My new 30g sump with sump stand

[Toddrtrex]

About 6 months ago I built a sump for my 58g. Well, for the last 5-7 days I have built a new 30g sump for my 75 (non drilled), in addition to the sump I also made a stand to hold the sump. Pretty sure that the sump would not have fit in the stand for the tank, besides the fact if it did it would have been a PITA to get it into the stand -- the tank is already running. I used a glass 30g for the sump with acrylic baffles. Enough words -- here are the pictures. Here is a final picture (notice the nice towel covering )

Now the begining. Made one of the baffles just a bit too wide -- lots o cursing.

Cut the botton corners of the baffles so that the botton silcone of the sump wouldn't stop it from touching the bottom

 

[Toddrtrex]

First two baffles -- not the world best siliconing

Some of my "tools" no beer --- antibiotics - staph infection

Now onto the stand. Made out of 2 x 4s and 1/2 plywood.

The front part -- still no beer, but lots of smokes :smokin:

 

[Toddrtrex]

Here is the back part of the stand.

Not pictured is the center brace that will support the sump, but also help hold the front and back parts together.

BTW -- I tested the bottom platform without the center brace - by standing on it -- 200LBS

Here is the bottom platform - notched so that the stand would fit in the space b/t the tank and the outside wall of my apt.

God I hate sanding.

 

[bad coffee]

looks good so far. (you might want to replace that towel with a real curtain. I'd be using that as towel and woud get it all grimy!

Also, when you silicone, Put a piece of masking tape where you want the silicone to end. after you smooth it, pull the tape off (before the silicone dries. Viola, nice clean lines!

BC

 

[Toddrtrex]

The fun part -- two coats of stain, plus 3 coats of poly -- thanks to my folks letting me build and paint the stand in their garage

All done-- this is the top of the stand - letting it dry before head back to my place -- BTW shortly after this I realized (after driving 55 mins of my 60 min drive home) I left the center support brace at my folks. :uzi: :mad2: After setting at home for an hour (letting CUBS traffic die down - I drove back -- plus I needed to goto Home Depot again and of course the only one in Chicago land is in Naperville (that is what I told myself at least.)

 

[Toddrtrex]

looks good so far. (you might want to replace that towel with a real curtain. I'd be using that as towel and woud get it all grimy!

Also, when you silicone, Put a piece of masking tape where you want the silicone to end. after you smooth it, pull the tape off (before the silicone dries. Viola, nice clean lines!

BC

Thanks -- ran to target today to buy a real curtain-- didn't block enough light - I plan I having the fuge lit 24/7 -- After my divorce I got a roommate who bedroom is off this room.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Since my 75g isn;t reef ready I used a lifereef overflow box.

Here is a picture of both the overflow line -- background -- and the return line.

Water flowing into the skimmer section.

Will continue this thread in a bit --- time for a :smokin: and the Simpsons are about to start.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Here is the skimmer section (ASM 1GX -- same as I use on my 58g)

Fuge section - with some of the baffles on the right side -- not a whole lot in it yet - just some rocks I moved from the main tank to make room for the overflow box.

Return section -- I didn't drill the sump - - I used a over the top method (more details one how I did that later)

 

[Toddrtrex]

Retun line heading to the pump (which I almost put behind the sump -- would have been a real PITA to clean the pump) With ball valve/union

My T2 pump with seperate union and ball valve -- pump is on a cut up place mat (sorry Ma) I had just the PVC just a bit too short.

Return line head back over the sump to the tank. Plus the lights for the fuge.

 

[Toddrtrex]

About to go back into the tank. I used spa-flex to gkeep noise down.

The return line, a bunch of 1/4" holes.

Here is the end of the return line -- Not really need to rest on the tank top - but better safe than sorry.

Sorry for the size of the last one - Forgot I had turn the camera off-- reset the sizes.

Will go into more detail about the over - the - top method tomorrow --- you reading this makinwaveshhi??

 

[makinwaveshhi]

Yeah Todd, I gottcha. Thanks for the link. How'd you cut those "teeth" in the top of that baffle on the far left of your sump?
Kris

 

[makinwaveshhi]

O yeah, also how did you keep your baffles inline/straight and secure while you were gluing? Did you put the sump on it's side, or keep it right side up?
Kris

 

[Toddrtrex]

Kris, I cut that last baffle's teeth with my Dremel. I used a cylinder diamond bit - did it free hand. That last baffle was only 1/8" thick - the water level would be about the same I both sides so I wasn't worried about it bowing.

As for keeping the baffles straight whist I was siliconing them - I used nothing (except for the middle baffle -PVC to keep it off the bottom) I cut them pretty much to the width of the sump, so that they almost stayed in place on their own.

Here are some close up pictures of the over-the-back method of getting the water back to the pump.

This is the return section of the sump - the bigger PVC in the back corner is the return line (the others are for a PVC shelf the holds carbon.)

Here you can see the bag on the shelf, also the check valve the keeps the line primed when the pump is off

 

[Toddrtrex]

Here is, IMO, the most important part of this method. It is a T with a threaded end cap. It allowed me to pour water into the return line. The pump would not be able to pull the water from the sump if the line was not primed with water before hand. Make sure to use teflon tape on the threads - if you don't it will cause a venturi effect and give you microbubble in the tank. I used this method for the sump I built for my 58g. It has the same check valve, I have had the main pump off for over two hour without it losing its prime. However I am not sure if the check valve would hold if the pump was off for an extended period of time -- that is why I used a threaeded endcap instead of glueing it.

So far the sump has been working as I hoped. There was a small issue with microbubbles. I tracked that down to a very small leak that created a venturi - a little plumbers putty cured that. The overflow line is a bit louder than I had hoped - I think it might be because after the overflow box the PVC goes straight down and than into a 90 degree elbow. I have some extra spa-flex that I may try this weekend - the 90 degree turn will now be over a length of 3 feet instead of 3 inches. I willl post a picture of that fun when I am done. For now here is a wider shot showing the sump and most of the tank.

 

[sandslinger]

nice job...looks great

 

[Jon770]

Maybe I'm not understanding, but why did you cut the corners of the baffles out?

 

[Radicaljbr]

Nice job Todd.

Where did you buy the plastic sheets?

 

[Hopestar075]

I just bought my acrylic sheets at Home Depot for $8 something (24 by 18). I am starting a 20 gallon DIY sump/fuge

 

[Radicaljbr]

Oh...I did not think about HD.

I will hve to look it up next time I am there.

Thanks

 

[Toddrtrex]

Yep, hopestar075 is right, I got mine at HD.