Need some help please.
- Thread starter sandman12
- Start date
wyldgunz
Member
Ok here we go ... for starters youll need 2-3 dividers to make it work properly. they also have to be cut to certain lenths to create a water fall / gravity feed , way of exchanging water from one compartment to the next. Ill post some pics to help along the way so it will be a multi post. ( im not sure how to post 30 pics on on post)
The materials i list are rough estimates depending on where your sump/fuge mounts so you might have extra .. just return them to the store.
for material youll need the following:
10' - of 1/2" SCH40 PVC
1 -SCH40 1/2" pvc male adaptor
6 -SCH40 1/2" pvc elbows ( 90 degrees)
1 -SCH40 1/2" pvc full port ball valve
1 - 1/2 two-hole strap
A return pump rated for same or close to same GPH as your overflow.
(Your overflow should be 1" but if a different size just suppliment the following with the correct size)
10' -of 1" SCH40 pvc
6 -1" SCH40 pvc elbows (90 degrees)
1 - 1" two-hole strap
a handful of wood screws
Purple primer
heavy duty pvc glue
a stick of plumbers epoxy ( an option in case of a leak or incase your overflow is abs plastic , pvp glue dosent work well on it)
Each post will be in steps hope its clear enough instructions
The materials i list are rough estimates depending on where your sump/fuge mounts so you might have extra .. just return them to the store.
for material youll need the following:
10' - of 1/2" SCH40 PVC
1 -SCH40 1/2" pvc male adaptor
6 -SCH40 1/2" pvc elbows ( 90 degrees)
1 -SCH40 1/2" pvc full port ball valve
1 - 1/2 two-hole strap
A return pump rated for same or close to same GPH as your overflow.
(Your overflow should be 1" but if a different size just suppliment the following with the correct size)
10' -of 1" SCH40 pvc
6 -1" SCH40 pvc elbows (90 degrees)
1 - 1" two-hole strap
a handful of wood screws
Purple primer
heavy duty pvc glue
a stick of plumbers epoxy ( an option in case of a leak or incase your overflow is abs plastic , pvp glue dosent work well on it)
Each post will be in steps hope its clear enough instructions
wyldgunz
Member
you will need to take some measurements if your using a 20 long you will need a 8" divider a 7 " divider and a 9" divider from either plexiglass or glass ( id recomend glass it adhears better with the silicone) Use the Aquarium grade silicone.
Measure over 6 1/4" and put your 9" divider in so its 1 1/2" off the bottom of the tank. It should go all the way up to where the lid sits.
Next measure 2 1/2" from the divider and place your 8" divider making sure it touches the bottom of the tank.
Then measure 6" off the opposite wall and install the 7" divider making sure it touches the bottom of the tank.
It should look like this
Measure over 6 1/4" and put your 9" divider in so its 1 1/2" off the bottom of the tank. It should go all the way up to where the lid sits.
Next measure 2 1/2" from the divider and place your 8" divider making sure it touches the bottom of the tank.
Then measure 6" off the opposite wall and install the 7" divider making sure it touches the bottom of the tank.
It should look like this
wyldgunz
Member
You now have a compartment for heater, skimmer, and water inlet. A compartment for refugium. And a compartment for return water.
You need all 3 .... you dont was your pump to be sucking up pods, snails, crabs, sand , ect and you dont want to refugium stired up from rushing water , thats why the gravity feed (trap style supply) from inlet compartment to the refugium is a good way of doing it. and the water fall technique from refugium to return pump keeps the flow in the refugium going.
Top view of finished product you can see the mag7 sitting solo in the return area, and the skimmer , heater , and 1" pvp inlet on the opposite side.
Your going to want to wait a day to let the silicone cure. there wont be a lot of pressure but you want to make sure you go around the dividers well with the silicone. and any messes can be cleaned up from the glass with a razor blade.
