Building A 10G Sump System (Sump Assembly)

Join me for my newest series, building a 10 gallon sump system! This video will walk you through the assembly process, focusing on placement and installation of glass baffles in your sump. Please see my Building A 10G Sump On A Budget video for more information about materials and what you'll need before starting your build.
Thanks for watching!
Follow me on Twitter! @RealFishTankGuy

[@blazininFurn0]

I am on my sons account watching your videos and I have to say something after reading all the comments! Thank you for posting this, and trying so hard to explain this in a simple fashion. Some of us aren't experts and are doing this for the first time. Other videos assume you know something but what about people like me hat have absolutely no clue what a sump pump was up until a month ago, like me. I want to try to make this myself because I am not scared of a challenge but it is hard to find videos that are step by step for someone like me. I can tell you are new at this too and that makes you more relatable. Please continue making more of these and do not listen to the naysayers, they should be watching the other complicated videos if this is not advanced enough for them anyway. My two issues are however, you didn't explain how to remove the two small wood pieces from the bottom of the glass with such a tight space and also you should invest in a tripod or get someone to hold camera for you so we can see all the steps.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Thank you very much for the kind words of encouragement! In general most folks who comment on my videos are pretty positive in their responses, but there are some folks who disagree with the way I present things. There are many ways to do things, and many options online and on KZbin...I just hope to present things in a way that's easy and useful for some people. I just knocked the small wooden blocks out from under the baffle, I didn't wedge them in there too hard. I have a tripod now :)

[@aquariumlover1013]

I love your vids, it so nice to see a KZbin who hasn't let their "Fame" get to their head, also I just got my new tank 😁 actually a few weeks ago it's been cycling, so excited this will be my forth tank 😀 Love your vids.

[@chefdan87]

A old credit card or drivers license works pretty good for smoothing silicone so it is uniform. Just snip off a corner that gives you the depth you are looking for and use it instead of your finger for better results. Thanks for the video, looking to build something similar for my 50 gallon tank.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

That's an awesome tip! I didn't think of that! Thanks for checking out the videos :)

[@roxyqueen5076]

hEY THATS WHAT I USE!!LOL

[@allanbarbour2879]

Just wondering why you would install the middle baffle last? Surely this makes it all much more difficult? The 1st one is easy, the middle should be next so you can also remove the wedge that’s used for setting the height. A tip for installing the middle one where access is very limited, so my advice would be to run a bead of silicone on the glass first then place in tank and use a long item to spread the bead to secure on main tank. Then you have free space to do the other side. And repeat process for final glass section of the baffle.

[@d3th2gyps33z]

yay! new video! i really like your channel bro! keep it up. im just getting into a 10 gallon nano and have been watching a lot of your stuff.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Mark Carr That's great. I'm enjoying my 10 gallon Nano. I think it's a perfect size for a smaller tank...5 gallons is too little! I appreciate your feedback and thanks for watching :)

[@taylorjohnson1314]

Nice roach clip and or chillum in the background! One love

[@TheFishTankGuy]

?

[@Someoneonthisplanet1979]

this was a awesome video ! Thanks, well done! for the smoothing silicone i have seen my dad use a PVC pipe cut on a angle, you can make them as long as you want and make long strokes.

[@jairodiaz6057]

Where did you get the glass?! And did you cut it or have it cut somewhere?!

[@marliereed7824]

If you cut the tip of your silicone at 45 and keep the pointed tip in the corner as you run your bead there isnt a need for the tape just make sure its one consistant bead and you dont stop along each edge and you get a perfect caulk line each time 👍

[@OneNonlyKelz]

woahhhh made this so complicated! you are gonna scare all the new fish keepers away with this video lol.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Ah...it's not that bad! Most of the videos I found on KZbin either were super short and didn't have much info, or were really lengthy and over-complicated things! Sumps are totally optional, but I tried my best to keep it to the point. Can always do better though I suppose :)

[@michaelross5674]

Can I incorporate a sump into my fluval Evo..... would it be beneficial

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Mike, I believe the Fluval EVO may be your first saltwater aquarium, yes? If so, I would keep it simple for now. A sump can help the health of your aquarium, but for a smaller tank, it's not a necessity. If you keep up with your maintenance, that will be enough for now. I've been running my EVO for over a year, no sump, and it's doing great.

