20g long sump build

[Shakey Gizzard]

This is a look at my 20L sump build for my 40 breeder tank. I had some 1/4 inch acrylic laying around so I built up the baffles. You can see them made with clear but I had to come back and redo with some black for the refugium are to help stop light bleed over.



Getting the fit right




Planned my layout based on what I have seen with popular baffle kits





ended up making baffles 2 separate skimmer and roller mat but was no go due to space




cut them on my router table, 1/4 inch up spiral bit worked ok. link to video below.

cutting slots in acrylic


made the water level adjustment and bubble trap out of clear but had to redo it in black later. I used nylon screws from lowes



added them into the sump, plus added some glass strips to aquarium for added strength against the acrylic coming loose from the glass


little tight for room, but should function ok

 

[project1004]

That’s pretty awesome fix.
I am noticing having roller mat and skimmer and algae refugium/scrubber is too much of filtration for small tanks. In the beginning anyways. (It is still true for my 24Gallon after 1.5yrs).

I’ve taken turf scrubber off and only running roller mat and skimmer. I wish I can have the roller on a timer but clearly Red Sea don’t want to give that feature so they can sell more rolls I think. X.x

 

[Shakey Gizzard]

plan on stocking this one well, will have a decent bio-load on it. Planning on it now, better to reduce than add later.

 

[Shakey Gizzard]

That’s pretty awesome fix.
I am noticing having roller mat and skimmer and algae refugium/scrubber is too much of filtration for small tanks. In the beginning anyways. (It is still true for my 24Gallon after 1.5yrs).

I’ve taken turf scrubber off and only running roller mat and skimmer. I wish I can have the roller on a timer but clearly Red Sea don’t want to give that feature so they can sell more rolls I think. X.x

Will have to add, I have this same roller on another tank. The roller alone can reduce nutrient's very well. But have to tinker with roller height, float switch height to keep roll use down to decent level, and keep the water polishing effect reduced. The bubble magus gen 2 small is easy to do this on, also the inlet tube needs a small hole drilled on top, opposite the water inlet side. this cuts down on turbulence a lot which makes fine tuning easier.

 

[project1004]

Guess you have to release the pressure on those units?! I got thru 1 roll per 3 month with flow going thru at about 350gph.

 

[Fishy_Mcfish]

Nice! I plan on doing this with a 20 gal long myself for my 40 breeder. I wasn’t planning on going as fancy as you but now I may have to! What size acrylic did you use and do you remember the sizes you cut?

 

[Shakey Gizzard]

Nice! I plan on doing this with a 20 gal long myself for my 40 breeder. I wasn’t planning on going as fancy as you but now I may have to! What size acrylic did you use and do you remember the sizes you cut?

1/4 inch acrylic, don't remember sizes, but you can measure up the tank to get what you need