DIY sump and overflow build

[Paulbearer]

If i raise the pipe up any further it would splash all over.

How about letting the water land straight into some polyfiber/filter floss and then go through an acrylic drip tray into the bioballs?

This is how most sumps are built, that is why the most used formula you see on here is the most used one. It's been twisted and tested and adjusted over many years and the formula of: Thru socks, to drip tray, down to bio balls, over to pump is the most true one used today.

There is a reason for that I just made a 55 gallon sump myself and doing this with it.

 

[Gruntking]

This is how most sumps are built, that is why the most used formula you see on here is the most used one. It's been twisted and tested and adjusted over many years and the formula of: Thru socks, to drip tray, down to bio balls, over to pump is the most true one used today.

There is a reason for that I just made a 55 gallon sump myself and doing this with it.

Thanks, i will look into the filter sock idea a bit more and do some more research. Pump does not come until friday anyways

Anyways here are some more pics of what this looks like so far.
This is a very low budget design, and definately not one of the beastly ones i have seen on here. All in all this will cost around $70 to build.

Will post pics of the overflow and plumbing once i get it painted tomorrow. Already made the spraybar as well!

I am contemplating just putting polyfiber in the tray and having some other bio media, maybe scrubbies submerged. Do the unsubmerged bio balls really make that big of a diff? I can get them locally so that would be best.

 

[Gruntking]

The other design i am thinking of.

Which would you go with and why? If you would alter anything, speak up!

 

[Gruntking]

Well i decided to go with the second design, because there is no way i can fit a filter sock in there :/.

I painted all the PVC black, and siliconed the acrylic sheet into the tank, we will see if it holds up or not in about 46 hours . It is not as high as in the picture. I think its around 4 inches tall.

Do you guys think i can get away with bioballs as my main bio media in here? I would probably stack them high so that after water falls through the mech(polyfilter pad) it lands into the bioballs which some will not be fully submerged.

 

[Paulbearer]

One of the issues i see is that bio-balls float, so with them just sitting in that chamber they will all be underwater so to say. Also, you would have to have something between that chamber and the next to prevent them from floating over that divider....maybe a long sponge or something. Hope that makes sense in what i'm trying to say

You could get a piece of eggcrate and raise it up with pvc little legs underneath to hold up the bio-balls, but then the baffle that is dividing the chamber will need to be higher. As you get closer to this, you are about at the normal sump design lol

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Add some form of strainer. Just make grooves at the top of the dividers.
Like the ones found in typical overflow.

 

[Gruntking]

What do you mean by grooves?
The strainer to be used where?

 

[Gruntking]

Looks like ill be filling the bio compartment with scrubbies!

Here are some pics from today. The black paint came out amazing, as if it came from the manufacturer in black . The silicone on the other hand... lol. Ill just scrape the excess off once it fully dries.

 

[Gruntking]

Things to do....

- Test to see if seal in sump is water proof and doesnt leak to the pump side
- Reassemble PVC overflow and silicone the gaps to make it waterproof

 

[KTrain]

Looks good man