20G sump for 55G tank... HELP

[Linemanbrad]

ok, so i am converting my regular 20G tank into a sump for my 55G tank to free up some extra space in my room...

How would I make one?

What materials do I need to make one?

Are they hard to make?

Around how much money would I spend converting it?

Is it worth it in the long run?

 

[Linemanbrad]

My tank is not drilled and I am not willing to drill it so I know I need an external overflow but thats about all I know about it

 

[cypher1024]

ok, so i am converting my regular 20G tank into a sump for my 55G tank to free up some extra space in my room...

How would I make one?

What materials do I need to make one?

Are they hard to make?

Around how much money would I spend converting it?

Do some research. Basically you just need to install some glass baffles to get the water to flow the way you want it to, and something to hold your bio media out of the water (if you're doing a wet/dry setup). Try searching for 'sump' in the box over there
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They're not difficult to make, but you need to take into consideration all of the possible failure conditions (e.g. if your return pump fails, can your design handle all of the water that will flow into the sump without overflowing?).

How much you spend depends on how complex your design is. Since you already have the tank, most of the money you spend will be on the return pump.

...Is it worth it in the long run?

Having experience designing and building a sump will definitely come in handy when you move up to bigger tanks.

My tank is not drilled and I am not willing to drill it so I know I need an external overflow but thats about all I know about it

Again, the search box is your friend. But to start with, check out this thread: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219465