hop2jr

Hi guy's and girls I have an Idea to make one of my empty 29gal tanks into a sump. Here is my Idea the disign what do you think? the sump is going on my 75gal tank.

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sump 29gal tank.jpg (47.2 KB, 62 views)

hop2jr

Ohh ya how big should I make the bioball chamber and is there a way I can use a powerhead as a return pump?

Coryd55

Looks okay. Would probably need a decently strong pump. A powerhead could be used as a return if you got the right one. Just make sure you can put a pipe/hose on it. Most can but just make sure.

hop2jr

The pump I have on hand is a Aqua Clear Powerhead 301 only has 174gal per hour don't think that will be enuff for the return. Need at least 300gal/hr for the overflow right? Thanks Coryd looked at alot of wet/dry sumps but none had the plants before the bio balls my thought was the plants should get the water before it is filtered at all. How big do you think the bio ball camber should be? Sorry about all the questions but want to do it right the first time.

hop2jr

Well here it is I change the original disign. Wanted a place to keep ghost shrimp and plants so I make the center camber 13"x12"x13", Media camber is 6"x12"x14", and the return is 5"x12"x12". So what do you guys think?

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	29gal sump.jpg (54.4 KB, 29 views)
	Media camber.jpg (47.3 KB, 22 views)
	Media camber 2.jpg (53.2 KB, 17 views)
	center camber for shrimp.jpg (45.0 KB, 19 views)
	Bubble trap 2.jpg (49.6 KB, 13 views)

hop2jr

Installed drip trays made from 2 old cooler trays which fits cross perfectmade the 2nd tray from the middle of one tray and had enuff left to make the feet on which it sits and silcone them to the sides of the tank. Now I can remove the bioball tray and put extra media. Cross your fingers leak testing tomorro. here are some updated pics.

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	29gal sump with drip trays.jpg (69.7 KB, 16 views)
	29gal sump with drip trays (2).jpg (58.3 KB, 12 views)
	2nd drip tray.jpg (47.8 KB, 8 views)
	Drip tray with overflow.jpg (69.7 KB, 11 views)

hop2jr

No Leaks!!!!!! looks like the flow is going to be good but I did see that there will be only 2"of drip through the bioballs the rest will be under water is this ok? If not going to drill 3 or 4 1" holes in the middle chamber walls to lower the level about 1 1/2". and does anyone have advice on a return pump?

soldieroffortune1974

On my sumps,,I use a Rio Hyperflo submersible fountain pump with a 1in line,depending on the length of the return line,you should be able to get 1 for 30$ or less for 300gph. Longer return lines require a bigger pump to maintain the flow.The Rio Hyperflow is designed for 4 to 6 ft and maintain the flow volume.

hop2jr

Well here an update installed and running so far no problems using a 300gph eshopp overflow and a Quite 294gph return pump. here is a pick only have media bags in the center for now till the sump breaks in.

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	Floyd's Tank 024.jpg (76.1 KB, 34 views)
	Floyd's Tank 025.jpg (53.3 KB, 19 views)

Matt

Nice work. Did u make that all yourself?

Also what tank is it SW or FW because the pic of your tank with fish in it looks like a FW?

ANyways Cool Sump and fish.

From MAtt

hop2jr

Ya made from spare stuff laying around old 29gal tank, glass that I still don't know where it came from but was glad I had it ,2 a cooler drip trays cut down (McGuiver at its finest), 4 tubes of silcone, 6 bags of scrubbers from the buck store ( Cheap Bioballs), and wuhla sump for about 100 bucks and that includes return pump, PVC pipe, and overflow box. Yes it is a fresh water 75gal main tank now I'm at about 95gal with the sump. going to add an aglae srubber next as soon as I can afford 1 more pump to make that work. It is amazing how quite the tank is now.

SnaKiZe

Hmm, Yeah, I'm thinking of making a sump out of a 30 gal tank i'm planning to get from craigslist (20 bucks yo!) and i'm am utterly stumped at what to do haha.

hop2jr

Well the sump has been running for 1 month now have ? I put a filter pad before the bubble chamber and added ghost shimp to the middle chamber of the sump. I'm hopeing to breed them for a tasty treat for my Fire Eel and to do a little cleaning in the sump.Building an algea scrubber screen above the middle chamber so the shrimp will always have food and light will update pics when I install screen and lights. But now I have some Questions 1)How often do you clean the bottom of the bioball chamber of the sump? I starting to get a build up of something there not sure what. 2)Should I clean/Rinse out the filter pads over my dip tray and the one after the bioball chamber when I clean my overflow? 3)Do you ever clean/rinse the bioballs? 4)Any one have a DIY spraybar/deep current return?