SUMP construction - need advice

[jmccown]

I have a 75g sump on my 380g tank that I would like to add a refugium chamber as well as drill for an external pump (Iwaki that I am going to buy from Phil). I know in doing this I have to add baffles. My tank is a clarity plus acrylic, it is a 5' tank. My questions are:

1: How could I take the sump out of commission long enough to add the baffles and allow them time to setup? How long does it take to bond the dividers/baffles?

2: How thick should the plastic dividers be on the baffles? Does Lowe's or Home Depot stock the plastic that would be okay for this?

3: What size hole would I need to drill the acrylic for a 1" bulkhead? What should I drill with?

I have a glass 55g that I was going to make a sump out of but I fear that it would not be enough volume of water for my big tank in the event of a power outage it might overflow. So, I have a good 55g for sale/trade.

 

[radone]

If you got the room for it, you could use a rubbermaid stock tank if you have one. If you where closer I'd let you borrow mine or the 180g tub I have.

Is the sump acrylic? If so I would recommend at least 24hr bonding time. If it is glass I would use glass for the baffles and silicone them in then let sit for at least 48hrs.

Is there anything in the sump now? Can it be moved out?
If not then your SOL

Do you have a closed loop? If so then you might be alright with just using it and taking the sump offline for a couple days.

It'll be up to you in the long run but I'm curious what other ideas may pop up.

If you have this in your basement or something and have the room I have another 180 gallon tub I can sell but it has a small leak that can be repaired (just never got to it) If interested let me know, I believe it's about 48"X48"X26" or so and is food grade plastic that has never been drilled. I used it to keep my pond fish in when I cleaned my pond so the little leak was outside, and never hurt anything

 

[jmccown]

Man how I wish I had a basement. Heck, even a fish room. Unfortunately, all I have is the space under my tank, which is the dimensions of my tank. It is 8' long x 26 and 31" of space under the tank. I don't have a closed loop. I have an ASM G4X skimmer in the sump and a Via Aqua 8000 return pump. Maybe I could just stick the 55g glass in there for now and take the acrylic tank out and work on it. Just keep everything going as it is. Much to think about. I just don't want to lose any fish or cause a flood.

 

[radone]

I've got that 125 for sale still, would make an excellent sump especially with those tank dimensions.

I still have the glass plugs to put in the holes or leave the bulkheads and put plugs.

You'd even have a place for frags



Let me know and we can work on the price

It's glass so you could leave your setup intact and build this then make the switch.
I can even get you inside measurements ahead of time to get your glass cut for the baffles

 

[phljess]

I would run a couple of closed loops on the drains and return lines until you can get your sump back online. If you have a fluval I guess you could use it also for some added filtration.

 

[grendl]

My experience is limited, but I did build a 29 gallon sump, but I used glass baffles in it... which resulted in me not using it at all. I would def use acrylic for the baffles (which can be purchased at Lowes) because acrylic doesn shatter if you drop a pump on it, or a rock from the 'fuge cracks into it. Just my $0.02.

Trav

 

[jmccown]

What should I use to drill for a 1" bulkhead on the acrylic? I may just skip the baffles, I don't know how I could do this without making a major job out of it. I am definately drilling for an external pump though. What size bit, what type, etc.?

 

[fishmon]

a standard wood holesaw works fine, the hole size for 1" is a
1 3/4" hole. A 3/4" need a 1 1/2" hole.

 

[jmccown]

Thanks Jim, that answers my questions.

 

[phljess]

Be careful drilling the acrylic. Do not let it get hot, which may cause it to melt. Also drill steady not to allow cracking.

 

[radone]

You can drill using a mist of water to keep it cool