Sump and Fuge upgrade
- Thread starter cipher43
- Start date
2quills
Well-Known Member
I actually made some calls around town for some acrylic sheeting today, myself. I would look up some local plastics shops/fabricators. They will usually sell you sheets alot cheaper than what you'll pay online for just a single sheet or two. Polycast is probably the best but everybody tells me that no matter what you at least need to use a cell cast material for aquariums and such. 3/8" is what I'll be going with. You might be able to get away with 1/4" but I would probably go with 3/8" to be safe.
acrylic51
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3382471
Alright lately ive been thinking about making an acrylic sump for my 120 tank and wondered where is the best place to get acrylic. Also how thick would i need if i planned on making it around 40 inches long and around 20 inches tall.
Sorry for butting in....but definitely wouldn't use 1/4" material.....You can, but would be easier to use 3/8" material IMHO......Price will be the deciding factor as well. 20" is way to tall.....Honestly no need to go that deep.
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3382471
Alright lately ive been thinking about making an acrylic sump for my 120 tank and wondered where is the best place to get acrylic. Also how thick would i need if i planned on making it around 40 inches long and around 20 inches tall.
Sorry for butting in....but definitely wouldn't use 1/4" material.....You can, but would be easier to use 3/8" material IMHO......Price will be the deciding factor as well. 20" is way to tall.....Honestly no need to go that deep.
cipher43
Member
Yeah still not sure if i want to use the 30gal i have right now which is 30X18X13 or so or make a sump from acrylic and have it be 40ishX 16X16. Not sure if those dimensions would work but i thought i would try and use as much of the space under the stand as i can. I was planning on making a deep sand bed in the fuge so not sure how tall i should make it for sure. What dimensions would you suggest. not sure the exact size of the stands inside dimensions since i havent built it yet but it should be around 30" tall by 20" deep by 42" long
2quills
Well-Known Member
I would go a little bit taller with your stand IMO. I made mine 40" tall so I have plenty of head room under there for plumbing and equipment. Pluss I don't have to bend down very far to look at the tank.
A 12" tall fuge should be plenty so if you did a 16" tall sump that would work pretty good. I like the idea of the custom sump. Also when you build your stand, make the center vertical piece in the middle of the stand removable...you'll be glad that ya did.
A 12" tall fuge should be plenty so if you did a 16" tall sump that would work pretty good. I like the idea of the custom sump. Also when you build your stand, make the center vertical piece in the middle of the stand removable...you'll be glad that ya did.
cipher43
Member
right now the outside hight was going to be 36 but i may bump it up to 40. The wife cant help clean it right now anyways so whats 4 more inches lol. The dimensions i listed above are of the inside after the 2X4 bottom and 2X6 top...... just realized my math was off before...... i may make it 40 tall tho now.
2quills
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3386008
right now the outside hight was going to be 36 but i may bump it up to 40. The wife cant help clean it right now anyways so whats 4 more inches lol. The dimensions i listed above are of the inside after the 2X4 bottom and 2X6 top...... just realized my math was off before...... i may make it 40 tall tho now.
Yeah I'll need a little step stool in order to clean mine real good but that's no biggie. I'd gladly take that for the xtra room underneath. Honestly if you went with all 2" x 4" construction you could keep the height at 36" and still end up with roughly 30" below which is still a good amount of room. Instead of 2x6 for the top you could double up on your 2x4's side by side or essentially laminating them together with glue and screws if that makes sense and it would be plenty sturdy.
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3386008
right now the outside hight was going to be 36 but i may bump it up to 40. The wife cant help clean it right now anyways so whats 4 more inches lol. The dimensions i listed above are of the inside after the 2X4 bottom and 2X6 top...... just realized my math was off before...... i may make it 40 tall tho now.
Yeah I'll need a little step stool in order to clean mine real good but that's no biggie. I'd gladly take that for the xtra room underneath. Honestly if you went with all 2" x 4" construction you could keep the height at 36" and still end up with roughly 30" below which is still a good amount of room. Instead of 2x6 for the top you could double up on your 2x4's side by side or essentially laminating them together with glue and screws if that makes sense and it would be plenty sturdy.
acrylic51
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3386027
Yeah I'll need a little step stool in order to clean mine real good but that's no biggie. I'd gladly take that for the xtra room underneath. Honestly if you went with all 2" x 4" construction you could keep the height at 36" and still end up with roughly 30" below which is still a good amount of room. Instead of 2x6 for the top you could double up on your 2x4's side by side or essentially laminating them together with glue and screws if that makes sense and it would be plenty sturdy.