[@sagarbhatnagar9275]

Very well explained! Thanks!

[@christianstucht8870]

Nice sump build! But I would install the middle baffle of the bubble trap before the outer ones. This way seems to be the easier way to me.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Good tip! I have found that an even better build is only doing two baffles between chamber 2 and 3. I used, what I feel, is a much better design on my 20g sump, which you can also find on my channel. Thanks!

[@dmbellum7312]

loved the video and full of useful tips, have to say though i was disappointed at 9:55 when you referred to them as "glass panels"

[@TheFishTankGuy]

I must've "forgot" they are baffles. Lol

[@Agr414]

I think that siliconing the middle baffle of the bubble trap second would be easier than doing it last. The silicone job looks great though.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Agr414 Thank you! The way I looked at getting that middle baffle into place was like this...siliconing in that small space is tough as is, so I would rather not have to go all the way to the bottom on the side panels in such a small space. However, pros and cons of each method I'm sure!

[@infiniteawareness2698]

Why not silicone the middle baffle first? The the other two along side of it?

[@arthurduffy7073]

Did you leave the wood blocks?

[@TheOpelkoenjas]

Sharpie can be quickly removed with some acetone. One wipe and it's gone. Found that one out when my little one got his hands on one of my sharpies and decided it would be a good idea to use the aquarium tank as a writing surface. LOL

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Hahaha!! Thanks for the tip!

[@abrahamgonzalez6289]

I have one of these 10g tanks laying around along with some acrylic. Could I use the acrylic as baffles in this glass tank? And if so what kind of silicone/glue should I use?

[@Kendrickb803]

Kool.....

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Appreciate you stopping by!

[@Melo-wj4ok]

What if I want to make this into a sump for freshwater? What items do I take out and do I switch them out for anything?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Well, firstly, you should check out my 20g sump build...the baffle placement is much better than this 10g build. I learned alot from this first build. Secondly, nope, the sump itself will not change at all. You can still have a skimmer, still need a heater, and still can use chemicals to help stabilize your freshwater tank!

[@bdkaka]

did you have the bottom corners of your baffles rounded to set better with the silicone of the sides and bottom of your tank?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Glen Hill I just had the baffle edges smoothed and rounded. I had no problem getting them in and sealed to the bottom of the tank. The silicone on the tank joints isn't all that thick.

[@kmhmusic123]

new drinking game: Take a shot every time he says "glass baffle" I got wasted

[@rjwren79]

Permanent markers are alcohol based. A little alcohol on a paper towel will remove permanent maker as easily as dry erase, but you won't accidentally rub it off. This allows you to mark all your points.

[@twinn82]

What size glass baffles was those 4 pieces

[@charlottemacfarlane3244]

hello tank guy. loved your series on this build, took some really big notes for me, to build one. i have koi, and like goldfish, very high mess makers. question though. how far from the oposite end of the 10 gal tank, should the first baffle be for the bubble trap? you never said in the video.

[@therealyankees55]

so those wooden blocks stay there forever after that last baffle gets installed?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

No no...you can use something skinny and tap them, they'll pop right out from underneath the baffle.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Kyle Wilfong Sorry for the delay Kyle...nope, you don't NEED this for a 14g Biocube. The beauty of the Biocube is it essentially has a sump built-into the back of the unit. Having a refugium is a little difficult, but the other basic elements of a sump are contained in the Biocube system. If you WANT to have a sump though, you certainly can, although you will lose the "All-In-One" feature of the Biocube when adding one.

[@jameserickson6881]

Does the baffles have to be glass

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Thinner materials could work, but have the potential to bow over time...but could work, sure.

