Flower's Sump/Fuge Build
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flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331214
I assume that you are going to use your Coral Life 125 PS from your 90 Gallon tank.
LOL...I wanted to but it stacks at 25 inches from the bottom of the tank to the top of the next, so again it's too tall..so I will have to get another skimmer.
I like the octopus brand...a 30g isn't going to need anything too powerful.. I wouldn't think. I have plenty of dream time. I want to build a rock and foam wall for the back. I always have the canister I can use, but I really hate the nitrate issues I have with the 90g.
With it stacking like it does a sump would be perfect for a nice small saltwater in my office/bedroom. A sump would help because little tanks can go bad fast...the extra water volume has to be a plus.
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331214
I assume that you are going to use your Coral Life 125 PS from your 90 Gallon tank.
LOL...I wanted to but it stacks at 25 inches from the bottom of the tank to the top of the next, so again it's too tall..so I will have to get another skimmer.
I like the octopus brand...a 30g isn't going to need anything too powerful.. I wouldn't think. I have plenty of dream time. I want to build a rock and foam wall for the back. I always have the canister I can use, but I really hate the nitrate issues I have with the 90g.
With it stacking like it does a sump would be perfect for a nice small saltwater in my office/bedroom. A sump would help because little tanks can go bad fast...the extra water volume has to be a plus.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331248
I forget how tall the 125 are I have one as well, I will check when I get home.
It's 25 inches tall....the thing is a behemoth AKA Microbubble king of PITAs..I won't need a skimmer right away anyhow. I have the sump to make, the background wall to create, and then the cycle time, so that's at least a month or two...maybe three.
My plan is...1st chamber = hose from overflow from DT, and skimmer...three baffles, then refugium chamber...three baffles then pump with return hose chamber.
So what I need is the measures for the baffles and where to place them. How much space does the return chamber need?
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331248
I forget how tall the 125 are I have one as well, I will check when I get home.
It's 25 inches tall....the thing is a behemoth AKA Microbubble king of PITAs..I won't need a skimmer right away anyhow. I have the sump to make, the background wall to create, and then the cycle time, so that's at least a month or two...maybe three.
My plan is...1st chamber = hose from overflow from DT, and skimmer...three baffles, then refugium chamber...three baffles then pump with return hose chamber.
So what I need is the measures for the baffles and where to place them. How much space does the return chamber need?
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331270
I think you should go First Chamber: Bubble tower/Skimmer - three baffles, center return, third chamber fuge. Return tee'd off just like your 90 gallon. Can we talk you into drilling your tank (please) I will send you a jig like the one I used.
drilling...your sooo funny. I can't even use rivet a screw driver. Also I would never drill a glass tank, or trust anyone else to.
How can I make a bubble trap tower? I have the bubble trap from the broken acrylic sump, is there a way to use that on a glass tank? It is broken off the sump but it looks in tact and usable. Looks like one edge needs to be sanded smooth.
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331270
I think you should go First Chamber: Bubble tower/Skimmer - three baffles, center return, third chamber fuge. Return tee'd off just like your 90 gallon. Can we talk you into drilling your tank (please) I will send you a jig like the one I used.
How can I make a bubble trap tower? I have the bubble trap from the broken acrylic sump, is there a way to use that on a glass tank? It is broken off the sump but it looks in tact and usable. Looks like one edge needs to be sanded smooth.
sparty059
Active Member
To be honest, drilling a tank looks FAR harder than it really is, and it doesn't even look that hard! I drilled one and it was possibly one of the easiest things I had done during the whole setup of the tank. I'm sure you or a young man living near you could drill it for you! Trust me, it's a piece of cake, and it's really fun too!
al&burke
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331283
Packages are shipping to Al and Shawn today. Tracking #s have been PM'd.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331281
You could certainly silicone it into the 30 gallon sump - just sand and roughen up the edges. I bet you could drill a tank
The bubble tower from your 90 should be about 14 inches tall.
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331283
Packages are shipping to Al and Shawn today. Tracking #s have been PM'd.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331281
You could certainly silicone it into the 30 gallon sump - just sand and roughen up the edges. I bet you could drill a tank
The bubble tower from your 90 should be about 14 inches tall.
