Sumps 101: Cheap, simple and effective for small tanks

[cody6766]

So I finally decided it was time to change from my 10g tank with a skimmer and return pump dropped in that I called a sump to a real, chambered sump. I have an Oceanic 33g cube and the Oceanic stand that came with it, so space below is pretty limited. The only standard sized tank that will fit is a 10g, so that size stayed.

Total project cost was about $20
10g tank - $10 @ pets mart
10x8" glass pieces - $2 each at Home Depot
Acrylic pieces - Free for this project. Home Depot sells sheets for as little as $10 (maybe less)
Silicone - Aquarium safe is ~$3 at Home Depot by the epoxies and super glues

A standard 10g tank is 10" wide, outside, so the glass pieces will have to sit at a slight angle. My sump is just that, so I didn't care what it looked like and just left it an an angle so I didn't have to bother cutting glass or a lot of acrylic. I used this for the first 2 baffles and then used the acrylic I had for the final one that divides the skimmer area and the return pump. I also decided to use a small piece cut to fit inside the return pump area to keep the live sand and LR rubble away from the return pump. This was an afterthought and is just held in place by the pressure of the sand holding it at an angle.

Anyway, the only planning involved was deciding where to set the final water level in the middle chamber to accommodate the skimmer's requirements. This worked out to be about half way up the 10g tank.

Here is the sump dry


you can see that the short piece of glass is acrylic. It was just easier cutting that than glass and easier to use pre-cut, almost-right glass than cutting acrylic to measured sizes

Here you can see the drain from the overflow dumping into the first chamber of the sump. The drain is the PVC and (if you can see it) the return is clear hose


Here's the sump running and doing its job. You can see the additional little acrylic piece I quickly cut to divide the sand and the pump. It's not perfect, but works well enough to keep the pump safe.



so, a sump doesn't have to be expensive or complex. It's just a tank with a few baffles and you're all set!

Best of all, I found my long lost yellow watchman goby in the old bare 10g sump that I pulled out. I thought he died a few months back, but apparently he just took a long trip through my CPR style overflow and down into the lower tank. He was a little discolored and a bit skinny, but he's on his way to a vibrant yellow and is eating well just 12 hrs later.
He was living on my clam before, hopefully he'll take back to his original residence before too long

[Jamie Riley]

I'm curious. What is a good light to use for your sump? I've got a clamp-on-lamp and would like a good bulb for my chaeto.

[Cichlid-Dave]

Nice description on how you did that!

[cody6766]

I have a 20" florescent fixture that I bought for about $8 at wal-mart. I'm actually thinking of tossing in a clip on lamp with a 6500k screw in 20'ish watt cf bulb instead. The large tube lights the whole area under the stand with a lower wattage than i could focus directly on the fuge area with a cf bulb and a clip on lamp. I know the basic day light bulbs grow fresh water aquatic plants well, so I'm sure it'll grow macro just fine

[jksteele010]

I also use a clamp on light with a 6500K lamp and in about a month my macro has almost doubled in size so I know it does work.

[jnsnams]

I have a 24in florescent fixture under mine, and the cheato is going like crazy under in.. I got the zoomed plant bulb...works great..made for the plants in saltwater environments

[Cyn_D]

thx I have a 10gal that I'll be using as a sump to a 20gal

[cody6766]

It's definitely easier to make than I ever expected. This is my first attempt at anything like this and it went off without a hitch. I'm wondering why I never did it earlier

[pwhitby]

Nice thread Cody,

Well done with the write up and pictures.

paul.