[@ldware9]

What are the measurements for your baffles?

[@TheCollinGray]

I'm new to the hobby, and a bit confused. After I build this. what else do I put in the sump? How do I use the sump? Pumps? Filters? Someone please help me.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

I'll shoot you some info later today

[@TheFishTankGuy]

What size display tank do you have? Freshwater or saltwater? In general, the idea behind the sump is that is allows you to keep equipment, such as a heater and a protein skimmer out of view. It also is a way to help filter your aquarium water.

[@danielleford544]

What protein skimmer is that?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

This is it, unfortunately Amazon no longer has it, but there are other sellers who carry it: amzn.to/2US98tP

[@danielchristian5541]

Um....did you forget to pull those two little wood blocks out before you siliconed in that last baffle?

[@dafinestflower]

I have a 55 gal freshwater tank I wanna make a dry wet sump focused on bio media out of a 10 gal tank I have. Is this a big enough sump size and how powerful of a pump I can use ?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Any sump is better than no sump! If you have a ten gallon tank, you can make it work! The pump is tricky. Some people like fast flow through their sump, some people like slower flow. I would say any pump that'll move in the 100gph range would work. You do have to factor in how high up your tank is though and if you have angles in your plumbing :)

[@aaronle2398]

how far from the protein skim to the refugium. how many inches.

[@Thesaltturner]

Drinking game: Take a shot everytime he says "glass baffle"

[@TheFishTankGuy]

This is an idea I wish I would've thought of!

[@Zeki-Gokce]

Great video which skimmer have you gone with?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Zeki Gokce Went with the Aquatic Life 115 Mini Skimmer...I have an unboxing video of it on the channel, and it's working quite well so far!

[@rajahslayer6534]

awesome video man! how is the website going?!

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Rajah Slayer Going really good, your page looks great, going to launch in a couple weeks!

[@rajahslayer6534]

+The Fish Tank Guy awesome!! unfortunately my butterfly passed so I'd appreciate it if you left him out.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Rajah Slayer Ok, will do! Sorry to hear he didn't make it :/

[@rajahslayer6534]

aight thx! hey no problem it happens.

[@drinknation7260]

What was the length of the glass baffles? I plan on doing this and want to have the local home depot cut the pieces for me.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Gilbert Martinez If you check out my video Building A 10 Gallon Sump On A Budget, I list all of the attributes and baffle sizes for your reference. When you have the glass cut, I highly recommend having the edges polished to avoid getting cut when cleaning your sump.

[@jwkingsr]

Edges can actually be smoothed down with 60 grit sandpaper on a rubber sanding block. (Some places won't burnish glass edges) DO NOT try using the sandpaper without a sanding block, as the sharp edges of the glass could possibly cut through the paper and right into your fingers/palm, causing an ER visit and hospital bills (Defeating the "Budget" portion of a budget sump).

[@assasin1418]

what kind of protein skimmer are you using

[@TheFishTankGuy]

AquaticLife 115...it works really great. amzn.to/1Uv4gQL

[@SamWilliamson317]

How did you remove the small blocks of wood from the bubble trap pane?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Sam Williamson I made sure that I wasn't pressing down on the glass pane when I siliconed it into place, that way they wouldn't be stuck under there forever! I simply used a sturdy object like a ruler and pushed the wood block sideways into the opening between baffles. Then I flipped the tank over :)

[@SamWilliamson317]

Thanks!

[@stevenfolly]

What protein skimmer are you using in this setup?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Steven Follenweider AquaticLife 115 Mini Protein Skimmer. It has worked out really great for me so far. amzn.to/1nNQGja

[@sammykogen3305]

What size tank are you going to filter with this sump?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Samuel Kogen I currently have it hooked up to a 10g nano reef. I only have the two saltwater tanks at the moment, my 10 and my Biocube. I wanted to keep my Biocube as an all-in-one tank, plus the 10 gallon tank had a much higher "need" for a higher volume of water (to stabilize the tank a bit more).

