DIY Designing a 4-Foot Aquarium Sump

Sumps are water storage devices that are connected to the aquarium water system but not accessible by fish. Typically, the sump is hidden under or behind the display portion of the aquarium and is filled with support devices such as filters, heaters and pumps. Designing a sump by building a model can help you avoid many mistakes, particularly if you are building your own sump from acrylic or glass.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Ruler
  • Pencil or pen
  • Cardboard sheet
  • Razor blade
  • Packaging tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the area where you will build the sump. If the length is four feet, measure the width leaving enough room for plumbing. Buy some of the plumbing at this stage so you can measure how it will fit. Write down your measurements.

    • 2

      Draw the length and width on the cardboard sheet.

    • 3

      Build a cardboard model of the sump to help avoid design flaws. Cut out the cardboard drawing. This will give you the footprint, or bottom, of the sump you will create.

    • 4

      Measure the height of the area where you will put the sump. Don't make the sump the exact height of the area where it will be fitted. Remember that you will need room to get your hands into the sump to make adjustments and for plumbing. Allot at least half of a foot of clearance to work. The sump will be heavy when it is full of water, so removing it with water in it is usually not an option.

    • 5

      Cut out panels of cardboard equal to the height of the sump. Ensure that these are the same length and width of the floorboard you cut earlier.

    • 6

      Stand up the sides and tape them together to form a box. Now you have a cardboard model of the sump. Making this model will help you avoid costly mistakes when creating the actual sump out of acrylic or glass.

    • 7

      Fit the cardboard model where the sump would fit. Ensure that everything aligns correctly and that there is enough room to work and attach plumbing. You may have to adjust the model to make it work. It is much cheaper to discover this with a cardboard model than the actual sump.

    • 8

      Design baffles in the cardboard model. Baffles are not necessary, but they can help section out areas of the sump for different purposes, such as for a sand bed or protein skimmer.