finished my sump. but not sure if its any good

x17x11x · 07-26-2008, 11:49 AM

ok i need answers fast.
i used aquarium glue to piece the baffles which are made out of laxane (sp?) its like plexi glass but stronger i guess they use it for hockey glass and stuff. next after i put the baffles in i used silicon to seal any holes. didnt have a cauck (sp?) gun so me and my girlfriend used our hands and spreaded it around the edges which made a huge mess out of the tank and us but i can scrape off the extra silicon off the walls.

let me know if this is good or if i should change comething or add something i did leave room for a skimmer which i found one and got at the pet store

x17x11x · 07-26-2008, 11:50 AM

oh and forgive the aweful mess of silicon

Varga · 07-26-2008, 12:15 PM

IME silicone does not adhere to plastic

x17x11x · 07-26-2008, 12:16 PM

whats that mean

Octoman · 07-26-2008, 12:18 PM

Josh, are the two baffles together a bubble trap? Is the water supposed to flow under one or does it go over top of both?

What size tank is that? The center chamber (i think this is where your return pump is going) is where the water level will drop with evaporation. If the chamber is very small, you may have to top-off very frequently to keep the return pump from sucking air.

lcstorc · 07-26-2008, 12:18 PM

I haven't had any problems with it.
Don't know enough about baffle placement to say anything about that. I think it is acrylic that expands so you want some extra give so it doesn't break the glasss. Not sure if Lexan would be the same.

Octoman · 07-26-2008, 12:19 PM

Enough silicon should be sufficient to hold the plastic in place in the sump. It doesn't need to be anywhere near as strong of a bond as the outside walls of a tank.

x17x11x · 07-26-2008, 12:22 PM

the two baffles to the left are bubble traps and the water goes over both of them to the left of them is for my skimmer middle is for the return pump. and all the way to the right is the fuge

Octoman · 07-26-2008, 12:26 PM

For the bubble trap to be effective, you should put the third baffle in for the bubble trap like you had in your design...

x17x11x · 07-26-2008, 12:29 PM

ok i can do that. now how long should i wait before i can get this going.

Octoman · 07-26-2008, 12:35 PM

You should wait at least 48 hours for the silicone to cure, probably 72 just to be on the safe side.

Spartan117 · 07-30-2008, 09:17 PM

If you mark out your baffle placement with blue tape, once you apply the silicone, you can simply remove the tape and it will leave a clean edge.
There are some good videos on Youtube.com "Reef Tank D.I.Y. Sump part 1
" it is a 2 part video, very informative. Check it out before you redo your sump. Good luck.

Spartan117 · 07-30-2008, 09:18 PM

If you mark out your baffle placement with blue tape, once you apply the silicone, you can simply remove the tape and it will leave a clean edge.
There are some good videos on Youtube.com "Reef Tank D.I.Y. Sump part 1
" it is a 2 part video, very informative. Check it out before you redo your sump. Good luck.

07-26-2008, 11:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
x17x11x Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: new york Posts: 83 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	finished my sump. but not sure if its any good ok i need answers fast. i used aquarium glue to piece the baffles which are made out of laxane (sp?) its like plexi glass but stronger i guess they use it for hockey glass and stuff. next after i put the baffles in i used silicon to seal any holes. didnt have a cauck (sp?) gun so me and my girlfriend used our hands and spreaded it around the edges which made a huge mess out of the tank and us but i can scrape off the extra silicon off the walls. let me know if this is good or if i should change comething or add something i did leave room for a skimmer which i found one and got at the pet store __________________ Josh

07-26-2008, 11:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
x17x11x Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: new york Posts: 83 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good oh and forgive the aweful mess of silicon __________________ Josh

07-26-2008, 12:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
Varga Golden Moray Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,311 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good IME silicone does not adhere to plastic __________________ Visit my 300g Build http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...all-build.html

07-26-2008, 12:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
x17x11x Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: new york Posts: 83 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good whats that mean __________________ Josh

07-26-2008, 12:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Octoman Majano Slayer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,650 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good Josh, are the two baffles together a bubble trap? Is the water supposed to flow under one or does it go over top of both? What size tank is that? The center chamber (i think this is where your return pump is going) is where the water level will drop with evaporation. If the chamber is very small, you may have to top-off very frequently to keep the return pump from sucking air. __________________ Mark My tank thread... Octoman's 55 gallons of euphoria Tank build... 55 Construction

07-26-2008, 12:18 PM	#6 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,766 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good I haven't had any problems with it. Don't know enough about baffle placement to say anything about that. I think it is acrylic that expands so you want some extra give so it doesn't break the glasss. Not sure if Lexan would be the same. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

07-26-2008, 12:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Octoman Majano Slayer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,650 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good Enough silicon should be sufficient to hold the plastic in place in the sump. It doesn't need to be anywhere near as strong of a bond as the outside walls of a tank. __________________ Mark My tank thread... Octoman's 55 gallons of euphoria Tank build... 55 Construction

07-26-2008, 12:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
x17x11x Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: new york Posts: 83 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good the two baffles to the left are bubble traps and the water goes over both of them to the left of them is for my skimmer middle is for the return pump. and all the way to the right is the fuge __________________ Josh

07-26-2008, 12:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
Octoman Majano Slayer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,650 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good For the bubble trap to be effective, you should put the third baffle in for the bubble trap like you had in your design... __________________ Mark My tank thread... Octoman's 55 gallons of euphoria Tank build... 55 Construction

07-26-2008, 12:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
x17x11x Fire Coral Join Date: May 2008 Location: new york Posts: 83 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good ok i can do that. now how long should i wait before i can get this going. __________________ Josh

07-26-2008, 12:35 PM	#11 (permalink)
Octoman Majano Slayer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 1,650 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good You should wait at least 48 hours for the silicone to cure, probably 72 just to be on the safe side. __________________ Mark My tank thread... Octoman's 55 gallons of euphoria Tank build... 55 Construction

07-30-2008, 09:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
Spartan117 Tunicate Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good If you mark out your baffle placement with blue tape, once you apply the silicone, you can simply remove the tape and it will leave a clean edge. There are some good videos on Youtube.com "Reef Tank D.I.Y. Sump part 1 " it is a 2 part video, very informative. Check it out before you redo your sump. Good luck.

07-30-2008, 09:18 PM	#13 (permalink)
Spartan117 Tunicate Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: finished my sump. but not sure if its any good If you mark out your baffle placement with blue tape, once you apply the silicone, you can simply remove the tape and it will leave a clean edge. There are some good videos on Youtube.com "Reef Tank D.I.Y. Sump part 1 " it is a 2 part video, very informative. Check it out before you redo your sump. Good luck.

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