reeffreak
Reef pro
Matt you can either have some of the water diverted to the fuge and some bypassing it or a separate fuge plumped into the sump.
Freshly Finished Sump Design
- Thread starter matthew1048
- Start date
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
I suppose it's about time for an update.
Some of you know that I left out for Florida on Wed. Some of you also may know that I was getting slightly tired of waiting on the glass man who was suppose to be cutting my plexi. Well, long story short, I went to a Lowes in Florida, got the plexi I needed, and was planning on calling the ole glass shop owner the next day and cancelling. Well, he called me first, while I was walking along the beach of Panama City and said that he had cut the plexi that morning. I thought to myself great, now I have two sets of baffles.
I got home yesterday morning, around 12:30. Later that day, after some much needed sleep, I went to start on installing my baffles. Started test fitting the baffles for the bubble trap and realized that they were way taller than I wanted, and I decided to cut them down with a circular saw. Took them outside, began to cut, got through about 8/10ths of the plexi and the saw kicked back on me, breaking two pieces of the plexi. In retrospect, I was probably cutting a little too quickly, and I should of played it safe and cut one piece at a time instead of all three at once.
Another great example of the saying that nothing good ever happens fast in this hobby. Looks like those extra baffles the ole glass shop owner has for me are gonna come in handy huh? LOL. I'm planning on going down and picking them up at the beginning of this week, and having him cut them down a little. Well, I'm off to bed, talk to y'all later!!!
Some of you know that I left out for Florida on Wed. Some of you also may know that I was getting slightly tired of waiting on the glass man who was suppose to be cutting my plexi. Well, long story short, I went to a Lowes in Florida, got the plexi I needed, and was planning on calling the ole glass shop owner the next day and cancelling. Well, he called me first, while I was walking along the beach of Panama City and said that he had cut the plexi that morning. I thought to myself great, now I have two sets of baffles.
I got home yesterday morning, around 12:30. Later that day, after some much needed sleep, I went to start on installing my baffles. Started test fitting the baffles for the bubble trap and realized that they were way taller than I wanted, and I decided to cut them down with a circular saw. Took them outside, began to cut, got through about 8/10ths of the plexi and the saw kicked back on me, breaking two pieces of the plexi. In retrospect, I was probably cutting a little too quickly, and I should of played it safe and cut one piece at a time instead of all three at once.
Another great example of the saying that nothing good ever happens fast in this hobby. Looks like those extra baffles the ole glass shop owner has for me are gonna come in handy huh? LOL. I'm planning on going down and picking them up at the beginning of this week, and having him cut them down a little. Well, I'm off to bed, talk to y'all later!!!
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bobby
I like to do bad things.
Sorry to hear it man. Atleasy you got a back up form the guy. Use a fine tooth blade and take it slow. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
RigoSharon
LIVING REEFS INTERN
sorry to hear that matt!!...small mistakes happens...we just learn from them..keep it kiking..and good luck.....
yote
In Memoriam
Mat,
The next time you go to cut plexi-glass with a skill saw,remember to turn the blade around so that the teeth are backwards and cut slow.By turning the blade around you eliminate the chance of the blade catching on the plexi and breaking it.
The next time you go to cut plexi-glass with a skill saw,remember to turn the blade around so that the teeth are backwards and cut slow.By turning the blade around you eliminate the chance of the blade catching on the plexi and breaking it.
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
Thanks for the support fellows!!! Great idea about the small toothed blade Bobby, and I will defenitely keep on kicking Rigo, and Yote - I almost did that exact same thing...turn the blade around, but then I talked myself out of it...after all was said and done, I was wishing I would have, LOL.
In alot of ways I'm glad things turned out the way they did. Mainly because all of the pieces were off by 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch...not a single one of them were cut to the exact dimensions I wanted...and to some folks a 1/16th of an inch may not matter, but it does to me. The worse part of it is that all of the dimensions were full by those amounts. If they'd a been shy by a 1/16th it would've been ok. I guess that summer I worked for Quality Control in the elevator factory (*read metal fab shop), kinda made me anal retentive about my measurements...LOL.
In alot of ways I'm glad things turned out the way they did. Mainly because all of the pieces were off by 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch...not a single one of them were cut to the exact dimensions I wanted...and to some folks a 1/16th of an inch may not matter, but it does to me. The worse part of it is that all of the dimensions were full by those amounts. If they'd a been shy by a 1/16th it would've been ok. I guess that summer I worked for Quality Control in the elevator factory (*read metal fab shop), kinda made me anal retentive about my measurements...LOL.
reeffreak
Reef pro
Matt have you checked Melev's website for sump designs.He had the fuge on one side and on the other side another chamber for a skimmer etc.Two drain lines and return pump in the middle.
Just a heads up!
