Tank building queries

[Leighgonch]

I'm an acrylic fabricator by trade making acrylic items for the point of sale industry i have been bitten by the tropical fish bug and I am looking to build my own acrylic tank approx 104 US gallons. I'm pretty clued up with the construction and bonding processes involved so was going to build a standard tank.

However after doing a bit of research into the tank building I have discovered other elements in some diy tanks such as bulkheads, overflows and sumps to which I have no idea what they are or whether my tank will require them.

Is their anyone who can explain what important things a tank of the size I want to build needs. as I feel it may not be as straight forward as just a 5 sided box....?

 

[tonedogz]

I'm an acrylic fabricator by trade making acrylic items for the point of sale industry i have been bitten by the tropical fish bug and I am looking to build my own acrylic tank approx 104 US gallons. I'm pretty clued up with the construction and bonding processes involved so was going to build a standard tank.

However after doing a bit of research into the tank building I have discovered other elements in some diy tanks such as bulkheads, overflows and sumps to which I have no idea what they are or whether my tank will require them.

Is their anyone who can explain what important things a tank of the size I want to build needs. as I feel it may not be as straight forward as just a 5 sided box....?

A sump is not a requirement but I think its a good idea to have one. The bulkhead fitting goes between the inside and outside of the sump with a rubber gasket in between to connect any piping. They sell overflow boxes which help to regulate the water flow

 

[Leighgonch]

Could you explain what these things are should I need to build them

 

[tonedogz]

You'd be better off looking the parts up on the internet so you can actually see what they look like. You could make the sump and overflow but you would have to buy the bulkhead fitting. The sump is basically a smaller tank under the main tank into which the water flows into over a filter pad and is then picked up by the pump and sent back to the tank. It also has a compartment where you can have either bioballs or rock I personally perfer the rock.