Documentation: 40 gal sump project ***dial up sensitive*** - Page 2 - Aquarium Advice

RLG2182 · 05-26-2005, 01:33 PM

Forgot to mention... make sure that when you plan out your sump, make sure that you leave a lot of room for the main return pump. That's the first compartment that will drain, so if it's on the small side, and you don't have an auto top-off unit, you'll run into problems with running the pump dry.

The bubble traps only need to be wide enough to get a sponge in there to clean it out. I like about an inch wide... but others would suggest different widths as well.

Next sump I make will be out of acrylic with an external pump & built in auto-top off unit... along with a fuge as well.

I first need to upgrade my 4' tank to a 6' so that I can fit all the stuff underneath!

20 20 · 07-02-2005, 10:09 AM

Great looking sump! I have a question on the baffles. Could the baffles be cut from acrylic or plexiglass, and then siliconed into a glass tank?

mykpoz · 07-03-2005, 12:37 AM

do acrylic, plexi will yellow and become brittle with age...

my question has to do with the "t" sectiono and ball valve from your return pump into the fuge area... what purpose does that fill? Just brining it back to the sump due to having a beefy pump?

I was thinking of doing something close to this but have the overflow dump site, baffle, Protein skmmer area, bubble trap section, fuge, baffle return...

My overflow is 2x 1" pipes, with a mag 9.5 I put a ball joint on both the pump return and one of the overflows... i can always adjust the [acronym:012073763f="Plastic pipe"]pvc[/acronym:012073763f] and put in the "t" and ballvalve.

[acronym:012073763f="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:012073763f]

krap101 · 07-03-2005, 12:39 AM

howd you fit your hand in to silicone the middle baffles?

20 20 · 07-03-2005, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykpoz

do acrylic, plexi will yellow and become brittle with age...

If I use acrylic, will silicone hold it in place? Or would I need some other sealant, for bonding acrylic to glass?

mykpoz · 07-03-2005, 08:04 AM

you should be able to use the DAP silicone that he used in his project, or another marine safe acrylic bonding agent....

I'd get someone else to answer that for sure...

RLG2182 · 07-03-2005, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykpoz

the "t" sectiono and ball valve from your return pump into the fuge area... what purpose does that fill? Just brining it back to the sump due to having a beefy pump?

The "T" section is there to feed the fuge area. Since the fuge baffle is the highest, water has to be pumped in there, and then gravity just brings the water back down into the pump area. This way, I can control how much water flow goes to my fuge. The pump can handle everything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by krap101

howd you fit your hand in to silicone the middle baffles?

Just make sure to do the middle part of the baffle first. That's the one that needs the most strength since it's up in the air. The other two on the sides can just be sealed on one side alone, and then as far as your hand can reach on the other. Those just need to be strong enough not to bend back and forth since they're sitting directly on the bottom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 20 20

If I use acrylic, will silicone hold it in place? Or would I need some other sealant, for bonding acrylic to glass?

Nothing can really bond acrylic to glass. All you can really do is to use a lot of silicone to keep the acrylic from moving. Just know that you might have to empty the sump every few months or so to reapply new silicone.

I've wanted to try to make some kind of auxiliary support system for acrylic baffles... like some pieces of small wood or plastic or something that will keep the baffles upright and spaced apart. Think of it like some of the old metal ice cube trays. They used to have a plain water pan, and then a grid that you stuck in to separate the cubes. If you could do that to the sump in some way, you wouldn't really need to smother the baffles in so much silicone. Just some inspiration if someone wants to try something like this.

[acronym:5467cc12cc="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:5467cc12cc]

greenmaji · 07-03-2005, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RLG2182

I've wanted to try to make some kind of auxiliary support system for acrylic baffles... like some pieces of small wood or plastic or something that will keep the baffles upright and spaced apart.

What about designing small supports for the acrylic out of fairly thick glass?

zenn · 07-30-2005, 09:18 PM

sorry for the noob comment....but i see 4 compartments and you only describ 3. If the fuge is the far right compartment, what is the one with the [acronym:252e6bcccb="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:252e6bcccb] rubble in it at the far left? Just a smidge confused about that.

VWVR6Love · 09-11-2005, 10:21 PM

I know i am bringin this post back from the dead, but i just had to chime in and say that is one awesome sump/refugium!! i love it so much i had to build one for my 100Gallon system i am building!

I know its not as pretty as yours! but i hope it works as good as you designed yours! thanks for such a great design and idea!!!