You need all 3 .... you dont was your pump to be sucking up pods, snails, crabs, sand , ect and you dont want to refugium stired up from rushing water , thats why the gravity feed (trap style supply) from inlet compartment to the refugium is a good way of doing it. and the water fall technique from refugium to return pump keeps the flow in the refugium going.
Top view of finished product you can see the mag7 sitting solo in the return area, and the skimmer , heater , and 1" pvp inlet on the opposite side.
Your going to want to wait a day to let the silicone cure. there wont be a lot of pressure but you want to make sure you go around the dividers well with the silicone. and any messes can be cleaned up from the glass with a razor blade.
wyldgunz
Member
In the above pics you can see the 1/2" pvp going from the magdrive 7 with a 1/2" full port ball balve on it. The ball valve is used to regulate the water its pushing back into tank so you dont run your return compartment dry and burn up your pump. its tough to match up a perfect balance of overflow and return pump so its a good idea to close the valve a little if your draining the water to fast in you sump/fuge , untill you get a setting that balances out. Youll be able to figure it out .
From that ball valve run your pvp about 1" above the top of your tank and add a 90 degree elbow so its looking tward the front of the tank.
Next youll probalby have to cut a 1-3" piece of 1/2" pvp to get from that elbow so you can drop down into the tank once you do that add another 90 degree elbow to the end so its looking down at the tank.
The next piece youll want a 3-4" piece going into the water and add a 90 degree elbow on the end ( dont glue this one right away, use it as a power head and ajust the direction of flow to your needs then glue.)
Heres a pic of what it should look like....
From that ball valve run your pvp about 1" above the top of your tank and add a 90 degree elbow so its looking tward the front of the tank.
Next youll probalby have to cut a 1-3" piece of 1/2" pvp to get from that elbow so you can drop down into the tank once you do that add another 90 degree elbow to the end so its looking down at the tank.
The next piece youll want a 3-4" piece going into the water and add a 90 degree elbow on the end ( dont glue this one right away, use it as a power head and ajust the direction of flow to your needs then glue.)
Heres a pic of what it should look like....
wyldgunz
Member
Drill a small hole in the 1/2 return line about 1/2" below the water lvl in the display tank, so if power goes out the vaccum will break and it wont siphon the water out of the display tank and flood your sump/fuge, creating a mess on the floor.
The next Step is to pipe from your over flow to your inlet area. The compartment with the skimmer heater and the pipe going into the water with bubbles for airation. I dont use a filter in the supply side i let the skimmer do the work and theres a filter on the magdrive 7 before it gets to tank.
Im not sure what overflow your using but its realatively simple if you have gotten this far with it just hook up the pipe and run it into the water ( or put it above the water and add a filter device its up to you .. different strokes for different folks)
The two-hole straps should be used to secure the pvc lines to your stand if you can or rig something up they really need support.
Hope this helps if you need anymore info or if something is unclear let me know.
Have fun with your project and best of luck the sump/refugium is a nice addition.
The next Step is to pipe from your over flow to your inlet area. The compartment with the skimmer heater and the pipe going into the water with bubbles for airation. I dont use a filter in the supply side i let the skimmer do the work and theres a filter on the magdrive 7 before it gets to tank.
Im not sure what overflow your using but its realatively simple if you have gotten this far with it just hook up the pipe and run it into the water ( or put it above the water and add a filter device its up to you .. different strokes for different folks)
The two-hole straps should be used to secure the pvc lines to your stand if you can or rig something up they really need support.
Hope this helps if you need anymore info or if something is unclear let me know.
Have fun with your project and best of luck the sump/refugium is a nice addition.
nacl-man
Member
Wow! Those are some detailed directions. I know I wasn't the original poster but those are gonna help me a lot! That is exactly what I want to do with my sump setup. Awesome. Do you mind if I copy those instructions down and maybe use them later on my website? I'd give you credit of course.
Thanks a bunch!
Cheers!
Thanks a bunch!
Cheers!