has an accompanying sump that is siphon proof. If you get a weir on its own, then try to make a sump DIY, you're setting yourself up for future floods.

If you have a built in overflow, then DIYing a sump is fairly easy. Get another glass box that is about half the volume of what you're running (20ish for yours). Then have 5 small pieces of glass cut and edged for the baffles. Silicon (aquarium) those inside the tank like this:

That is your most basic sump configuration. Tank water come sin to the right, and exits out the far left. The baffles help with bubbles. In all you could have a 20 gallon breeder sump for around $50 depending on the price of cut glass in your area.

 

[davocean]

20g tank from petco for $20 right now, might find cheaper on CL or local reef club, that and a couple glass pieces for baffles, silicone, that would be your bare bones sump.
It pretty much really is all you really need if you are looking at a tight budget, and how many of us have ran or even still run.

 

[Indigoblue12]

Is your tank already drilled? Does it have an overflow built in? Very first thing you need to consider with the sump idea. How is that water going to get out of your main tank into the sump?

If you have a glass box with no holes or overflow built in, then you'll need to decide to drill it, or get a weir. Drilling is best, as weirs can be tricky. But then, you risk breaking the tank (If its acrylic, no worries about that).

If you go weir, then get one that has an accompanying sump that is siphon proof. If you get a weir on its own, then try to make a sump DIY, you're setting yourself up for future floods.

If you have a built in overflow, then DIYing a sump is fairly easy. Get another glass box that is about half the volume of what you're running (20ish for yours). Then have 5 small pieces of glass cut and edged for the baffles. Silicon (aquarium) those inside the tank like this:

That is your most basic sump configuration. Tank water come sin to the right, and exits out the far left. The baffles help with bubbles. In all you could have a 20 gallon breeder sump for around $50 depending on the price of cut glass in your area.

I was going to buy a "essopps pf-1000 overflow
Then run it to the diy sump...

 

[Indigoblue12]

20g tank from petco for $20 right now, might find cheaper on CL or local reef club, that and a couple glass pieces for baffles, silicone, that would be your bare bones sump.
It pretty much really is all you really need if you are looking at a tight budget, and how many of us have ran or even still run.

If you get a 20gallon tank can you use cut
Acrylic to create the barriers so I could drill holes in them?
Is there a certain acrylic or caulk/silicone glue I need to use?

 

[Rot26]

I used a 10 gallon from PetSmart for $18. Menard's had glass panels that almost fit, so they're not perpendicular, but at closer to 85 degrees. Considering the slow flow I have through there and the fact that nobody actually sees it, that seemed fine.

 

[uncleof6]

Is your tank already drilled? Does it have an overflow built in? Very first thing you need to consider with the sump idea. How is that water going to get out of your main tank into the sump?

If you have a glass box with no holes or overflow built in, then you'll need to decide to drill it, or get a weir. Drilling is best, as weirs can be tricky. But then, you risk breaking the tank (If its acrylic, no worries about that).

If you go weir, then get one that has an accompanying sump that is siphon proof. If you get a weir on its own, then try to make a sump DIY, you're setting yourself up for future floods.

If you have a built in overflow, then DIYing a sump is fairly easy. Get another glass box that is about half the volume of what you're running (20ish for yours). Then have 5 small pieces of glass cut and edged for the baffles. Silicon (aquarium) those inside the tank like this:



That is your most basic sump configuration. Tank water come sin to the right, and exits out the far left. The baffles help with bubbles. In all you could have a 20 gallon breeder sump for around $50 depending on the price of cut glass in your area.

Well, you used one of my older drawings, that has the teeth cut in the fuge baffle. This is acutally how it works:

 

[davocean]

If you get a 20gallon tank can you use cut
Acrylic to create the barriers so I could drill holes in them?
Is there a certain acrylic or caulk/silicone glue I need to use?

Well, you can, but it's very sloppy and may not hold for long term, and you need to cut acrylic w/ gaps for expansion/contraction so it does not crack glass.
However having said that I did do this once many years ago, it will get by for a while.
Really though you should do glass to glass, acrylic to acrylic.
I have gotten away w/ using just plain ol GE1 windows and doors, it's cheap and at HD, though there are better silicones out there, but it works.
the other comments/designs are obviously better if you can afford it of course, I'm just helping advise you in a low budget DIY as that appears to be what you are looking to do from my reading here.

 

[ChouDawg]

I built my 20 gallon long sump for my 40 breeder using GE Silicone I (not II as it has mold inhibitors) and I got 3 pieces of glass cut to my specifications at a local glass shop w/ polished edges (very important!) for $13. Total cost was about $30 with silicone factored in. I have the same layout as uncleof6 above:

 

[Eric Boerner]

Acrylic wont bond at all with silicon. You'll need to gob it in to make it a friction fit (not so pretty). The glass shop will be cheaper than pre-cut acrylic anyway. I just had 2 pieces of glass cut for a window repair and it was $10 for 2 10"x20" polished edges. Just don't get window glass (1/8th inch). Make sure you get 1/4 inch