[@sammykogen3305]

Wondering what size sump I need for my 55 gallon.

[@mariomaldo25]

you see that wire thats attached to your caulking gun on the bottom ? thats for poking the caulk instead of using a screw driver.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Really....never knew that. Thanks for the tip!

[@mariomaldo25]

your welcome , nice editorial too .

[@arare6606]

How did you get the wood out

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Didn't force the glass down onto the wood. Just let it sit on it. The wood should simply tap out from underneath the glass.

[@VincentGonz]

How thick does the glass have to be?

[@reptilelover2193]

what are the dimensions for your baffles? im gonna build a sump almost exactly like this one

[@TheFishTankGuy]

If you check some of my other videos, I do talk about all dimensions of the baffles. It might be the "Building A Sump On A Budget" video. One change though, remove the rightmost baffle and move it to the left of the first baffle, raised off the bottom. This will force water THROUGH the first chamber.

[@riz94107]

Can you explain this comment better? Not sure which baffle you mean, and what the final setup would be like...

[@jonnash2450]

he means there are just multiple overflows, no way to pre filter because the first chamber is just a reservoir. first baffle needs to be off the bottom and you need 2 for the bubble trap not 3, 2 fills the last chamber from the bottom up instead of overflowing an additional time creating the same bubbles that you are trying to eliminate. you just over engineered it is all and recreated the issue you are trying to correct

[@joserentasBioh]

what is the recommended gl sump i need for a 65 gl tank?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

As big as you can fit. I like to have my sump in a location where it won't be visible, whether it be underneath my display tank or in an adjacent room. The bigger the better.

[@jwkingsr]

At 3 years, I realize I'm a little late. However, this may be useful information. A good rule of thumb would be at least 20% of your tank volume. So a 13 gallon minimum, but I would do a 20 gallon sump... provided you have the space.

[@marvinagra]

how did you silicone the middle glass baffle?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

I got creative. I purchased a short piece of vinyl tubing that would fit over the end of the caulking gun...almost like a flexible extension I could maneuver in between the baffles.

[@jeremymiller3215]

Hey man I have a question!! Was wondering how ya figure out how much return area to have in your sump?

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+jeremy miller hey Jeremy, thanks for shooting me your question. As for the return area... There's no real set size you should shoot for... Essentially that chamber doesn't serve a major purpose. What I would say though, is keep in mind that's where your evaporation will affect the water level. You don't want it so small that a little evaporation will cause your pump to run dry. In this ten gallon sump, it's a little over a gallon of water. That means for me a few days of evaporation without topping off the tank won't cause any issues. Sorry I don't have a more straight forward answer for you. What size sump are you building?

[@jeremymiller3215]

The Fish Tank Guy doing a 10 as well it's gonna be on a 20g DT what are your suggestion on pump and skimmer for my tank? Also do have and aqueon circulation pump size 500gph

[@TheFishTankGuy]

jeremy miller pump is tricky, it depends on how high up you need to push the water, plus if you have any bends, sharp angles etc. I would just test your pump with your plumbing before gluing your pipes etc and see what your gph is into the DT. If you're in a budget, the Nano skimmer in my sump videos works well, if not, grab a larger one lol, just be aware they are tall. Not sure how much space you have.

[@jeremymiller3215]

The Fish Tank Guy was thinking that was the aquaticlife internal mini 115 in vid. My head height on pump will only be 43in from bottom of tank an only turns will be over the side of the tank

[@aaronr336]

how do you prevent the sump from over flowing during a power outage?

[@leahmacleod3043]

I'm Sure a check valve will stop it from going back to the sump an overflowing during s power outage

[@chainsawreptiles6260]

Makes me want to get back into Fish tanks,,,

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Chainsaw Reptiles Just do it, no regrets!

[@chainsawreptiles6260]

I started posting vids.

