Tank build - newbie again... need thoughts

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Everything's lookin' great. How your water leak test turns out fine :)

I was hoping you would diy the auto top off so that I could see how it's done. I like how you're documenting with photos, it's make it easier for me this winter.
 
capj64, You got that backwards... you are supposed to do the auto top off so I can copy it...:)

Besides testing the sump, today I plan on doing some plumbing... How does this look?

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at that T joint for the split on the return, you want it to look like an upside down T not a 90 degree right T. The way it is now, it will flow right through that and won't split at all.

If you use any sort of tubing, use garden hose. Its much cheaper and it wont grow algae on the inside like clear tube and plug everything up.
 
Jimbo, Check it again.. better?

Aquarium1, I didn't say... the sheet was $140.. More than I had expected... I bought a 1/4" thick cast - 4'x8' sheet. I would have just bought the amount I needed but I waited till the day I was traveling to Boise (where they sell acrylic like this) to place the order.. they didn't have time to cut it that day so I bought the entire sheet. I have almost a half sheet left over so I would estimate the material cost to be around $80-$90 for the acrylic.
 
So you changed the blueprint instead of adding a new one? Because I don't see what Jimbo is talking about at all :)
 
Yea that looks better. Check around for some calculators on pump size, flow, and tubing size. Make sure you plumb it up with the right tubing or it will be a mess. I'm sure someone has one bookmarked...melosu..

$140 is still really good for a sump. If you consider a commercial alternative for the same size setup. $300 for an Oceanic systems, $350 for an AGA, plus you have it designed exactly how you want it.
 
Yea that looks better. Check around for some calculators on pump size, flow, and tubing size. Make sure you plumb it up with the right tubing or it will be a mess.

Well the outlet on the pump (mag 9.5) is a threaded 3/4" line so I figured the 3/4" PVC would work fine... The pump will have about a 4.5' head and based on the specs for this pump at that head height I should yield about 800gph. I know this isn't to much volume for the overflow to handle since I have ran it with this tank and overflow before. But perhaps I should set all the plumbing up and test it all out before gluing any PVC....?

$140 is still really good for a sump. If you consider a commercial alternative for the same size setup. $300 for an Oceanic systems, $350 for an AGA, plus you have it designed exactly how you want it.

True, that and I have almost a half sheet left over... perhaps there will be construction of a nano or something in my future....:cool:
 
Well the outlet on the pump (mag 9.5) is a threaded 3/4" line so I figured the 3/4" PVC would work fine... The pump will have about a 4.5' head and based on the specs for this pump at that head height I should yield about 800gph. I know this isn't to much volume for the overflow to handle since I have ran it with this tank and overflow before. But perhaps I should set all the plumbing up and test it all out before gluing any PVC....?
I would def do a try run before you start purpleing everything up.
True, that and I have almost a half sheet left over... perhaps there will be construction of a nano or something in my future....:cool:
Or maybe a frag tank for those corals you aren't going to have :cool:
 
What are you doing for a siphon break in the pressure line? I know most people put a hole in the pipe for siphon breaks on the return lines but this doesn't work real well on the pressure lines because if it is right below the water line the resulting stream causes a lot of splashing and noise. The splashing also causes a lot of salt creep to build up as well. I would put a check valve on the pressure line instead if you can find one.
 
Pat,

My plan was to just do the hole as you describe... In the past I just tried to adjust the end so that it was just barely below the surface so the amount of water siphoned back was minimal. I hadn't thought of the problems you bring up...
 
Today was the big day to test out the sump.... The cement had had 24 hours to cure so I was ready.

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Everything was flowing just as I had hoped... the bubble tower and bubble trap worked great.

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Then I filled up the Refugium.

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Then I noticed a little leak! I was hoping I wouldn't have any but.... there was one spot where a small gap occurred in the edge and I thought I had used enough of the #16 cement to seal it but no... So I emptied the sump, dried it all and fixed the the leak. I was able to inject the #16 cement into that gap with the syringe. Then just to be safe I applied a small bead of #16 to all interior seams.

Here you can see water from the leak on the left. This is also a shot of about where the water levels will be in the sump when it is at max capacity.

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Will let it cure for another 24 hours and test again.
 
^ Thanks guys.

Yeah.. that little leak bummed me out - I wanted my first tank to have no problems... oh well it is an easy fix. I don't have a jointer so I cant take out every little saw mark from the acrylic edge. Before building another one I think I will purchase a small jointer. Anyway....

probably hard to tell since I have not taken any photos with the sump in the stand yet but it fills up the bottom of the stand.. almost. on the left side I will have a 16x16 area that I won't be able to access. I could however put in a small 10 gallon or so tank and make it an overflow tank. Right now it looks like the sump maxes out at 38 gallons and will run at about 25. That gives me 13 gallons to spare incase of a power outage.... thoughts? Problem is I really can't access that area at all once my finish material is put on so not sure if I should do anything at all.
 
looks really good man. One little leak is not bad for a first try in acrylic. Not everyone gets it right the first time like me and pat lol :p j/k
 
Jimbo, well not everyone can be masters of acrylic like you and Pat.. lol.

The good news is that the sump is now water tight! Sat for one hour full of water with no leaks.... Then I took out some water and hooked up the plumbing. I didn't glue anything so there were a few leaks in the plumbing obviously but I was able to test out the flow... worked great! The bubble trap everything seemed to function perfect... I may put an elbow on the inlet to the refugium not sure yet. Now I just need my special order fir to show up so I can finnish this stand and hood!! Im running out of things to do until it arrives.

The sump tank takes up just about all of the stand...

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Up and running

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Even a boring video of a sump....

 
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