DIY- "Pins" method of gluing acrylic.

[melev]

Most stands are about 30" tall (from the floor to the base of the tank), maybe a bit more tall. If the sump is 16" tall, you have room to get the skimmer in and out as needed, and you have the ability to reach in and clean the sump. The taller they are, the less attention they receive due to the 'hassle-factor'. If you need a taller sump just to hold extra water volume and have the ability to do what you need, go for it.

The sumps I build and set up have a water line at 9" (skimmer and return) and 12" (refugium). The rest of the sump is empty enough to hold all extra water that may drain down. If the sump was 26 or 27" tall, it would just be taller and essentially unnecessary.

 

[mflamb]

Makes perfect sense. My stand is 40". It's in my billiards room where all the chairs are tall barstools, so viewing height is higher than normal. I figured with the extra room I would add height to the sump. The skimmer is external. I think I will reduce the length and add a taller box at one end for the top off water. Thanks again for the continued guidance. I will start a thread soon in the LARGE section and try to finalize my plumbing/sump/pumps setup.

 

[melev]

Feel free to send me a PM to your new thread when you have time, and I'll tag along. Using a resevoir with a taller container is fine, but you've got to do one thing to avoid creating a siphon and I'll be happy to explain it to you.

 

[swedge]

Couple of questions:

1) Is there a rule of thumb in regards to which corners should be inside vs. outside. (i.e. Small length attached on the inside edge of the longer panes or longer side attached on the inside edge of a shorter pane) Does that make sense?

2) I still have a hard time believing it's easier to glue all 4 sides and then attach the top/bottom. Do you just make sure that the edges are flush when attaching all the sides ? And/Or do you re-router them to level everything before attaching bottom and top?

3) I have Weld-On 3 and 16. Should this be good, or should I try to get some Weld-On 4 to first work with? I didn't see any at the TAP plastics site though, unles it's under a different label.

BTW Great thread I have learned so much. I'm still a couple weeks away from making a modified version of Melev's Sump Model M

 

[melev]

I used to glue them on the bottom piece first, but it was recommended to glue the walls and baffles first, then attach the bottom and later the top. It works.

I make it a point to align all the bottom edges perfectly, and if any are a fraction too tall, it will be at the top where it doesn't matter nearly as much. We want it to hold water and not leak, after all.

For me, I prefer to have a clean front panel, so I glue the ends and baffles between the front and back pieces.

The Model M is a good sump for small tanks and small stands. Be sure to use a small return pump, as too much flow will flood the tank with microbubbles.

 

[swedge]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8090846#post8090846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
The Model M is a good sump for small tanks and small stands. Be sure to use a small return pump, as too much flow will flood the tank with microbubbles.

Thanks for the quick reply.

This Sump will go under a corner stand I'm currently building for my 55 gal hex tank. I'm planning to modify it to 26x18x18. (The height is still undecided though, might go with the 16 as you did)

I'm planning a sea horse tank in there so it won't need high flow anyway.

 

[melev]

Perfect.

 

[mflamb]

Marc, Thanks again. I'll send you the thread when I start. My tank gets here on 9/30. I'm going to start building the sump on 9/16. Hopefully I can do it in a weekend. I practiced gluing some 3/8" scraps yesterday with #4. I feel good enough to try it for real. Another aquarist that I work with will be involved in the project. I bought a 4'x8'x1" MDF and cut it down to 3'x6' to use as a gluing table on top of a large coffee table in my living room. (My wife is very pro aquarium!!!) So wish me luck. I'll report back with pics if I'm successful.

 

[melev]

Luck!

 

[highquality]

Well Ive read up to this point and feel lonesome seeing no post since 9/6 . well any way, I can only get weldon#3 as ive been told #4 cant be shipped. will it be too fast? Ive only done smaller things like overflows and such. this is for an holding tank , but not a show tank. Any other # weldon recomended besides #4?

 

[NorthernCF]

Weldon 4

Weldon 4

I just ordered weldon 4 from ridout Plastics.

http://rplastics.com/

 

[NorthernCF]

PS I just met Melev IRL, at MACNA. I am now thinking working with acrylics is too dangerous. Let me describe Melev to you:

Robin Williams in his big cocaine days.... only with more energy!!!!!


hehe!

 

[Runner]

I've been follwing this thread for a while and even made my own internal overflow box from acrylic. I am facing another job, though (damaged skimmer) and would like your advice on that. Please see this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=937807

Thanks!

 

[highquality]

thanks northern for the tip on the weldon

 

[highquality]

I just ordered from there too. I wonder why TAP says they cant ship #4 at all? I noticed a 28 gauge wire at ace hardware, is that a good size wire?

 

[H20ENG]

thanks northern for the tip on keeping away from Melev!

 

[highquality]

lol.. Northern or Melev..do you guys ever use just a Router and a Straight Edge to clean up the edges for bonding or only use the Router Table? Im getting a router tomorrow and am thinking of using a straight edge, what do you think of that?

 

[kgross]

Using the router and a straight edge will work fine for cleaning up the edges. The advantage to using the router table with offset fence is that you set the size of the pieces to be exactly the same. when you use the straight edge the pieces are not sized the same so making a closed box with a top (top brace) is a lot harder.

kim

 

[highquality]

Im not sure i understand about the offset fence and how it keeps them the same size? is it like a table saw fence that moves or adjustable?

 

[NorthernCF]

I never use an offset fence. I am just not that coordinated I guess.

I use a big fence and a router in the table.

Diagram:

F A B
-me-

Fence acrylic Bit.

I push the acrylic into the fence the bit shaves off a tiny bit.

Wood working you usually see this

F
B
A
Me

and you slide the acylic across the fence. I could never make this work, the piece would always get caught in the hole in the fence housing the bit.

lots of folks use a jointer with good results for easy pieces.