Sump / plumbing/ overflow building questions

[AMAYEU]

If I build a diy sump with a 15 gal tall tank (same footprint as a 10 gallon), do you feel that it might be cheaper to buy a 10 gal tank and use it's glass for baffles rather than buying the glass or acrylic?

 

[Xx YOZER xX]

You can buy a small sheet of Plexiglas at home depot. Use a square and score it with a razor knife on both sides, then snap it off clean. Or you can cut it with a skill/table saw.

 

[northbay-reefer]

When you install a sump, you want something that will give you space to work with. the 10 gal tank just doesn't have the space. I prefered my sump to be made out of acrylic so I can drill and install the return pump on the ouside. Less heat and more space for my skimmer.

 

[northbay-reefer]

You can buy a small sheet of Plexiglas at home depot. Use a square and score it with a razor knife on both sides, then snap it off clean. Or you can cut it with a skill/table saw.

The acrylic at HD is made from extrude acrylic so it will soak more water than the casted type acrylic. I would only use them to make baffles and smaller applications but not a sump. BTW I hate baffles

 

[AMAYEU]

You can buy a small sheet of Plexiglas at home depot. Use a square and score it with a razor knife on both sides, then snap it off clean. Or you can cut it with a skill/table saw.

K. Either way it's going to be scoring glass or plexiglass.

When you install a sump, you want something that will give you space to work with. the 10 gal tank just doesn't have the space. I prefered my sump to be made out of acrylic so I can drill and install the return pump on the ouside. Less heat and more space for my skimmer.

I only have 20x18 to work with. Maybe a 18x18 cube. Think that's 25 gal.

This is what I am tring to do. The link show the cabinet and sump someone used.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2175317

 

[northbay-reefer]

All those baffles in the middle just maintain water level and micro bubles seems like a waste of space. If you must, then install one set of baffles before the return pump and you are good to go.

 

[woodnaquanut]

Beware of the plexi swelling and breaking the glass sump. There's a thread in the DIY section - the poster broke 2 (two) 40b tanks putting in plexi that was too tight.

Check out Tap Plastics scrap bin for good deals on cell cast (the good stuff) plexi. They will even (for a fee) cut it for you.

 

[Reef Bass]

I was going to suggest having Tap cut your pieces. That's how I got my baffle plates. They''ve been in for years without noticeably swelling or cracking my 30g sump.