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331281
You could certainly silicone it into the 30 gallon sump - just sand and roughen up the edges. I bet you could drill a tank
Silicone will stick to acrylic? I thought it wouldn't stick to any type of plastic. I can't drill a tank. I can't even use an electric screwdriver or drill or whatever that contraption is. I can run a sander..turn it on and hold on tight, not letting it stay in one spot too long.
EDIT:
The acrylic bubble trap is 12 inches tall and fits very nicely in the 30g long. How to attach it is the question. One of the teeth on the bottom is broken and very sharp. One edge is very smooth and the other has some pieces of acrylic attached that needs to be sanded off t be useable.
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331281
You could certainly silicone it into the 30 gallon sump - just sand and roughen up the edges. I bet you could drill a tank
EDIT:
The acrylic bubble trap is 12 inches tall and fits very nicely in the 30g long. How to attach it is the question. One of the teeth on the bottom is broken and very sharp. One edge is very smooth and the other has some pieces of acrylic attached that needs to be sanded off t be useable.
al&burke
Active Member
Flower - if you can find the broken tooth - you can crazy glue it back. You can silicon the bubble trap in the 30 gallon sump, it is only going to sit in the corner of the tank, because it is not spaning the width of the tank the differences in thermal and water absorption expansion will not effect the bubble trap. If a piece of acrylic went across the width of the tank the expansion would be great with the increase in the width of the material. For example metal will expand when heated up - if the piece of metal is really wide it will expand a lot more than a smaller piece of metal. I am going out to the shop to finish the fuge i will put some drawing together after of your 30 gallon sump, talk to you then. Al
flower
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331325
Flower - if you can find the broken tooth - you can crazy glue it back. You can silicon the bubble trap in the 30 gallon sump, it is only going to sit in the corner of the tank, because it is not spaning the width of the tank the differences in thermal and water absorption expansion will not effect the bubble trap. If a piece of acrylic went across the width of the tank the expansion would be great with the increase in the width of the material. For example metal will expand when heated up - if the piece of metal is really wide it will expand a lot more than a smaller piece of metal. I am going out to the shop to finish the fuge i will put some drawing together after of your 30 gallon sump, talk to you then. Al
Well I know where the other piece of the tooth is...still attached to the broken sump. Its just a very small piece and it would be against the wall of the tank so it is no big deal. I will just sand off the sharp pointy part. Here are a few pictures.
Broken tooth
The rough edge
I could just put two pieces of glass togeher in the corner raised up to the height of the teeth so water could pass under, and use the acrylic bubble trap as an insert ... I like the teeth to keep the rubble rock inside. I will have some glass cut for the baffles...and use fish tank grade silicone to hold it all in place. How thick of glass should the baffles be?
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331325
Flower - if you can find the broken tooth - you can crazy glue it back. You can silicon the bubble trap in the 30 gallon sump, it is only going to sit in the corner of the tank, because it is not spaning the width of the tank the differences in thermal and water absorption expansion will not effect the bubble trap. If a piece of acrylic went across the width of the tank the expansion would be great with the increase in the width of the material. For example metal will expand when heated up - if the piece of metal is really wide it will expand a lot more than a smaller piece of metal. I am going out to the shop to finish the fuge i will put some drawing together after of your 30 gallon sump, talk to you then. Al
Well I know where the other piece of the tooth is...still attached to the broken sump. Its just a very small piece and it would be against the wall of the tank so it is no big deal. I will just sand off the sharp pointy part. Here are a few pictures.
