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I need help building a Freshwater sump

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:57 am
by puffertt77
Hello guys

I need help building a Freshwater sump, I've done some googling but haven't found anything that explains exactly what equiptment I need and how to build it

Most of the stuff I've found is for SW

I will be building a sump out of my 55gallon fish tank it's 4ft x 1.5ft x 1.5 ft

The idea is that it will be the sump for the 1200g tank when I finally get it

Any ideas, designs and links would be much appreciated :)

Thanks in advance

Re: I need help building a Freshwater sump

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:46 am
by edmlfc1
I made a sump out of a 55 gallon. It's pretty easy. You just need a couple of baffles, silicone to put the baffles in place and a sump inlet assembly with a filter sock. I have 3 baffles, you get use glass or arcylic for it. Find a cheap place that cuts glass or acrylic and bring the the measurements. Insert it in the tank and silicone the walls to the tank and around the bottom. See my pictures below.





Sump inlet assembly like this:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=16746


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Re: I need help building a Freshwater sump

Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:10 am
by edmlfc1
Forgot to mention it's the same as a saltwater sump without the protein skimmer. If you found a design you like for saltwater just leave out the protein skimmer and you have a freshwater sump. :D

Re: I need help building a Freshwater sump

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:33 am
by puffertt77
edmlfc1 wrote:Forgot to mention it's the same as a saltwater sump without the protein skimmer. If you found a design you like for saltwater just leave out the protein skimmer and you have a freshwater sump. :D
Thanks for the info edmlfc1

I was wondering whether I could have 1 compartment in the sump that has all my current gravel in it so that the water has to flow through it

This would help cycle the large tank to

What do you think?

Thanks

Re: I need help building a Freshwater sump

Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:53 am
by edmlfc1
You could do that, but are you going to have good access to the sump to clean the gravel.
You have to remember it's like a large filter, if you have lots of gravel you will have to vacuum it each week just like you do now.