new sump

[dartfrog]

Got a "dollar a gallon" 55 and some black acrylic, and built this sump over the weekend...the center is a slow flow refugium. I stole the idea from an MRC sump design. Still have to clean up all the messy silicone, but I'm pretty happy with the way it came out.
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="2010-04-11 16.16.30.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="2010-04-11 16.16.52.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[smoothie]

Nice! Can't wait to see some water in this thing

 

[dartfrog]

Me too! It'll probably be a month or so before I get the tank it will go under...but i'm getting closer.

 

[mph84]

Looks really good! i've got a 55 under my 120, i wish it looked as nice as yours

 

[dartfrog]

Thanks

 

[spacepony]

Wow. Impressive looking bugger....

As a newbie on sump design, and a hopeful furture diy-er, would you briefly tell me what's going on, left to right? That's WAAAAYY more than the simple baffle stuff I've so-far seen!

 

[weaglereefer]

Looks nice! I like the filter sock holders, I want my next sump to have those, even if I don't use em all the time, just seems like a good thing to have when needed.

Will you use a pump to get water to the fuge, or run off the return pump?

 

[dartfrog]

Honestly I'm a newbie too, but I'll tell you what my intentions were...from right to left...the first section will be dual 1" bulkheads and 1" rigid pvc for the inlet. The water will rise and exit through the 2" holes (the holes above the big 4" holes) and fall through two 4" filter socks. The next chamber will hold a skimmer(or a pump for skimmer if I use an external one, I haven't decided yet) The refugium section is raised 3" off the bottom of the sump so water can freely pass under, to the last section which will be for a return pump.
The hole on the right wall of the fuge will have a bulkhead and the fuge will be feed by a small pump, also in the skimmer section. (haven't figured out the flow I need for the fuge but i guess the pump output will match this) and then pass over the teeth i cut in the left wall of the fuge.

The idea for this was to allow a slower flow through the fuge and not be dependent on the flow of the return pump.

I bought a the acrylic from USPlastics.com (which has a great selection) and used a $120 table saw (Skilsaw brand) I bought a Lowes. I also used a 60 tooth blade on the saw and had no chipping or melting of the acrylic while cutting.

 

[dartfrog]

If anybody sees anything that could enhance the design or has any ideas for improvements I can still make changes so let me know. I have some leftover peices so I could add to it too. Ideas?

 

[brynbyers]

Your last two panels...are they to be a bubble diffuser? They appear to be reversed (at least from others I have seen), and missing one panel...but if you change it, your chamber for the return pump will have a smaller volume and thus show effects from evaporation faster.
Overall looks good!

 

[spacepony]

way cool. Thank you for the walk-thru!

 

[dartfrog]

Your last two panels...are they to be a bubble diffuser? They appear to be reversed (at least from others I have seen), and missing one panel...

I see what your saying but I was looking at it as the left wall of the fuge as the first baffle...but, if you think I should change it, I can.

 

[buddyro]

Great looking Sump !!!

 

[tgriffin]

great job! I think I'm gonna try making an acrylic sump soon for my 93 cube. I'm checking out melevsreef.com and trying to learn how to do it. Be sure to post some pics of that thing in action

 

[rbredding]

good looking setup... I'd like to have something similar to that, but I've got my chiller under my 90 so there's not much room...

 

[krcraig1]

Man, that is impressive.

I just built a 20L sump for my 65 G reef tank and used glass for the baffles. I won't do that again!

 

[rbredding]

I don't understand why people object to it so often? (using acrylic baffles/silicone in a glass sump)?

Almost all overflows in a glass aquarium these days are acrylic, held in place with silicone...
the overflow/display seal is no less critical than the sump/baffle seal. It was a FLAT PAIN IN THE BUTT to get the overflows out of my glass aquarium when I re-sealed it (switching from clear silicone to black). they weren't going anywhere...

 

[dartfrog]

I don't understand why people object to it so often? (using acrylic baffles/silicone in a glass sump)?

Almost all overflows in a glass aquarium these days are acrylic, held in place with silicone...
the overflow/display seal is no less critical than the sump/baffle seal. It was a FLAT PAIN IN THE BUTT to get the overflows out of my glass aquarium when I re-sealed it (switching from clear silicone to black). they weren't going anywhere...

I didn't understand the complaint with the acrylic to glass bonding using silicon. I asked my father (ARC member DonS) about the concerns. He worked for Dow Corning for 35+ yr before he retired,and called on tank manufacturers for a time. So, he gave me a long technical answer, concerning sheer testing procedures done on silicon sealants. Long story short...if cured for minimun 72 hrs and you leave a small gap between the edge of acrylic and tank wall (enough room for an even amount of caulk, aboult 2-3mm) there should be no problem at all. 72 hours is the key, because during the drying process the caulk cures before it actually makes the bond with the glass and acrylic. If done right there should be no issues.

 

[dartfrog]

I'm going to put this all together into one build thread but for today, i'll post here...the sump and skimmer wouldn't fit (I knew that going in) so I modified the stand to make more room, with the added benifit of raising the tank to eye level (stand before 27", now 37") Still waiting for the bulkheads, plumbing, and doors for the other side from my local pet shop where I bought the tank. but hope to have canopy built and water in it by next week.:yay:
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="125 build 048.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="125 build 061.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="125 build 069.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a>

>

class="gc-images" title="125 build 071.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[elfloyd]

You are way ahead of me... but I gotta ask. What will make water move through the 4" filter socks? Will there be enough pressure for gravity to pull it through? I've not seen this before... of course if you used an idea from MRC it'll probably work.