My DIY sump filter works!

[gomezladdams]

Been collecting parts and Ideas for a while and finally had time to put it all together,right now its being used to run 2 55g tanks,with 1 pump.I plan to add a second pump to add 3 20g tanks to the loop,so 2 breeder tanks and 3 fry tanks all with same water.
First drilled the backs of the tank up near the top for 3/4" bulkheads.Used a diamond bit with a playdoh ring around the area to be drilled to form a resevoir.clamped a piece of wood to the inside to minimize breakout.My son poured water in while I drilled with a cordless drill.Heres the two tanks in my fishroom setup.

 

[gomezladdams]

Heres a closeup of the return spraybar.Both tanks have 15 holes drilled in a 3/4"cpvc pipe connected by pvc tubing to a t fitting then down to the pump.Figured if one side flowed better than the other for some reason I could drill an extra hole in one but I was careful with lengths and both sides flow the same.You can see the bulkhead with the plug I was using till everthing was ready.

 

[gomezladdams]

I used a sterilite drawer for the mechanical media drlled lots of holes in the bottom,was tring to keep a pattern but lol its just a lot of holes.Note the back of the drawer is noched to allow drawer to be opened with the spraybars in there.Notch was cut with a soldering iron.

The mechanical filter media is 2 layers of quilt batting,2 layers of blue bonded fiber separated by some eggcrate left over from the pieces I used in the tanks.Then some 50micron cloth

 

[rayman45]

nicee

 

[gomezladdams]

Heres the sump itself.The sterilite bin has a hole cut in it under the drawer to allow the filtered water to drip into the media basket.It looks like a little laundry basket,I found it at a dollar store.It holds 2 gallons of bioballs I got on sale.I since added 36 plastic sink scrubbies to the sump part.Had to crawl under the rack on the other wall to take this pic.

After I took the pics pulled the bulkhead plugs and turned on the pump and everything worked perfect!
About the only thing I know I should have done different is use a glass tank for the sump so I could have done baffles,but at this point every tank I can get my hands on has fish in it

 

[rayman45]

looks good

 

[Danh]

what did you use to water tight the fittingsaround your bulkeads?

 

[Steve_89]

Nice work

 

[gomezladdams]

what did you use to water tight the fittingsaround your bulkeads?

The bulkheads came with rubber gaskets,all the cpvc was sealed with cpvc cement the hoses are on barbed connectors

 

[MikeVance]

Looks Good AND it works!