How do you build a sump?

[mountain_webste]

I'm planning on upgrading to a 125 - 180 gallon in the coming months. In the fact-finding stage now. For filtration, I'm not sure if I'll go canister or sump.

Can anyone go over the basics (or point me to directions) of building a sump? I've searched the forums but have found nothing difinitive for freshwater. All the DIY I've seen has been for salt. I'm thinking a sump for fresh wouldn't need to be as complicated as one for salt, true or false?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SMinNC]

True.

Basically just dump the water over bio-balls(media of somekind).
A place for a heater in the plans is good.
Carbon(stuff) area, maybe.

 

[excuzzzeme]

There is nothing to them to speak of. Simply google for the cheapest wet/dry you can find. It is very basic but works extremely well.

There are three parts to one:

1. Filtration media
2. bio media
3. return water (sump) with pump.

If your tank is not drilled you will need an siphon overflow box to get the water to drain into the wet/dry (a.k.a. trickle filter) and a pump to return water back up into the tank.

The mechanical premise is the same between SW and FW. SW usually incorporates one to create an area in which to mount skimmers, ro/di units, heaters, etc without cluttering the tank with it. In FW application you don't need the extra equipment except the heater. Protein skimmers don't work all that well in a FW set-up.

Both units can incorporate a refugium as a part of it. A refugium (a refuge) is a safe haven for corals, plants, fish, that you don't want in the main tank and take a chance of being harmed.

I have built them out of extra aquariums, rubbermaid tubs, and have retail ones. Just depends on how cheap you want to go. You can easily sink $500.00 into one or build your own for less than $100.