Acquired some old acrylic ??'s
- Thread starter cracker
- Start date
just draw a box with two partitions and stare at it for an hour. You will see it!
cracker
Well-Known Member
I'm using the #16 solvent . It is forgiving of imperfect edges. I applied a bead to all the inside joints/seams. It was hard to walk away from it. In the morning it should be set. The reef octopus skimmer I have wants a water depth of 8.5 ". I have a lot of head scratching to do in regards to how deep and how big the three sections will be. I made it as tall as the amount of acrylic I had. I feel it gives me more options.
Agreed.
The return chamber will determine the water level in that chamber. Will you be using an internal return pump? If so, then place that pump in the final chamber. Figure the water level will be approximately 4" above the pump. You will maintain that level via top off.
You can make the center level at the hight you want by a baffle 1 " higher then you want. This accounts for the waters hight that overflows that baffle because the water will be about that high as it go's over the wall.
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk
The return chamber will determine the water level in that chamber. Will you be using an internal return pump? If so, then place that pump in the final chamber. Figure the water level will be approximately 4" above the pump. You will maintain that level via top off.
You can make the center level at the hight you want by a baffle 1 " higher then you want. This accounts for the waters hight that overflows that baffle because the water will be about that high as it go's over the wall.
Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk
cracker
Well-Known Member
I'm just thinking here.I will be doing left to right, skimmer section , refugium then return. I have a sicce 3.0 return. This little pump kicks butt, I was surprised. so in the 1st section I will have the drains. I want enough room to run a sock if I want and the skimmer. I can have a depth of this 1st section as deep as I want. I will have to put a stand under the skimmer to meet it's needs (8.5" )m I have more than enough room for a refugium. and still have a good size return. That's about as far as i go for now..
Ya know, I really enjoy this stuff. figuring out the best way , dealing with too many variables. It's fun!
Here is the kicker. I'm setting up this 75 gl tank for a 20 dollar lobster. I have a good 470$ into this setup so far. Go figure !
Ya know, I really enjoy this stuff. figuring out the best way , dealing with too many variables. It's fun!
Here is the kicker. I'm setting up this 75 gl tank for a 20 dollar lobster. I have a good 470$ into this setup so far. Go figure !
cracker
Well-Known Member
I think I have a good idea on where I want to place the baffles. Just not so sure how high I want them
so this 1st section has plenty of room for the drains, a sock and the skimmer. That leaves me about 24 inches for a ref and return section. how deep do I want the ref for some chaeto maybe? The return section has to be big enough for some ATO float or such.. The baffles will take up some space as well.
so this 1st section has plenty of room for the drains, a sock and the skimmer. That leaves me about 24 inches for a ref and return section. how deep do I want the ref for some chaeto maybe? The return section has to be big enough for some ATO float or such.. The baffles will take up some space as well.
Last edited:
MatroxD
Active Member
I don't know if this will help, but this is my little "standard" go to sump design.. 3 chamber, and the thing about it, it's that is highly flexible from a 24 to 60 inch tank(box). The balls height, I pretty much choose to be on the safe side of power failure, while at the same time, if I run out of water in my ato boxing a good 24 hours before I run into any possibility of the pump running dry..
The picture(with the heights) is on a 30 long tank, but, I have in, as you can see in the running sump, incorporated that into a 75 gallon tank also.. The 75 holds 30 gallons of water, though it doesn't seem like it. The skimmer chamber holds 15,the fuge chamber holds 10, and the return section holds 5 gallons(even though it seems tiny looking at the picture ). My goal and next project one day is to go up to a 5 foot sump. Then, then only thing I will increase is the skimmer/filter sock section, as my skimmer now is 10" in diameter(11x10. 75 footprint), so it makes it a tiny bit tight..
Hope this helps even a tiny bit..
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
The picture(with the heights) is on a 30 long tank, but, I have in, as you can see in the running sump, incorporated that into a 75 gallon tank also.. The 75 holds 30 gallons of water, though it doesn't seem like it. The skimmer chamber holds 15,the fuge chamber holds 10, and the return section holds 5 gallons(even though it seems tiny looking at the picture ). My goal and next project one day is to go up to a 5 foot sump. Then, then only thing I will increase is the skimmer/filter sock section, as my skimmer now is 10" in diameter(11x10. 75 footprint), so it makes it a tiny bit tight..
Hope this helps even a tiny bit..
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
MatroxD
Active Member
None at all to be honest.. I can't remember any issues I've had with the last 3 systems(about 3 years total) I have incorporated this design. I actually have, in the return section:
Return pump
UV pump
CaRx pump
Avast Spyglass reactor(medium I believe)
float switch(ato)
So it seems small, but in reality it actually isn't.. Honestly, I had more issues with the pre-fab sumps because there always seemed to be something I wished had been included, but was not..
But to answer your question directly, no, not a single issue whatsoever.. I can even get my shop vac in there(with all the pumps) to vacuum if I need to..
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
MatroxD
Active Member
I am with you and understand. Post some pics when your done with it..
Oh, one thing you may want to think about is an integrated filter sock holder. It comes in massively handy to say the least..
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk