Sump Baffles - Glass vs. Acrylic

[capj64]

I know that everyone uses acrylic baffles but I have connections at a window manufacturer (I worked there for 13 yrs and my husband still does) so it's very easy for me to get glass cut to size w/edges sanded for $cheap$ (free if cut from scrap).

But doing this, I won't be able to cut teeth into the tops. How important is that? Can I leave that step out?

This is for my 29g tank not the 150 that I'll be building this winter. I'm using a 10g and if I can use the glass, I'll use 3/32".

 

[melosu58]

I dont have any teeth in the top of my baffles. It just goes over the top.

 

[capj64]

Maybe you're doing it wrong....lol, just kidding. Well, that's good. I'm ordering my glass today This is going to be crazy fun!!!

 

[Jimbo7]

Teeth in the overflow matter more to me then teeth in the baffles of the sump. Glass has always been cheaper and more convenient to use for me.

 

[capj64]

I'm making a PVC overflow on the 29g, and if it works good that's what I'll have in the 150

 

[Jimbo7]

well i hope it works...well.

 

[capj64]

*gasp* are you correcting my grammer My kids did that last night when I said, "take y'alls phones." Grew up in Louisiana and now I'm in West Virginia, what do ya expect?? lol

I saw a youtube vid on a PVC overflow, looked ok so I thought I'd try it because I haven't found an overflow priced at what I'm willing to pay. I'll have to prove to myself that the PVC doesn't work, then I'll probably break down and buy one.

I've ordered a small skimmer, so all that's left is to find a pump. Oh, and on the PVC overflow, 1" pipe?

 

[Jimbo7]

*gasp* are you correcting my grammer My kids did that last night when I said, "take y'alls phones." Grew up in Louisiana and now I'm in West Virginia, what do ya expect?? lol

I saw a youtube vid on a PVC overflow, looked ok so I thought I'd try it because I haven't found an overflow priced at what I'm willing to pay. I'll have to prove to myself that the PVC doesn't work, then I'll probably break down and buy one.

I've ordered a small skimmer, so all that's left is to find a pump. Oh, and on the PVC overflow, 1" pipe?

I don't know what you are talking about. My mom is an english teacher, that is literally the only mix up that really bothers me

PVC overflows work just fine. If i remember right, there is something about using a larger size diameter tube to begin with, then a smaller one is actually the drain. Something about keeping the noise down.. I'll have to look when I get home tonight and see.

 

[capj64]

I just watched a video and they used 1 1/2" at the tank but he wasn't talking about the drain so I'll have to watch/read to find out more.

Appreciate any/all help Even with my grammer, lol.

 

[capj64]

I think that I might have to rethink the 10g sump/refugium. I ordered my skimmer today and the footprint is 5.5 x 11.5 so even if I put my refugium clear across the front of the tank (like one on Melevsreef) it would only be 19.626" x 3.75"

 

[BigJim]

+1 for using glass. Silicone actually sticks to glass. It doesn't stick to acrylic very well.

 

[David S]

be careful with all measurements on homemade overflows,all acrylic must be cut square for cement to work.have you looked at the eshopps sython pipe overflows? they work great,well priced,I've used one for about 6 months,no need for a primer pump,very quiet, the only time it gets noisey is when the return pump filter needs cleaning,but also if the return pump isn't powerful enough this will make any overflow noisey.a quick fix for noise is to put a small piece of hose down the pipe to allow air in .

 

[capj64]

David: I'm making my overflow out of PVC pipe so hopefully I won't be cementing acrylic. But thanks for the tip on eshopps siphon pipe overflows, yes they're not that bad priced. I will look into them. Thank again

 

[capj64]

I'm back to a 10g sump...the footprint listed for the skimmer was wrong. It only takes up about 6 x 8 instead of 6 x 12. But I do have a 20g available now that my daughter bought our land hermit crabs a new 20g long. Which also freed up another 10g, so last night I started reef tank...but that gonna be a different thread, lol

 

[Jimbo7]

You are going to want a much larger sump then 10g for your 150g. You want as much room as you can in case you ever need to drop in stuff like new reactors, larger skimmer, or more refugium space. . Plus even at 150g the extra water volume is never a bad thing.

 

[capj64]

Jimbo: At this point I'm thinking that I'm going to use my current 29g tank to start off with on my 150g build. Either move up to a larger sump when I can afford it or add a separate refugium or skimmer tank. I should have room if I do end up doing the later.

I finally decided to use a 20g sump for my current 29g and 10g reef. I ordered the glass dividers and picked it up Friday. Spent the morning cleaning and preparing the tank, unwrapped the glass and every piece was the wrong size I'll reorder it Monday...

 

[Jimbo7]

That stinks! Do you have a local Ace Hardware or something similar? I go there to get all my glass cut, takes just a couple minutes and its really cheap.

 

[capj64]

We have a local ACE but I was having a window manufacturer cut if for me at no charge. My husband works there and they cut it out of trash glass I just have to wait until they're not too busy to cut it.

Oh, and it was my fault it was the wrong size