Building a sump for a 3 foot(100L) tank!

Hi i have a 3 ft (100l) tank at home and have alot of spare tanks laying around(16 to be exact) and im looking for something to do!

So i want to know is it worth building a sump filter out of a 2 foot tank for my 3ft tank? I have malawis in there and they are messy as hell and the hang on filter is not coping!

so now comes the questions?asto what return pump i need and so i'm not really sure on how the whole story works but hey im here to learn so please let me know if its worth it and how and what i'll need!

I just want nice crystal clear water!
If there is anything i have left out please add it in!
O yes canister filters are crazy prices thats why im not going that way!

 

U should Have a 500L/hr return pump. ish Have you got an overflow in your tank?

 

whats a overflow? A hole on the one side of the tank(Top)?

 

Check Dorry's pets for prices on a return pump.
Also do some research into Skinny overflows, Durso Stand Pipes (Not needed with a Skinny overflow)
And remember a sump could cost you almost nearly as much as a Canister.

 

Well i have spare glass and tanks laying around so its just a return pump and filter media! So im thinking its the cheapest right now!

 

Nope not just a hole. on your size tank I would personally recommend a skinny overflow.
Here is a pic I did for a Nano tank before deciding to have a planted tank and not a Marine tank

 

And that is what you will get! Just make sure you have ample sponge and filter wool in the sump.

Are you doing substrate or bare bottom?

 

That does help
Is your tank drilled ?
I know there is a way to get an overflow without drilling but I have no clue how to do it ???

 

Cool thing about a Sump is you can add a compartment for Anaerobic bacteria.
Just need to add a low flow area with a bubble trap before it and then have that go into a compartment with an airstone before returning it to the DT

 

Just did some reading and Apparently a DSB works in a Tropical set-up aswell so if you build a sump just for that and a little bio-media it would be awesome...

 

Chech out my overflow here. Works a charm! No holes!

Planning my sump.

@aquazulu has a very good system for bare bottom tanks. I love it and will surely attempt doing it some time. It has holes at the bottom of the tank though. I will do just one hole and use my overflow system to the sump. The hole is to collect all dirt from the bare bottom tank and drain it from there. No more siphon! I might as well do both holes! In for a penny, in for a pound and it is much less complicated than an overflow and takes less space.

My fish room - Page 3

 

Make sure you read this thread as well.

Tropical Aquariums South Africa

 

@TomK There is where I saw the overflow without the overflow part ?
How exactly did you do that ?
Make no sense to me how you did that...

 

Do some reading about the DSB, most Marines have them these days coz they are so awesome.

 

Tropical Aquariums South Africa

 

O right
So your plumbing comes out the bottom and then back up to maintain your water level and then back down again to your sump. lol Go figure.
How is the noise on this ?

 

ok im no professor! But what TOMK has done is exactly what i was planning on doing! Just need to know how to do it cause i sort of understand it! Like step by step or just plenty pictures!

 

lol The way I have it is.

Drill tank in bottom back corner or centre for 50mm Bulkhead.
Put in a 50mm Bulkhead.
Put A 90 degree elbow to get out under the tank
Put a small piece of pipe just to clear the tank
Put another 90 degree elbow back up at the back of the tank
Then a piece of pipe up to the point where you would like your water level
Put another 90 degree elbow to the side with a piece of pipe, T piece facing up and another piece of pipe and a 90 degree elbow back down to your sump.
creating a, from bottom up and back down with an Air-hole at the top (The T piece) And upside down U with a T piece at the top ?

 

But all this doesn't give you an Overflow... So no water surface cleaning happening. But it will give you a awesome under gravel filter if you buy the UGF plates to cover the hole

 

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/faq.php?faq=sump_articles