05-26-2005, 01:33 PM	#11 (permalink)
RLG2182 Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Rancho Cucamonga, California Posts: 770 Images: 12	Forgot to mention... make sure that when you plan out your sump, make sure that you leave a lot of room for the main return pump. That's the first compartment that will drain, so if it's on the small side, and you don't have an auto top-off unit, you'll run into problems with running the pump dry. The bubble traps only need to be wide enough to get a sponge in there to clean it out. I like about an inch wide... but others would suggest different widths as well. Next sump I make will be out of acrylic with an external pump & built in auto-top off unit... along with a fuge as well. I first need to upgrade my 4' tank to a 6' so that I can fit all the stuff underneath! __________________ Tank: 60 Gal w/ 40 Gal [acronym:8ca4e80aae="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:8ca4e80aae] sump, 75 lbs [acronym:8ca4e80aae="Live sand"]LS[/acronym:8ca4e80aae], 140 lbs [acronym:8ca4e80aae="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:8ca4e80aae], Fuge Equipment: 4X65 Retrofit [acronym:8ca4e80aae="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:8ca4e80aae], Euro-Reef CS5-2, Mag 9.5 w/SCWD, Auto top-off, (4)80mm fans Corals: Yellow Polyps, Lime Green Shrooms, Hairy Shrooms, White Bubble Coral, Pink Zoos Fish & Inverts: 2 False Perc Clowns, 1 Firefish Goby, 1 Brittle Star, 1 Sand Sifting Star, 10 Hermits, 20 Snails (Nassarius, Turbo, Margarita) ~~Rob

07-03-2005, 12:39 AM	#14 (permalink)
krap101 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Roscoe, IL Posts: 3,825 Images: 12	howd you fit your hand in to silicone the middle baffles? __________________ Wizards first rule-People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true. Wizards second rule-The greatest harm can result from the best intentions. Wizards third rule-Passion rules reason. Wizards fourth rule-There is magic in forgiveness the magic to heal! In the forgiveness you grant, and more so in the forgiveness you receive. Wizards fifth rule-Mind what people do, not only what they say, for deeds will betray a lie. Wizards sixth rule-The only sovereign you can allow to rule you is reason. Wizards seventh rule-Life is the future, not the past Wizards eighth rule-Deserve victory. Wizards ninth rule-Contradictions don't exist, in whole or in part.

07-03-2005, 08:04 AM	#16 (permalink)
mykpoz Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pensacola Posts: 478	you should be able to use the DAP silicone that he used in his project, or another marine safe acrylic bonding agent.... I'd get someone else to answer that for sure... __________________ 75g w/ 30g sump, 160# [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym], 60# sand: Inverts =18 turbos, 30 nassirus's, 40 blue leg's, 5 emeralds, 1 CBS, 1 skunk cleaner, 1 brown gulf shrimp? and various other [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] hitch hikers yet un discovered or un-[acronym="Identify"]ID[/acronym]'ed Fish=1 yellow tang, 1 yellow headed jawfish, 1 pink/blue shrimpgoby, 2 perc clowns. Future fish = 1 sixline, 1 lawnmower blenny

07-30-2005, 09:18 PM	#19 (permalink)
zenn Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Nebraska Posts: 667 Images: 9	sorry for the noob comment....but i see 4 compartments and you only describ 3. If the fuge is the far right compartment, what is the one with the [acronym:252e6bcccb="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:252e6bcccb] rubble in it at the far left? Just a smidge confused about that. __________________ 75g reef

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07-02-2005, 10:09 AM	#12 (permalink)
20 20 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: PA Posts: 298	Great looking sump! I have a question on the baffles. Could the baffles be cut from acrylic or plexiglass, and then siliconed into a glass tank?

07-03-2005, 12:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
mykpoz Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pensacola Posts: 478	do acrylic, plexi will yellow and become brittle with age... my question has to do with the "t" sectiono and ball valve from your return pump into the fuge area... what purpose does that fill? Just brining it back to the sump due to having a beefy pump? I was thinking of doing something close to this but have the overflow dump site, baffle, Protein skmmer area, bubble trap section, fuge, baffle return... My overflow is 2x 1" pipes, with a mag 9.5 I put a ball joint on both the pump return and one of the overflows... i can always adjust the [acronym:012073763f="Plastic pipe"]pvc[/acronym:012073763f] and put in the "t" and ballvalve. [acronym:012073763f="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:012073763f]

09-11-2005, 10:21 PM	#20 (permalink)
VWVR6Love Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mobile, Al. Posts: 31	I know i am bringin this post back from the dead, but i just had to chime in and say that is one awesome sump/refugium!! i love it so much i had to build one for my 100Gallon system i am building! I know its not as pretty as yours! but i hope it works as good as you designed yours! thanks for such a great design and idea!!!

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