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Yes you can run a FOWLR tank without a skimmer. The water won't be as clean, but it's doable. There are things you could do to minimize the cost for a sump setup.
You could...
DIY a PVC overflow (runs about $30+ depending on size of PVC)
PVC cement (about $5 give or take)
PVC primer (about $5 give or take)
Buy a 20L tank and an acrylic or plexiglass sheet and DIY your sump with baffles (tank can be found for $free-20 used, wait for a Petco sale and it'll be $20 for a new tank. The acrylic or plexiglass sheet shouldn't be too much if you get a thin sheet. A plexiglass sheet is about $15 for a 12x24" sheet. Acrylic will cost more. Silicone is about $7-10)
Use plastic pot scrubbers instead of bioballs (6 for $1 at most dollar stores)
Macroalgaes usually pop up on here for free. You can use that for filtration as well, but you'll need a light. ($5-20 for HD or Walmart lights depending on which you buy.)
You can't really DIY a pump, but you can get a used one for about $20-80 depending on brand and flow rate.
Skimmer will probably cost the most out of the whole setup if you DIY. (Can run anywhere from $40-200 depending on what you choose.)
Tubing for the return ($15-30 for those rolls that are already precut)
Return nozle ($1-10 depending on what you use)
With everything that you can possibly DIY, you can look to spend about $200 give or take. IF you can find some of this stuff laying around the house, even better! I know I can find at least half of the stuff around my house.
You could...
DIY a PVC overflow (runs about $30+ depending on size of PVC)
PVC cement (about $5 give or take)
PVC primer (about $5 give or take)
Buy a 20L tank and an acrylic or plexiglass sheet and DIY your sump with baffles (tank can be found for $free-20 used, wait for a Petco sale and it'll be $20 for a new tank. The acrylic or plexiglass sheet shouldn't be too much if you get a thin sheet. A plexiglass sheet is about $15 for a 12x24" sheet. Acrylic will cost more. Silicone is about $7-10)
Use plastic pot scrubbers instead of bioballs (6 for $1 at most dollar stores)
Macroalgaes usually pop up on here for free. You can use that for filtration as well, but you'll need a light. ($5-20 for HD or Walmart lights depending on which you buy.)
You can't really DIY a pump, but you can get a used one for about $20-80 depending on brand and flow rate.
Skimmer will probably cost the most out of the whole setup if you DIY. (Can run anywhere from $40-200 depending on what you choose.)
Tubing for the return ($15-30 for those rolls that are already precut)
Return nozle ($1-10 depending on what you use)
With everything that you can possibly DIY, you can look to spend about $200 give or take. IF you can find some of this stuff laying around the house, even better! I know I can find at least half of the stuff around my house.
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