Building a sump cover

[taftonomos]

I think I'm going to keep my large frag system, but I need to make some modifications to it before I stock it up again.


First off, I need to build a cover for my sump. My sump is a 150g rubber maid tub. It's located at the far end of the tank(s), and sits up against the wall. Splashing in the sump has started to cause the drywall paper to pull away (despite several coats of paint, and using green board).

Covering the sump should help a bit with the heat issue (or lack of heat) that I'm having a problem with right now.


Can I cut the cheap cast plexiglass at HD/lowes with a rotary tool such as a zip saw or router without cracking it?

My plan is to make a 2 or 3 piece cover for the sump. Doesn't have to be super pretty, but it needs to keep the splashing down, and the heat in.

 

[seedless reefer]

I bought the same plastic from lowes to make sump baffles.

Rotozip is **** hard cause it skates and the cutting tool they sell doesn't work.

I had them cut it and then I made some cuts with my circular saw and a plywood blade.

The heat will cause some little things I like to call "Melties".

I had to sand the melties off.

 

[taftonomos]

Hmmm....as long as it isn't going to crack on me....I'd hate to waste 50$ trying to figure out if I can cut it like that.....

 

[grimreefer]

A circular saw works fine. I sometimes don't use a plywood blade if it's thick. The thinner it is the more likely it will chip out with a regular blade. Make sure you set the saw deep enough just to go through the acrylic. The deeper it is, the more heat it produces and therefor more of the burrs that need to be removed.

 

[seedless reefer]

Furthermore, if you are worried about scratches cover either the deck of the saw or the plastic with masking tape.

 

[kirru]

I used my table saw when I cut the 1/4" plastic for my baffles. Worked great, no cracking, little "melties" only if the blade got hot enough and the plastic was pushing on the blade. all ease for me, sump isn't the greatest but it work i guess...

 

[stickx911]

TAftonomos;280249 wrote: Doesn't have to be super pretty, but it needs to keep the splashing down, and the heat in.

Aluminum foil, zip ties, and duct tape...:thumbs:

cheap, effective, however you may not be able to keep as much heat in.

 

[skriz]

The acrylic at hd or lowes is not cast.

The best way to cut it would be a table saw-very easy.

The plexi-glass will warp though, so it may end up being a complete waste of $$

 

[taftonomos]

you are right, meant to say extruded...lol. if i could get some cast

 

[skriz]

Cast will warp too. Carbon is the ideal material

 

[rededge2k1]

I made a cover for my sump too, using the plexiglass stuff from Lowe's. It didn't last long and I ended up throwing it away. It warped and became useless.

 

[taftonomos]

Skriz;281371 wrote: Cast will warp too. Carbon is the ideal material

Carbon? As in Carbon fiber?

Glass is not an option, I'll break it :unsure:

When you made your cover that warped, did you add any stiffeners or was it just a flat sheet?

 

[taftonomos]

Thats no problem, I was planning on making it 2 or 3 different pieces that either bolt or latch together, and supported by cross bits. I've got some aluminum channel around I could bolt it to as well.

Time to get busy :thumbs: