Sump build failed need advice.......

[parmoffitt]

I paid a small aquarium company to take a used predrilled 125 gallon tank and set it up in my basement for my 90 gallon tank upstairs. He put in two large l/4" acrylic baffles creating a large refugium with sand and two smaller ones outside of it to the right side where the protein skimmer is. The sump was left to set for two weeks before putting water in and everything was up and running for three weeks until the right large baffle from the refugium releases and the other two baffles release as well.

Needless to say I am very upset and anxious. I paid good money to have this job done. This man is coming back late today. I guess it's sorry for ya if the left large baffle (which is now bowing) releases during the time he can make it back to my home. The sand in the refugium is holding for now as the baffle that released is angling off and not completely unattached on the right side. The float valve is submerged and useless under water as all the water levels are off now. We had to draw a new line so we can manually add evaporation water now.

l/4" acrylic for the baffles obviously is not strong enough for the water pressure in this sump. Anyone know where I could get l/2" to 3/4" acrylic quick?

I sense disaster if this is not done right. The sump needs to be drained out, dried and new thicker baffles put in.

He plans to bring a 45 gallon tub and use that for the sump but I worry that the large external pump would be too powerful for it. I have a mag 9.5 but believe that is not strong enough.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[glxtrix]

If you want to do it "right", I'd suggest getting some glass sheets cut for the tank. They would have to be at least 1/4" think i would guess. The thicker acrylic would hold, but there is no better bond with silicone in a glass tank than with glass panels. Seeing how you're in the L'ville area, you might want to try called MRC to see what some cut acrylic panels would cost from them.

 

[grouper therapy]

He should use glass baffles in a tank that size! 100 % silicone does not adhere to acrylic very well or at all. If it did it would be used to hold acrlic tanks together instead of acrylic solvent or polymers. The silicone only acts as a track or a stop for the acrylic to push against.

 

[seedless reefer]

Lee is correct....acrylic and glass dont bond well.
However, all of my sumps have been glass tanks with acrylic baffles if the person you paid to do this used the silicone as an adhesive it won't work.

Silcone will bond great to the glass and needs to be used as a wedge to hold the baffle in place but there are parts of the baffle that you will not be able to reach with your hand....you must emply a long dowel or something to get the silicone down low.

Silicone must be thick and touch everywhere the acrylic and glass meet on both sides.

 

[parmoffitt]

The aquarium guy called and he is on his way to Loganville to get 3/4" acrylic so that should hold. You are right about glass but I don't think there is enough time to worry about getting glass sized and cut. He has decided to put everything in a tub with a mag 24 so he seems to have a plan and wants to make it right so I feel a little bit better. A "little" bit better.

This is one of those pita job's (pain in the a@##) and a big learning experience of what not to do.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[parmoffitt]

I was feeling better until I read that the problem is the silicone. Why do they use silicone to make glass aquariums then?

 

[glxtrix]

Silicone is the best for glass on glass. But silicone doesn't hold well to acrylic. As people are saying, it's acts like a wedge to "hold" it in place. Not like a glue if it were two glass panels. FWIW if the acrylic is thick enough to withstand the pressure of the water volume, you're fine using acrylic in a glass tank. That's how my 55g sump is constructed....but the acrylic sheets are pretty thick...5/8" I believe.

 

[budsreef]

Silicone will bond to glass. The problem is that it won't bond to the acrylic. I agree with what others have said and would switch to glass. There is a place in Buford that will cut glass and polish the edges with a one day turnaround. PM me if you want their information.

 

[parmoffitt]

I just caught myself in a error duh....forget what I said about glass aquariums and silicone. I get it.

I agree, I am disappointed that the baffles seem to be the issue here and not the plumbing which he did very well.

A lot more was done than just baffles but just maybe because the baffles will be 3/4" thick they won't bow which I believe caused them to release from the silicone. At least I hope so.

 

[seedless reefer]

You would be surprised.

It is not always a bow in the acrylic that causes them to fail...straight up water pressure over a period of time can cause them to unseat themsleves.

Just make sure your guy silicones every bit of the baffle....thick.

 

[grouper therapy]

One Time of all that sand in your refugium going thru a pump and in the main tank, will eat up the time savings of now.

 

[roundman]

I am using a 20 gal tank for sump and made the mistake of using acrylic baffles. Well they slipped and bowed and make many micro bubbles in the tank. I just ordered 4 sheets of 1/4" glass cut and polished for a new sump and the total bill is 30.21. Very cheap. I will never use acrylic again!

 

[haninja]

I had one of my baffles come loose after a few days of operation. I used that marine putty from HD that I also use to glue my frags to rocks. That stuff works amazingly, I didn't even have to empty the sump completely.

 

[parmoffitt]

Update:

The sump is redone and setting up. The original sump is back in place upstairs until next week when the big sump will be back in operation. The aquarium company did get 3/4" acrylic for the baffles and is not charging anything to redo the sump. He put a lot of acrylic around the baffles and it looks real solid. The plan is to reset the blueline pump down to release pressure on the baffles. It was running at high speed even going 25' upstairs. There was a lot of water moving through the sump with micro bubbles even though none was in the display tank.

I do agree that glass is better but he already had the new acrylic in hand so I agreed to let him install it.

Thanks Bud for the information on where to get glass cut for I will use it for sure if any problems arise with these baffles.

 

[theplatypus]

Hopefully he didn't have the acrylic cut too tight.