I have a 125gallon all glass aquarium with an oak stand, ive decided that it is time to upgrade my sump mainly to fit my new skimmer. The sump i want to put in is 36" long and 12" deep. I dont think i can slide it in. Im just wondering if anybody has any experience or ideas that i could use? My only thought was i could take one of the sides off and brace it and slide it in quickly, but im not sure thats the best idea. Any help would be very appreciated!
Need help with getting sump inside of stand!
- Thread starter 84chris
- Start date
smmscott
New member
here hope this helps. It can be done.
http://www.melevsreef.com/install_sump.html
http://www.melevsreef.com/install_sump.html
jjensen6823
New member
For my AGA 150, I just dropped the sump in through the top before I placed the tank (I know, no help once the tank is full!). But for my 72BF reef, I also decided to upgrade, only to find the sump wouldn't fit. I did unscrew the center brace from the from (nervously), slide the sump in, and immediately put the brace back. Took a bit of firm coaxing to get it back into place against the pressure of the tank, which I guess was making the frame sag a little. Not positive I would want to try it with a 125.
Rhodophyta
New member
What about using a piece of pond liner? You can support it with some plywood or hardiboard panels that can be set in place one at a time.
I did this once. THe most nerve racking time of my life. I actually drained half to a two thirds of the tank into buckets. Then I slid the tank onto my kitchen table. I removed the center bracket and dropped it in.
I highly recommend this method. I can not imagine miscalculating and pulling out a brace while the tank is sitting on the stand full. You only get one chance.
One more thing to consider. It sounds like your sump will be pretty big. Mine takes up two thirds of my stand. It makes it impossible to work on. I regret it often. Think it through. Will you be able to remove your collection cup from your skimmer? What other things might you have to access later?
HTH
I highly recommend this method. I can not imagine miscalculating and pulling out a brace while the tank is sitting on the stand full. You only get one chance.
One more thing to consider. It sounds like your sump will be pretty big. Mine takes up two thirds of my stand. It makes it impossible to work on. I regret it often. Think it through. Will you be able to remove your collection cup from your skimmer? What other things might you have to access later?
HTH
Rhodophyta
New member
That sure makes me think the pond liner approach makes the most sense in a retrofit for all the above reasons. You don't remove any water or stand braces. You can shove part of it out of the way to work on something else. You can change your mind later about how tall it is, or how much floor space it takes up if a skimmer cup is inconvenient, or you need floor space for some new equipment.
To get the liner into a corner, I prefer to fold it in flat on the bottom and walls, which leaves a triangular tab inside each corner. You can tuck the tabs behind, fold them over the front, or roll them. To avoid sharp creases in the liner which might cause a leak (fixable) some day, you can round out the corners before installing the liner with some modeling clay or even small bits of crumpled newspaper. If you don't care for the unfinished look, keep the doors closed, :lol: :lol: or you can cut the tabs off and seal the cut with pond tape or trim the tabs and glue them with pond repair glue. But then you are committed to that shape and size unless you pick up a new scrap of pond liner. Often there are scraps at a pond store that you can get discounted.
If you use the stand walls for support, you can work around obstacles such as vertical supports and get the maximum volume in the sump if you want that.
glalderman
New member
Willie_6...he said...put a hefty bag in the bottom of your stand and fill it with water! 
That actually is a very cool idea...would have never have thought of it Rhodophyta...like you Willie..I put the biggest sump I could fit in the stand...before I put the tank on the stand...had to drop the sump in from the top! now...I am limited by the size of items as Skimmers etc...and it is a pain in the butt to work on anything...or even get my hand in the Fuge section to prune back Cheato, etc...
Greg
That actually is a very cool idea...would have never have thought of it Rhodophyta...like you Willie..I put the biggest sump I could fit in the stand...before I put the tank on the stand...had to drop the sump in from the top! now...I am limited by the size of items as Skimmers etc...and it is a pain in the butt to work on anything...or even get my hand in the Fuge section to prune back Cheato, etc...
Greg
CleveYank
20 Years and Over
I think Burgman had a sump size issue and his solution was to have 2 sumps under his space that were bulkhead joined together. This solved removal once up and running and back again. Like the pond liner idea, so long as it's the heaviest stuff you can find and I think isolating tank heater from the bottom and sides would be of even greater concern than acrylic...and pumps would have to have their inputs protected so that if they moved or were pushed up against the liner that they wouldn't suck against it and burn up or damage the liner somehow. Other than that...liner is a great problem solver.
Rhodophyta
New member
Yeah, but a very thick Hefty bag! I didn't think of the idea myself either, but saw it in operation by a C-SEA member who joined a few meetings before Vi and I did. Instead of using the inside of a stand, he went one DIY step further.... He jackhammered out a big hole in the concrete slab floor, dug a big hole, and lined it with pond liner.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11431918#post11431918 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by glalderman
Willie_6...he said...put a hefty bag in the bottom of your stand and fill it with water!
That actually is a very cool idea...would have never have thought of it Rhodophyta...like you Willie..I put the biggest sump I could fit in the stand...before I put the tank on the stand...had to drop the sump in from the top! now...I am limited by the size of items as Skimmers etc...and it is a pain in the butt to work on anything...or even get my hand in the Fuge section to prune back Cheato, etc...
Greg
Actually the tank had a small leak and i resealed it and tested it today, everything looks good so far. so more than likely it will be put in by this weekend. I think i am going to put some 2x4 braces in and knockout one of the braces where one of the doors hit. Right after i get the sump in i will put the brace back in. If i get a chance to do it this weekend i will take pictures.
