JustDavidP
01-04-2005, 09:50 AM
Okay... since I have no access to a public storage site for my pics, they are all going to have to be uploaded via the manager below. They will be in order...if I do it right! :)
The little 20 gallon wet/dry wasn't ideal, but kept my tank running for a year. I looked around at MACNA but was NOT going to spend hundreds on a sump. Enter...the Boston Reefers Society (BRS)!
My buddies (TStone and Neo) Marvin and Gustavo offered to help me build a new sump from scratch. All it took was an order to JFreeman in Boston for the acrylic (cut to order), a case of beer, and some misc. tools and viola! I now have a sump that holds 50 gallons +/- and configured to work! All for less than 150 bucks.
Okay...
The first thing you need is a plan and a sketch. If your acrylic cuts are not true, you will have major problems. I didn't even take the chances cutting it myself. Gustavo and I designed and then ordered the exact cuts from J Freeman in Boston (for 125.00). They had my acrylic done in a day and the cuts were crystal clear!! It is still cheaper than any pre-fabbed sump I found and was built for MY needs.
With that said, you need some tools. Do it right! Get the tools. It makes a world of difference. What you see below is the corner braces/clamps, acrylic cement (Weld On). Number 4 is watery and is used with the syringe or capillary applicator. The number 16 is thicker and is used for the "box" or outside corners. It's much like you would see with silicone caulking on a fish tank.
Using the corner clamps, you build three sides of the box. Leave the 4th side open so you can properly glue in the dividers, baffles etc.
The cement applicator needle is dragged slowly along the corners of the acrylic. You can see the weld on 4 seep into the gap between the sheets of acrylic. This stuff doesn't glue as much as it melts and welds the plexi together. Make sure you do both sides of the seam and that you leave no air gaps in between. Again, the glue really fills in nice. If you get gaps, it is because you went too fast. Do it again until all the void space is filled. Let this sit for a few minutes before moving the sump. (Note the all important tool "Gustavo". He and I became friends through BRS and thank God. He's great people!)
Once the panels are glued and you install the baffles and other walls, you will want to go over the major seams with Weld On 16. This will ensure a good corner bond. I also did the main walls of the fuge and other areas for more center support.
Finally, use a blow torch to "flame polish" the edges of the sump. Nothing worse than having to work in there and come out with scratched up forearms!! The heat from the torch melts the burrs and creates a smooth finish. It looks nicer than a smoked panel too!
Here is an image of the final product, minus the modification to my plumbing. I'll post pictures of that when I cut up the 1 inch PVC and start assembling. In the mean time, I used photoshop to draw in the pipe work.
The overflow will split via a t-valve and ball joint. The majority of the water will fall straight into chamber 1 and will be baffled. Some water will flow through the T along the sump and fall into the refugium (5) by way of a spray bar. The walls of the refugium have many 1/2 inch holes drilled at the top. This will be the water level of the refugium.
Water from chamber 1 flows into chamber 2, which will house my Euroreef ES 5-3 skimmer. The output from the skimmer then travels through the baffles (3) where small bubbles are extruded. The water then falls into chamber 4 where a Mag 7 returns it to the display tank above. At the same time, the refugium overflow trickles into the same chamber 4 and with it, planktonic life which then gets sent to the display via the Mag 7.
The little 20 gallon wet/dry wasn't ideal, but kept my tank running for a year. I looked around at MACNA but was NOT going to spend hundreds on a sump. Enter...the Boston Reefers Society (BRS)!
My buddies (TStone and Neo) Marvin and Gustavo offered to help me build a new sump from scratch. All it took was an order to JFreeman in Boston for the acrylic (cut to order), a case of beer, and some misc. tools and viola! I now have a sump that holds 50 gallons +/- and configured to work! All for less than 150 bucks.
Okay...
The first thing you need is a plan and a sketch. If your acrylic cuts are not true, you will have major problems. I didn't even take the chances cutting it myself. Gustavo and I designed and then ordered the exact cuts from J Freeman in Boston (for 125.00). They had my acrylic done in a day and the cuts were crystal clear!! It is still cheaper than any pre-fabbed sump I found and was built for MY needs.
With that said, you need some tools. Do it right! Get the tools. It makes a world of difference. What you see below is the corner braces/clamps, acrylic cement (Weld On). Number 4 is watery and is used with the syringe or capillary applicator. The number 16 is thicker and is used for the "box" or outside corners. It's much like you would see with silicone caulking on a fish tank.
Using the corner clamps, you build three sides of the box. Leave the 4th side open so you can properly glue in the dividers, baffles etc.
The cement applicator needle is dragged slowly along the corners of the acrylic. You can see the weld on 4 seep into the gap between the sheets of acrylic. This stuff doesn't glue as much as it melts and welds the plexi together. Make sure you do both sides of the seam and that you leave no air gaps in between. Again, the glue really fills in nice. If you get gaps, it is because you went too fast. Do it again until all the void space is filled. Let this sit for a few minutes before moving the sump. (Note the all important tool "Gustavo". He and I became friends through BRS and thank God. He's great people!)
Once the panels are glued and you install the baffles and other walls, you will want to go over the major seams with Weld On 16. This will ensure a good corner bond. I also did the main walls of the fuge and other areas for more center support.
Finally, use a blow torch to "flame polish" the edges of the sump. Nothing worse than having to work in there and come out with scratched up forearms!! The heat from the torch melts the burrs and creates a smooth finish. It looks nicer than a smoked panel too!
Here is an image of the final product, minus the modification to my plumbing. I'll post pictures of that when I cut up the 1 inch PVC and start assembling. In the mean time, I used photoshop to draw in the pipe work.
The overflow will split via a t-valve and ball joint. The majority of the water will fall straight into chamber 1 and will be baffled. Some water will flow through the T along the sump and fall into the refugium (5) by way of a spray bar. The walls of the refugium have many 1/2 inch holes drilled at the top. This will be the water level of the refugium.
Water from chamber 1 flows into chamber 2, which will house my Euroreef ES 5-3 skimmer. The output from the skimmer then travels through the baffles (3) where small bubbles are extruded. The water then falls into chamber 4 where a Mag 7 returns it to the display tank above. At the same time, the refugium overflow trickles into the same chamber 4 and with it, planktonic life which then gets sent to the display via the Mag 7.