[@DREDUTORO]

Would you add a SUMP to a 80liters aquarium? how many big would be the SUMP? thanks

[@TheFishTankGuy]

You can add a sump to ANY size tank. 80 liters is roughly 20 gallons, so honestly it's whatever you can fit in the stand underneath your tank. 10 gallon, 5 gallon, the biggest tank that will fit!

[@f0rkz21]

Why didn't you pancake the middle baffle? Seems like you created more work for yourself. Good video either way.

[@TheCSFriendly]

Dude, as messy as your silicon looks on the middle pane of your baffels, the fact is, is the sump shouldn't be seen anyway as you probly hide it under the tank. so no worries, it looks great thanks

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+Derek Crist Haha...thanks man. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist (at least in some ways), which is why I mentioned it's less than ideal. At the end of the day though, you're right, it holds the water just fine and nobody sees it anyways!

[@rollerkitbird]

What an extremely anal version on "How to install baffles". Thank you!

[@Homers8675309]

Do I need this for a 14g BioTank???

[@zacrahman2241]

+Kyle Wilfong someone answer this guy!

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Kyle...sorry for the delay in getting back to you! Short answer, nope, you don't NEED a sump for your biocube. If you really want one, you can of course incorporate one, but two of the main purposes of a sump is...one, to hide your equipment, and two, to increase your water volume for stability. The biocube provides a place to hide equipment already, so if you want more volume or want to have larger equipment and more space for a refugium, that'll be your call. In my opinion, the point of a biocube is to keep everything in one unit, so I wouldn't personally add a sump...but it's your call!

[@michaelyciano2123]

Why the bubble trap?

[@jwkingsr]

Without one, the bubbles can be sucked up by the return pump and forced out into the aquarium. When that happens, it makes your tank look like it was filled with club soda.

[@jackwea7728]

Where can I find the glass

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Depends on where you live. In northwest PA where I am in lucky to have a great glass place. Search glass shop and call around for prices of the pieces you want cut!

[@jackwea7728]

The Fish Tank Guy can you reply the measurements of glass you used

[@jwkingsr]

@J Weav He covered that in this video... kzbin.info/www/bejne/lV7SkqGXoM58bc0

[@kingsmanknights5870]

Pretty coool. Nice tank. I started to build fish tanks complete with sumps and 3d backgrounds made from scratch. My tanks are 100 gallons. I figure with bigger tanks you can play around alot and do more. This dude inspired me and thought me alot. Check my channel out. If you got questions on build ill help you

[@Nathan-wn5mc]

Why do you sound just like Saul from better call Saul? lol

[@TheFishTankGuy]

+sagp enthusiast you found me out good sir. Don't tell anyone.

[@STLFANSS]

Did someone say "Glass baffles?"

[@erniedoesthings9167]

Fuck this it will cost 500 dollars for the baffles drill, pumps, overflow , glass cutter, protein skimmer and I can go on Amazon and get a sump pre built with media for 300

[@bigben448]

Your excessive talking was driving me nuts bro

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Sorry big dawg, I know I'm a ramblin' guy.

[@ghostusmc]

talk about doing something the hard way

[@TheFishTankGuy]

There is the easy way and then there is the right way...to me, this is a combination of both. I'm not too picky about making sure everything is lined up, but I plan out where everything will go and have a decent system for lining the baffles up for easy caulking.

[@the1000expert]

your details are too simple and not necessary for most of us.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Not quite sure what you mean...in terms of folks who have aquarium experience? My goal for most of my videos is to create some content geared towards people who are just starting out and aren't sure where to start. I appreciate your feedback!

[@troynelson8896]

My God. Do you have Parkinson's Disease? Shake much? I want to support your channel and I appreciate the time and effort you expended to help others but I can't watch them with all the shaking.

[@TheFishTankGuy]

Soon as I pull up and park the Benz, we get this place shakin' like Parkinson's...

[@raulblvd]

What size baffle did you use

[@TheFishTankGuy]

1/2" thick glass! :)

[@jonnash2450]

he states in the first video it's 1/4 glass not 1/2