DIY Sump Filter

Sump filters are mainly used in ponds and aquariums. A sump filter is a water filtration system that is housed in a separate container from the water it is filtering. Sump filters use porous rocks and carbons to filter impurities out of the water. Sump filters not only filter out debris, they also filter chemicals and wastes. A sump filter can be built in an hour, and all the supplies can be purchased at a hardware or pet supply store.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon aquarium
  • 2 aquarium dividers
  • Porous rocks
  • water pump
  • Charcoal filtration packets
  • Charcoal rocks
  • Aquarium tubing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the plastic dividers into the aquarium to split the aquarium into three chambers. The chambers should be as close to equal in size as possible. Bigger aquariums can be used to filter larger aquariums or larger sets of aquariums.

    • 2

      Pour porous rocks into one of the end chambers until it is 2/3 of the way full. Porous rocks can be found at most pet stores and online. If you can not afford porous rocks, aquarium rocks will work. They do not work as well as porous rocks, but they will do in a pinch.

    • 3

      Place charcoal rocks and filtering packets into the middle chamber of the unit. Make sure to leave 1/3 of the chamber empty. Charcoal filtering packets can be purchased at pet supply stores. Place three to four packets per 50 gallons of water in the aquarium. More can be added if it is not filtering enough.

    • 4

      Mount the heater in or on the third chamber of the aquarium, depending on what type of heater was purchased. Place the water pump into the third chamber as well and attach it to the side of the aquarium. This pump will pump water from the filter back into the aquarium.

    • 5

      Attach a tube to the pump inside the aquarium or pond and feed the other end into the sump filter with the porous rocks. If the aquarium or pond does not have an existing pump, add one with a tube running to the filter. Run another tube from the filter pump back into the aquarium. The pump will pump water into the filter, and each chamber will fill up once the previous chamber is full.

    • 6

      Fill the first chamber (the one with porous rocks) half full of water. Turn on the pump in the filter, the pump in the aquarium or pond and the water heater. It will take about 24 to 48 hours for the filter to work in optimum conditions. Bacteria will grow in the filter, and this bacteria will break down and clean the water as it flows through.