Broken tooth
The rough edge
I could just put two pieces of glass togeher in the corner raised up to the height of the teeth so water could pass under, and use the acrylic bubble trap as an insert ... I like the teeth to keep the rubble rock inside. I will have some glass cut for the baffles...and use fish tank grade silicone to hold it all in place. How thick of glass should the baffles be?
al&burke
Active Member
Looks like you wont be able to get the piece off, just for fun get a hammer, make sure you have safety glass or regular glass and just tap the broken piece that is on the sump you might be able to tap it off, don't hit it too hard. If you can't just sand the edges, like you said, on the bubble tower so you don't cut yourself when you are doing maintenance. Glass baffles 1/4" or 5mm - let's see what Shawn or Corey have to say. You should be fine with a bigger piece of live rock in the corner. Good luck
2quills
Well-Known Member
It still breaks my heart seeing the broken pieces like that. If you wanted to attempt to salvage the tooth then the best idea that I can think of off the top of my head would be to score around the joints of the tooth with a utility knife and then with a sharp chisel and hammer gently tap and cut away at the joints. keep working the chisel on both sides of the tooth untill it gets to the point where you can snap it off.
You could just cut the broken tooth off. Maybe even cut the other one off on the other side as well to make it match. Or sanding it down works too. I would deffinately sand down the ends flat. As well as sanding the edges near the ends like Al mentioned. Sanding the edges near the ends will create a rough surface which will help the silicone to hold the baffles better. Since silicone won't actually bond to the acrylic then roughing up the edges for the silicone to get a better grip on it is a huge pluss.
For asthetics I would probably match the thickness of the baffles with the thickness of the glass that the tank is made out of. I would say that 1/8th will work but it's thin and a little brittle. 1/4" would be a better bet since it's much more durable and won't be as easy to chip or crack if a skimmer or pump ever slipped out of your hands and landed on one of them. I'm not sure what size thickness that most 30g tanks are made out of but I have a 20G laying around and it is aproximately 3/16" of an inch thick. It actually apears to be more like 5/32"nds. But 3/16" is close enough for me.
You could just cut the broken tooth off. Maybe even cut the other one off on the other side as well to make it match. Or sanding it down works too. I would deffinately sand down the ends flat. As well as sanding the edges near the ends like Al mentioned. Sanding the edges near the ends will create a rough surface which will help the silicone to hold the baffles better. Since silicone won't actually bond to the acrylic then roughing up the edges for the silicone to get a better grip on it is a huge pluss.
For asthetics I would probably match the thickness of the baffles with the thickness of the glass that the tank is made out of. I would say that 1/8th will work but it's thin and a little brittle. 1/4" would be a better bet since it's much more durable and won't be as easy to chip or crack if a skimmer or pump ever slipped out of your hands and landed on one of them. I'm not sure what size thickness that most 30g tanks are made out of but I have a 20G laying around and it is aproximately 3/16" of an inch thick. It actually apears to be more like 5/32"nds. But 3/16" is close enough for me.
acrylic51
Active Member
It's been awhile, since I've been on....Been busy in the garage, and the sump is complete......Finished polishing the sump yesterday, and have to get the pics posted up.....Joe sent the boxes out, so shouldn't be long.....
Flower can you get 1 of the bulkheads and measure the back part of the bulkhead where the threads are. We just need a measurement across the bulkheads, so Al Can drill the fuge.....I don't remember what size I used. Also on a quick note, I remember pages and pages ago, but what ATO do you have?
Flower can you get 1 of the bulkheads and measure the back part of the bulkhead where the threads are. We just need a measurement across the bulkheads, so Al Can drill the fuge.....I don't remember what size I used. Also on a quick note, I remember pages and pages ago, but what ATO do you have?
acrylic51
Active Member
Dang!!!! Your quick!!!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331376
Hi Flower, I just got a PM from Shawn, Can you measure the diameter of the two holes on the fuge, he thinks they are 1-1/2 inches also if it is not to broken up the distance from the bottom of the fuge to the bottom of the hole.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/380517/flower-s-sump-fuge-build/1200#post_3331376
Hi Flower, I just got a PM from Shawn, Can you measure the diameter of the two holes on the fuge, he thinks they are 1-1/2 inches also if it is not to broken up the distance from the bottom of the fuge to the bottom of the hole.
al&burke
Active Member
Shawn, When do you think you are going to be shipping. I just set the top bracing on, I have to do a bit of routing, leak check, drill bulkheads. With your American Thanksgiving I don't think I will be able to ship till next Monday overnight for Tuesday, realistically. What do you think? There is a slight chance I might be able to ship friday for saturday delivery, have to think about this. I am working away from my office thursday friday - friday night get it out.