DIY plastic sump (wet-dry)?
- Thread starter kenyi
- Start date
Did the drawer thing worked out great. Slow and steady when drilling the holes I cracked one of my shelves. Used foam mat for first layer ceramic rings for second and leaving a drawer open for when I want charcoal. Pumps in bottom drawer for now.
This is a GREAT post. Lots of details and pictures. I know I plan on saving it for future reference. Thank you, all. AND of course I am anxiously waiting for the conclusion photos and report.
Question: Are these filters 'noisy'? I mean dripping sounds? I know the pump will make a 'whir' but can you hear the water dripping?
Q2: Is the 'wet/dry' advantage a higher efficiency for the bio filter? Would there be less 'drippy noise' if you keep the media submerged allow the water to flow through?
I am concerned with the water noise since the drip noise annoys my wife and an annoyed wife equals less tanks.
Thanks.
Question: Are these filters 'noisy'? I mean dripping sounds? I know the pump will make a 'whir' but can you hear the water dripping?
Q2: Is the 'wet/dry' advantage a higher efficiency for the bio filter? Would there be less 'drippy noise' if you keep the media submerged allow the water to flow through?
I am concerned with the water noise since the drip noise annoys my wife and an annoyed wife equals less tanks.
Thanks.
Wet/Dry's do tend to have a water noise. most that ive heard arent too bad but theyre all different. as for the DIY sump, i have no idea. and the Wet/Dry filter have an increased efficiency due the the higher concentration oh oxygen for the BB to thrive.
hmmm... just a thought... but don't those shelves come in different sizes and configurations as well as come apart at each drawer height? i might be inclined to purchase another one with drawers the same as the top ones... yank them apart... and put a shallower bottom drawer in.... and keep the taller one for a later project.
some do snap apart at each drawer others do not. i have both types and just sawed off one drawer section if the height was to tall. all depends where you live and the access to different stores if you can find the snap apart type either way they both work fine as DIY wet dry filters and very cost effective. the biggest expense in building a DIY wet dry is the reurn pump i buy 1000GPH return pumps on ebay for between 25.00-40.00 shipped which is a good deal to me.
As for 'noise' if you are the type of person who has to have absolute silence then you need to just buy a canister filter. I dont find wet dry filters annoying and I dont hear my return pumps make any noise. you can use ceramic rings under water but you cant have the top drawer with your filter floss under water.
my local walmart has a big sale on the plastic 3 drawer file cabniets in lots of bold wild colors they are 7.00 not sure how long the sale runs so check your local walmart for them now at sale price. I pick up a couple extra to have on hand and I sell them to friends after i add the bulk head and drill the holes they are ready to use.
best deal on bulkheads is ebay and so is return pumps and the other parts to finish your filter and the savings really adds up if your building alot of these.
As for 'noise' if you are the type of person who has to have absolute silence then you need to just buy a canister filter. I dont find wet dry filters annoying and I dont hear my return pumps make any noise. you can use ceramic rings under water but you cant have the top drawer with your filter floss under water.
my local walmart has a big sale on the plastic 3 drawer file cabniets in lots of bold wild colors they are 7.00 not sure how long the sale runs so check your local walmart for them now at sale price. I pick up a couple extra to have on hand and I sell them to friends after i add the bulk head and drill the holes they are ready to use.
best deal on bulkheads is ebay and so is return pumps and the other parts to finish your filter and the savings really adds up if your building alot of these.
Last edited:
THANKYOU!!!!
Mine do!!! I just snapped off the bottom drawer and now I have the whole thing setup- all I need to do is add the scubbies! I'll post LOTS of pics tomorrow.
Thanks to all!
Picture time! Finally got around to taking some pics, and I have to say a few things about the filter:
1. Surprisingly quiet, not silent: I can't hear the return pump but the trickling of my HOB when the water level is too low is MUCH louder than the wet-dry.
2. A lot easier to build/setup than expected.
3. An EXTREAMLY high flow. My fry net was actually blown around in the return blow (just moved it and its fine) I have a feeling it may blow around some of my smaller fry/ juveniles though, if it does do this I might move it over to my 55 (don't worry, it's in need of a new filter) and move one of my 55's filters to my 29. I was actually planning on something like that anyways and everything should stay in check.
4. Pics. Labeled each one:
Overview of filter
Top view
Top view of back of overflow box
Front view of overflow box
Front view of overflow box
First drawer: I put some ceramic rings that I had lying around and used them as a prefilter and to distribute the water evenly; Put the Poret foam in; polyester batting is below the Poret:
Polyester batting
Return valve (the water level is really low in this tank, and always is) so I didn't drill a hole because the water doesn’t even come up onto the arm of the valve. Correct if I'm wrong.
Bottom drawer (incomplete) I added a few scrubbies and some leftover Poret to sit in there until I get some more scrubbies (hopefully tomorrow). The bottom stuff is Matrix, decided to use the Liter of that I had sitting around.
A bottom view of the sump (cinderblock for support, the pump is in the back) I also added some purigen to the front of the sump in some pantyhose just for some extra chemical filtration.
Overview of the overflow
ball valve for the return pump
That's it! I'll post any more pics upon request, and I'll also post some of the 2ed drawer once I get the scrubbies.
Hope that this was a help to all, and Thank you to everyone who helped me, and,
Finally:
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
Thanks Rod! It was a big, huge help!
1. Surprisingly quiet, not silent: I can't hear the return pump but the trickling of my HOB when the water level is too low is MUCH louder than the wet-dry.
2. A lot easier to build/setup than expected.
3. An EXTREAMLY high flow. My fry net was actually blown around in the return blow (just moved it and its fine) I have a feeling it may blow around some of my smaller fry/ juveniles though, if it does do this I might move it over to my 55 (don't worry, it's in need of a new filter) and move one of my 55's filters to my 29. I was actually planning on something like that anyways and everything should stay in check.
4. Pics. Labeled each one:
Overview of filter
Top view
Top view of back of overflow box
Front view of overflow box
Front view of overflow box
First drawer: I put some ceramic rings that I had lying around and used them as a prefilter and to distribute the water evenly; Put the Poret foam in; polyester batting is below the Poret:
Polyester batting
Return valve (the water level is really low in this tank, and always is) so I didn't drill a hole because the water doesn’t even come up onto the arm of the valve. Correct if I'm wrong.
Bottom drawer (incomplete) I added a few scrubbies and some leftover Poret to sit in there until I get some more scrubbies (hopefully tomorrow). The bottom stuff is Matrix, decided to use the Liter of that I had sitting around.
A bottom view of the sump (cinderblock for support, the pump is in the back) I also added some purigen to the front of the sump in some pantyhose just for some extra chemical filtration.
Overview of the overflow
ball valve for the return pump
That's it! I'll post any more pics upon request, and I'll also post some of the 2ed drawer once I get the scrubbies.
Hope that this was a help to all, and Thank you to everyone who helped me, and,
Finally:
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
Thanks Rod! It was a big, huge help!
Last edited:
you can adjust the height of your tank water level by RAISING the skimmer box that hangs inside the aquarium/ HIGHER the skimmer higher the water level.
glad its working out for you!
glad its working out for you!
