I see alot of people asking about DIY wet/drys and sumps and figured I'd post the simplest, cheapest, easiest wet/dry setup ever. This one is in a 55g, but after getting the general idea you can compensate as necessary for your tank. Obviously an overflow or drilled tank is needed to drain the water into the wet/dry. Here we go...
Using a 3-tier plastic drawer-tote (available at walmart) you adapt your drain to fit so it flows into the top of the drawer-system. Get an angle pipe, clamp, and your drain hose to fit. Hard part done.
First drawer is your drip-tray. Drill all kinds of small holes in the bottom of the drawer so the water is pretty much evenly distributed to the next level.
Second drawer is your floss or poly or whatever mechanical filtration you wanna use. This drawer also needs same evenly spaced holes to drip to the third drawer.
Third drawer is your bio-balls or ceramic bio-media. Whatever is up to you. Same drilled holes in the bottom will drip into your sump tank.
This drawer-system will sit atop a plastic grating easily found at any bigbox store. The grating can sit atop some cut pcv tubing which you can tie-wrap to the grate (to ensure it all stays put).
Add your return pump and you're all set. It's that easy. There's unlimited possibilites with your sump. Fry-tank, feeder shrimp tank, etc. It's super easy to maintain providing you give yourself enough room to be able to open the drawers (although you'll hafta isolate your return pump).
This is how I first set it up, I've since packed the 2nd drawer full with floss and 3rd with more ceramic bio-media. Works perfectly. Costs next to nothing. My 2 heaters sit in the sump.
...No silicone involved. I sit my return pump on some sponges so the water level in my sump stays more full and it keeps the pump quiet.
Using a 3-tier plastic drawer-tote (available at walmart) you adapt your drain to fit so it flows into the top of the drawer-system. Get an angle pipe, clamp, and your drain hose to fit. Hard part done.
First drawer is your drip-tray. Drill all kinds of small holes in the bottom of the drawer so the water is pretty much evenly distributed to the next level.
Second drawer is your floss or poly or whatever mechanical filtration you wanna use. This drawer also needs same evenly spaced holes to drip to the third drawer.
Third drawer is your bio-balls or ceramic bio-media. Whatever is up to you. Same drilled holes in the bottom will drip into your sump tank.
This drawer-system will sit atop a plastic grating easily found at any bigbox store. The grating can sit atop some cut pcv tubing which you can tie-wrap to the grate (to ensure it all stays put).
Add your return pump and you're all set. It's that easy. There's unlimited possibilites with your sump. Fry-tank, feeder shrimp tank, etc. It's super easy to maintain providing you give yourself enough room to be able to open the drawers (although you'll hafta isolate your return pump).
This is how I first set it up, I've since packed the 2nd drawer full with floss and 3rd with more ceramic bio-media. Works perfectly. Costs next to nothing. My 2 heaters sit in the sump.
...No silicone involved. I sit my return pump on some sponges so the water level in my sump stays more full and it keeps the pump quiet.