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3386027
Yeah I'll need a little step stool in order to clean mine real good but that's no biggie. I'd gladly take that for the xtra room underneath. Honestly if you went with all 2" x 4" construction you could keep the height at 36" and still end up with roughly 30" below which is still a good amount of room. Instead of 2x6 for the top you could double up on your 2x4's side by side or essentially laminating them together with glue and screws if that makes sense and it would be plenty sturdy.
cipher43
Member
Ok so i may just go with the 2x4s not sure yet cause i can get some 2x6s for free if i give a guy some split wood so i may do that but im not sure if he has any right now.
also i just found out that i have another sump option i can use. The guy i bought the 120 off of has an acrylic tank that had a blow out on one end. not sure on the dimensions of it yet but i know its probably too long so i could make it a little shorter and see. I will know the dimensions and things tomorrow because im going to go get it then. Ive never worked with acrylic before so i will probably need some help on that. Also Acrylic51 where would you suggest getting acrylic because im going to need enough to make the baffles and maybe one end for this tank.
also i just found out that i have another sump option i can use. The guy i bought the 120 off of has an acrylic tank that had a blow out on one end. not sure on the dimensions of it yet but i know its probably too long so i could make it a little shorter and see. I will know the dimensions and things tomorrow because im going to go get it then. Ive never worked with acrylic before so i will probably need some help on that. Also Acrylic51 where would you suggest getting acrylic because im going to need enough to make the baffles and maybe one end for this tank.
cipher43
Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3386027
Yeah I'll need a little step stool in order to clean mine real good but that's no biggie. I'd gladly take that for the xtra room underneath. Honestly if you went with all 2" x 4" construction you could keep the height at 36" and still end up with roughly 30" below which is still a good amount of room. Instead of 2x6 for the top you could double up on your 2x4's side by side or essentially laminating them together with glue and screws if that makes sense and it would be plenty sturdy.
I'm 6'3" and I'm guessing I will probably need a step too for this beast (compared to my 30g) lol..... heck I may even build a nice step stool out of the oak im going to use.
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3386027
Yeah I'll need a little step stool in order to clean mine real good but that's no biggie. I'd gladly take that for the xtra room underneath. Honestly if you went with all 2" x 4" construction you could keep the height at 36" and still end up with roughly 30" below which is still a good amount of room. Instead of 2x6 for the top you could double up on your 2x4's side by side or essentially laminating them together with glue and screws if that makes sense and it would be plenty sturdy.
I'm 6'3" and I'm guessing I will probably need a step too for this beast (compared to my 30g) lol..... heck I may even build a nice step stool out of the oak im going to use.
acrylic51
Active Member
When I'm building from scratch I usually go 16" just for extra backflow room if needed. 12" will work fine. You just need to design and verify, that when the system is up and running that in the event of a power outage that the sump can handle all the backflow from the system, but that isn't a major thing to solve and adjust.... Build on!!!!!
cipher43
Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3387350
When I'm building from scratch I usually go 16" just for extra backflow room if needed. 12" will work fine. You just need to design and verify, that when the system is up and running that in the event of a power outage that the sump can handle all the backflow from the system, but that isn't a major thing to solve and adjust.... Build on!!!!!
when you say build on do you mean make it taller or make it longer/wider?
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3387350
When I'm building from scratch I usually go 16" just for extra backflow room if needed. 12" will work fine. You just need to design and verify, that when the system is up and running that in the event of a power outage that the sump can handle all the backflow from the system, but that isn't a major thing to solve and adjust.... Build on!!!!!
when you say build on do you mean make it taller or make it longer/wider?
cipher43
Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3387376
No what I was saying was get busy!!!! Need some pics to get my fix.... I have to get my friend Jerry to post some pics of the sump I just finished for him and we installed late Sunday night....
LMAO wow that makes more since. Its been a long day.... what can i say.
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3387376
LMAO wow that makes more since. Its been a long day.... what can i say.
2quills
Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3387247
Ok so i got the tank i was talking about and I'm not sure how hard it will be or if it is possible at all. The dimensions are 48 long X 24 wide X 12 tall. Would I be able to cut the tank and make it 44 long X 20 wide X 12 tall or is that not possible.
Got a pick of this tank? Seems like it could be a little sketchy to me. I mean I'm sure it could be done but I would think your cuts have to be pretty precise and wondering what tool you would cut it with. Thinking a table saw would be the best bet. Is the tank euro braced?
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///forum/thread/385206/sump-and-fuge-upgrade/20#post_3387247
Ok so i got the tank i was talking about and I'm not sure how hard it will be or if it is possible at all. The dimensions are 48 long X 24 wide X 12 tall. Would I be able to cut the tank and make it 44 long X 20 wide X 12 tall or is that not possible.
Got a pick of this tank? Seems like it could be a little sketchy to me. I mean I'm sure it could be done but I would think your cuts have to be pretty precise and wondering what tool you would cut it with. Thinking a table saw would be the best bet. Is the tank euro braced?