55 gallon sump/fuge work in progress

[kilted celt]

I think I used 1/4 BUT some of my walls are a little cocked and if you used 1/8 you may not have that problem. I don't think you need to worry about strength or anything like that...

[astiesi]

I would use 1/4" for a 55 gallon. I used 1/8" for a 20L and its ok but I do see the glass bow a bit in the center. Any bigger than a 20 and I would go with1/4" if it were me.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

that's what i was thinking 1/4" because I thought I read somewhere and it might of been here in RS about the bowing from the weight of the water. So it will be 1/4" glass that I would use, hopefully anyways.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

well tomorrow I'll be checking with soome glass shops on prices of glass with the lengths and widths, I'm sure it won't cost that much for a 12 x 15, 12 x 12 1/2, 12 x 16 (these 3 is the bubble trap pieces), and 12 x 14 1/2 (this will divide the return section and the fuge section at which I might increase the height by couple of inches).

****Why I edit

Had to change dimension from 13" to 12" thanxs to blakejohn seeing this small error on my dimensions.

[BLAKEJOHN]

1/4"

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

yes blakejohn 1/4" I was thinking being crazy and go with 1/16" thick glass, just to see how long it would last.

[BLAKEJOHN]

I'm posting from my phone and it seems not to be in time with the site or something. The prior three posts where not ther when I posted. Anyways did you double check the inner width of the tank? The only reason I mention it is that most 55's including mine have a 12" inner width.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

lol you know what blakejohn I don't know why I was saying 13" as many times I had measure the inside of the tank. I'll go back to that particuliar post and changed the 13 to 12 thanxs for pointing that out.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

since the internal width is 12" should i have tghe glass cut to 12" or have them cut 1/8" shorter so instead of 12" be made to 11 7/8"

[BLAKEJOHN]

I might have them cut an 1/16th" shorter just to leave a little room for error. The silicon will hold it. You will just have to support it till it dries

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

k thanxs blakejohn thats what I was thinking but just wasn't sure if i should or not.

well hopefully I can get the glass next week at the local glass shop.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

As things look, I might have the money to go down to my local glass shop and get the 4 pieces of glass cut. from my figure's even if I did use 1/4" acrylic for the baffles/walls and the silicone(silicone heavy on both sides), I could spend almost as much money for the 4 pieces of glass would cost between $45 - $50. andf with glass I won't have to use allot of silicone for it like I would with the acrylic to make sure they would hold.

Originally Posted by astiesi

That is correct, silicone will not adhere properly to acrylic. Many people have had luck using a bead of silicone on each side of a piece of acrylic to wedge it in, but I have also seen this technique fail. My recommendation is to go with glass.

I was know what your talking about astiesi because my lfs their reef dt I checked their sump and some of their acrylic baffles I had notice they are slowly giving away. I don't won't that happen is why I'm going with glass. but I do have a plan about using acrylic baffles in a glass tank, but I'm not going to do that with this sump. I will do this idea when I can do my 20 nano with a sump.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

well this DIY project is finish. I put in 1/4" glass instead of going with acrylic. I silicone the glass plates in couple nights ago and water tested each chamber today and each chamber held water for about 2 nours and didn't leak into the next chambers.

The micro bubble trap the spacing between the 3 pieces of glass is 1" and the middle glass is between 1" to 1.5" off from the bottom. So looking at the sump from left to the right it's the incoming water/skimmer chamber, microbubble trap, return chamber, then finally the refugium.

from the top of the middle wall in the trap and the refugium wall is a 4.5 - 4.75" gap. I figure use the entire tank this way incase the overflow should get that high to give plenty of space for it.

[SiNiStEr NaTiOn]

Ok as I was going through this thread especially toward the end I forgot to give the measurements I went with and the sizes of the 3 chambers and their estimated gallon they can hold. So here it is folks.

Baffles:

14" x 12" (the chamber 1 size)
15" x 12" (the middle baffle that is 1" off from the bottom)
13 1/2" x 12" (the return chamber side)

Refugium Wall: (this seperate the return and fuge)

16" x 12"

with the fuge wall and the center baffle is total of 16" high and it leaves 3 1/2" space to the top of the tank in case the back flow happens to reach this height I got the entire tank length. I know this will fill the first chamber with the skimmer is in and the output will be submerge until the water gets pumped back into the tank. I am going to drill a syphon break in the return line.

Once I get all the equipment and everything plumbed, before the sand and LR goes into the tank I will fill the tank with FW and add the FW into the sump and turn on everything except the skimmer and to check the operation then kill the power to the sump to let the back syphon happen. so I can mark my water lines on my sump.

Chambers dimensions/estimated gallon

chamber 1 (this is the water inlet and protein skimmer section)

9 7/8" x 12" 7.09g

Chamber 2 (this is the return chamber)

23 1/2" x 12" 16.48g

Chamber 3 (this is the refugium chamber)

11 1/2" x 12" 9.56g

and yes I'll be using a filter sock in chamber 1, and have some filter socks on hand to replace the dirty sock until it can be washed.

my baffles has 1" space between the 3 glass pieces used to make the baffles. If there's any questions about my sump/fuge feel free to ask or comment on it.

[yungreefer2410]

i would make the fuge section 2 and return section three, you want the more area for the fuge and a higher flow would be nice for cheato