Do you like your DIY sump

[USN74NMCB]

I built a custom plywood sump this year i jave a thred for it in diy. It is 4foot long by 47.5 in wide 2 seprate boxes one is the refugium the othe has filter socks skimmer and return, refugium spills back into the return

 

[mcarroll]

I’m in the process of setting up a 75 g mixed reef. My plans were to use a 20 gal long sump for a refugium, skimmer, and return section for the sake of saving $500. My LFS owner, who has a ton of experience but is also very set in his opinions strongly advised that invest in a manufactured sump because “I will hate the DIY sump, and there’s no sense in saving money in an expensive hobby in the long run”.

So, DIYers do you hate your DIY sump, do you love it, and would you do it again?

Your LFS is only trying to save you some heartache...he's right that most people don't really know what they want or how to get it, so the sump probably doesn't turn out right very often.

That doesn't mean it never works out though.

Even more, it doesn't mean that the cookie-cutter sump that EVERY acrylic shop in the universe has even made is correct for you.

Yes exactly, they don't make any money from my DIY sump haha!

Do you think a filter sock in the same chamber as a refugium would work well? I'm also interested in refugium -> skimmer -> return

They do if you buy the tank and the return pump and the ATO, etc. from them. All good!

Great info! This is my first sump setup and trying to decide if I needed bubble trap. So with your sump there’s a return directly to the refugium and another to the sock and skimmer chamber?

Folks who put too much water (too much GPH) through their sump are the only ones who need bubble traps, as far as I can tell. And I've never seen one actually stop bubbles.

Too much water makes noise and bubbles....two problems you almost always see together because they're caused by the same thing – too much water.

Keep your turnover ≤50% of the drain capacity (usually not a problem with 4x turnover or less) and you don't create the problem.

I thoroughly enjoyed my open 30-Long sump. An old-school reed-float (Ultralife) ATO kept the level perfect for all the skimmers I ever had. Some creative PVC work contained what bubbles there were at the point where the drain mixed with the sump. I had the whole rest of the tank open for doing whatever I wanted.....it was nice for water changes.....it maximized open space in the sump, so that I never had a flood even when I had a pump failure due to a precipitation event. Loved it. Ended up going bigger and AIO or I'd still be running that config. Might run it again.

 

[BZOFIQ]

While not technically a DIY (I have done many on my previous builds), I designed it myself based on my prior experience and had somebody built it for me based of my drawings.

Couldn't be happier and the volume definitely helps. I would not change much probably, but if I ever do it over there might be small tweaks here and there.

From Own Drawings...

To own spec drawings - metric sized because I requested the build across the pond.

To arrival...

To being put to use.

And here is how I get a text message when my socks are full!

 

[BZOFIQ]

...

And here is how I get a text message when my socks are full!

LOL, that didn't take long

 

[spockagain34]

Thanks! I've been curious about the reef mats, but my main hesitation is how much space it takes up, looks like you found a good solution with extrnal fuge

Yeah, was kind of the issue I was running into as well, but found a really good deal on that 35 gallon cube.

 

[wjdobbs321]

I think this topic is based on what you like to do? are you an engineer type? a scientific tinker type? A sticking to the basic type? Do you have limited space? Limited time? Limited money? In the end, it's a box.

I have plenty of space and love to experiment. I run my sump and everything out of my basement (display in on floor 1). So i have plenty of space to play. I run an external refugium that does not go through mech filtration. I just added a clarisea mattroller... which i loved for a hot minute.... it sticks more than baby's chin with a popsicle. i bought a clearance sump from brs... but it's too small from my display... i over flow if i turn off my return pump (not too bad, but it's not nothing either.... will most likely build me one myself.... not sure why a plastic box cost soooo much.

 

[Bruttall]

Don’t think I’ve seen a diy skimmer before looks like it all works well

It's a beast. I did a build thread on it. Using technology that was industry standard 20 years ago. It works better than any Store Bought skimmer I have seen. So Far.