Cheapest sump or fuge DIY

Ok I thought of this idea awhile ago and am yet to see anyone who has done it. I figured better post it to make sure everyone as cheap as me can have just as big a sump as everyone else. This sump can be built for under $50 not including overflow, pump or plumbing. Size is almost limitless. DIRT CHEAP!!!!

Just get a rubbermade tub from walmart that is as big as space and your mind can fit. Get a second rubbermade with lid that is about 2-4 inches shorter than the big one you got. Drill a hole in the lid for the overflow plumbing to go into. Now drill some small holes in the low area at the center of the top. Make sure to put your preffered filter sock on the end of the overflow line you run in there. So theres the intake for your sump. Most rubbermade tub tops have a bowl on top so the bubbles that make it through the small holes you drilled in it should get out before the water overflows over the lip all the way around.

The return pump compartment is the same basic idea. Pick how high you want the water line in your big rubber made tub and buy another small tub (big enough to fit your return pump). Place that on the other end of your sump with the pump in it. Now the water in the main compartment of your sump will overflow into the shorter return pump tub. There you have it a sump as big as you can find a rubber made for cheap as dirt.

Now for a couple of add ons:

Refugium:
Get yet another rubber made tub a little shorter than the intake tub and taller than the water line you are going for. Place the intake tub in the refugium tub. Now the intake tub will overflow into the refugium tub which will overflow into the big main tub wich will overflow into the return tub. Its all just a cascade effect.

Wet Dry:
You will need a tub about the size of the refugium tub. This time drill holes in the bottom and top of it and cut one large hole the same size as the intake tub. Elevate the wet dry tub above the water line you are going for. Place the intake tub in the hole in the top of the wet dry tub and fill the wet dry tub with bio balls. Now the water overflows out of the intake tub collects on the bowl like top of the wet dry tub and goes through the holes dripping on the bio balls. Then comes out the holes in the bottom of the wet dry tub and falls into either the refugium tub under that or directly into the big main tub. then as before overflows into the return pump tub.



I have not been able to build one of these my self but am going to for my big shark tank if I ever get the tank. If anyone builds one please send me some pics.

I also know nothing about skimmers so didnt include these in my instrcutions so if anyone in the know about them wants to post what occomodations they would need in this system I would love to see it.

Hope this will help someone out.

 

already made one lol i got it made for my upcoming 75g build ill be starting in a few weeks will post pics then i had the design plan before this but guys it should work i tested it with a garden hose havent got my return pump yet but it worked with the hose might need to double the big container i used the 29g one and with it about 3/4 full it started to bow out

also i used two containers inside of it built a pvc stand for them to sit on otherwise they sunk to the bottom one container for a fuge about 8g and the other for my coral life 125 ill be running but is a nice cheap way to do a sump/refugium

it left about 4 or five inches under my pvc stand to fit my pump for my carbon and phos reactor and plan on just putting my pump in soon and ill update about how the hole system is working

 

I used a 17g toughbox for my sump on my 90g. It works great. I have no baffles, instead I have lots o live rock that act as baffles for the sump.