# My Homemade Sump and Wet/Dry



## bma57 (Sep 16, 2007)

Mr. Lazy Procrastinator is finally getting around to posting info on the DIY wet/dry filter I made for my 120 gallon tank. It actually works out well that I waited, because Iâ€™ve found and fixed some flaws along the way. Itâ€™s better now than it would have been if Iâ€™d have posted several months ago when I made the first version. Hereâ€™s what it looks like today:










Please note that I have a drilled tank with two internal overflows, so this is NOT going to be of help to anyone looking for advice on building overflow boxes.

When my old store-bought wet/dry filter (purchased used with the tank) began to leak and fall apart, I got the bug to build a DIY replacement. I started looking at all manner of tubs, bins, drawer units, buckets, and so on, trying to come up with a design that would be easy to build and would do the job. I ultimately chose a combination of Rubbermaid â€œLatachablesâ€


----------



## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

After a successful build like yours, Ramble On, brother. 
As you have found, there is no mystery to a sumps construction. Just a series of containers, basically. Each having it`s own job, with your imagination/ingenuity as the general contractor. 
:thumb: Nice work =D>


----------



## bma57 (Sep 16, 2007)

I upsized my pics and was going to put them in my original post above, but apparently we can't edit a post after we've logged out. So I'm adding this post with bigger copies of the photos above. I hope this helps.


----------



## scrubjay (Oct 25, 2009)

Great DIY instructions. :thumb: 
So the fine filter fabric rests on top of the eggcrate?


----------



## john73738 (Sep 22, 2009)

What did you use to reinforce the lid.. I had to trade off my 50 gal DIY acrylic sump..... for a 250 gallon Plywood build  So going with the trusty ole rubbermaid sump. Love the design, very simple. Inspriing me to do the same.


----------



## bma57 (Sep 16, 2007)

I'm glad to hear my post has been of some use.

SCRUBJAY... The filter fabric is not on top of the egg crate. I line the bottom of the bio filter section (the top bin with the small holes) with two layers of the quilt batting material, put the filter fabric on that, then put a layer of poly fiber stuffing (same as filter floss but cheaper when sold as stuffing) and then top off with another layer or two of the quilt batting. The egg crate sits on top of all of that. When the media is freshly loaded, it's about even with the top of the bin. when I put the egg crate on top and put the lid on, the spary bar pushes down on the egg crate, compressing the filter media, making it denser and more efficient. If that's still confusing, let me know and I'll take a few photos to post at my next media change.

JOHN73738... The reinforcement is just a sheet of HDPE plastic. I suppose you could use other types of plastic, but I just happened to have the HDPE around and it was easy to cut and drill without breaking or melting. My daughter works for a cosmetics company. She brought home these counter displays that were kind of a free standing "L" shape. She wanted to hang them on her wall and she asked me to cut the "foot" sections off to make them flat. I kept the parts I cut off just in case they'd come in handy some day. They did.


----------



## scrubjay (Oct 25, 2009)

Ah, I gotcha, thanks. Very ingenious DIY, thanks for sharing. 8)


----------



## rdknjsr599 (Mar 2, 2007)

I like it! The only thing that I might suggest is adding a emergency bypass overflow/drain that runs from your filter basket to your sump should your "felt" ever get clogged up and you don't notice it right away. This will help insure that you never run into a flooding type situation.


----------