Just a heads up!
yote
In Memoriam
Metal fab will do ya that way,and its not that 1/16 after you been doing for a few years.It gets to being that 32nd when you want a tight fit.
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
Will defenitely go by and check that out Freak. And yeah Yote, I def. hear were ya coming from!!!
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
A quick update. Yesterday I went and picked up the plexi from the glass shop. Got it home and went to test fit it and all of it is too tight.
Today I broke out the sander to take some of the edge off. It's a slow go, but it's getting there. My hands are itching like crazy right now from the vibration, so I'm going to pick up were I left off tomorrow. Any ideas on a better way to take that edge off??? Surely there are better ways to do it than sitting on the sidewalk with a belt sander turned upside down sitting between my legs...
Today I broke out the sander to take some of the edge off. It's a slow go, but it's getting there. My hands are itching like crazy right now from the vibration, so I'm going to pick up were I left off tomorrow. Any ideas on a better way to take that edge off??? Surely there are better ways to do it than sitting on the sidewalk with a belt sander turned upside down sitting between my legs...
RigoSharon
LIVING REEFS INTERN
sorry..no ideas on that matt..i know too little about craftmanship...if it was me...ill be doing the same on the sidewalk...dont forget pics as you progress ok..
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
Will do on the pics...I will start snapping the day I start laying the silicone!!!
fishbait
I found Nemo
i plan on making my sump like reefreek was talking about. a fuge on on end and the skimmer on the other, with the return pump in the middle. just tee the drain line and control the flow with a ball valve.
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
Thanks for the advice fishbait!!
A quick update for all those keeping up with this project:
Today I finished up sanding down the edges of the plexi. I was able to obtain access to a belt sander. I used a a fairly corase grit...50 I think. Things went much more quickly this way. It was a little hard to control at times...with the sander getting a hold of my leg once, but all in all, the end product is better than what I started with. Each piece is not the exact same width, which concerns me a bit...there's not alot of difference in each's width, but 1/16th nonetheless. I think with enough silicone, everything will work itself out...at least that's what I'm hoping for.
Tomorrow will hopefully bring silicone. I had a few other things to take care of today so I couldn't get around to it.
To all of those who want to build their own sump by using an aquarium and adding in dividers, be sure you tell the glass shop/cutter to cut the plexi a little shy of the actual dimension you tell them...perhaps a 1/16th - 1/8th shy in order to allow proper fit without the glass of the aquarium bowing outwards. It will save alot of heartache and frustration in the end.
A quick update for all those keeping up with this project:
Today I finished up sanding down the edges of the plexi. I was able to obtain access to a belt sander. I used a a fairly corase grit...50 I think. Things went much more quickly this way. It was a little hard to control at times...with the sander getting a hold of my leg once, but all in all, the end product is better than what I started with. Each piece is not the exact same width, which concerns me a bit...there's not alot of difference in each's width, but 1/16th nonetheless. I think with enough silicone, everything will work itself out...at least that's what I'm hoping for.
Tomorrow will hopefully bring silicone. I had a few other things to take care of today so I couldn't get around to it.
To all of those who want to build their own sump by using an aquarium and adding in dividers, be sure you tell the glass shop/cutter to cut the plexi a little shy of the actual dimension you tell them...perhaps a 1/16th - 1/8th shy in order to allow proper fit without the glass of the aquarium bowing outwards. It will save alot of heartache and frustration in the end.
fishbait
I found Nemo
thanks for the info on the glass cutting. i was wondering if it would fit too tight if it was cut the exact width of the tank. it's probably not a good idea to have the enough stress on the glass to bow out the sides. sounds like a glass explosion waiting to happen!
fishbait
I found Nemo
be sure and post some pics so we can see how it turned out. i want to start building mine sometime soon. i just can't make up my mind on which way to go. waste 100 bucks on a good overflow. or spend 200 on a predrilled tank with standpipe and bulkheads included. the 200 bucks would also be upgrading me from a 55 gallon to a 75. i would have to build a stand to fit the size sump that i wan't to run anyway. so i might as well build one to fit a 75. i shouldn't cost that much more. if any. so basiclly 100 bucks extra for a lot better upgrade. all i need is the ka-ching to get started.
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
I hear ya on the whole not being able to make up your mind fishbait. The $200.00 option sounds like a good route to me, and I defenitely will be taking pics. Planning on some step by step photos.
RigoSharon
LIVING REEFS INTERN
cmon matt..do you mind some pics???
matthew1048
Wurd to ya motha
LOL...Rigo's getting anxious! I'll get ya some pics hopefully sometime this week!!! I'm waiting on some one inch spacers so that my bubble trap will be built right. If I don't get the spacers soon, I'm just gonna buy a couple of short pieces of 3/4" PVC pipes, which are suppose to have a one inch diamater overall.
RigoSharon
LIVING REEFS INTERN
promises ...promises...big yawn...heheh...
