75g tank Into a sump!!!!

[Mstanker]

hello,

I have a standard 75g tank that I want to turn into a sump to save money on my new 220 build. I’m trying to see if anyone has any picture of large diy sumps. I seen ppl use glass as the baffles but can you use plastic as a replacement.

I had in mind to have in this sump a refug, filter socks, skimmer, mini frag/etc area. Anyone willing to help me design it I’d appreciate it. Thank you

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Here is an old one of the 55g turned sump I used under my old 125 for a while. (took a lot of searching - back to 2015 - and before I learned what a rockscape really was)



The only lesson I learned from mine was not to put baffles too close together. I was using a double baffle right after the sock chamber to minimize bubbles and didn't allow enough room for water flow, so it just went over instead.

Glass is the recommend material for the baffles because silicone bonds to glass better than it bonds to acrylic/plastic. Glass is also really easy to cut yourself, just wear gloves and eye protection just in case. I also recommend using som3 200+ grit sandpaper and sanding the edges of the glass before putting them in place.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Here is an old one of the 55g turned sump I used under my old 125 for a while. (took a lot of searching - back to 2015 - and before I learned what a rockscape really was)



The only lesson I learned from mine was not to put baffles too close together. I was using a double baffle right after the sock chamber to minimize bubbles and didn't allow enough room for water flow, so it just went over instead.

Glass is the recommend material for the baffles because silicone bonds to glass better than it bonds to acrylic/plastic. Glass is also really easy to cut yourself, just wear gloves and eye protection just in case. I also recommend using som3 200+ grit sandpaper and sanding the edges of the glass before putting them in place.

good advise here about the baffles!

 

[Reefpuck]

Here's my 55g sump under my 90g. Just ripped apart a 10g tank and used the glass for baffles.

 

[Mstanker]

Yeah I just have to figure out where is get glass that wide and tall. Thanks for your help

 

[Mstanker]

Here's my 55g sump under my 90g. Just ripped apart a 10g tank and used the glass for baffles.

What is the large area in the sump. I do like that the clean and simple ness of your sump. I’d just add somewhere to put filter socks in to he mix.

 

[Reefpuck]

What is the large area in the sump. I do like that the clean and simple ness of your sump. I’d just add somewhere to put filter socks in to he mix.

The large section on the right is my fuge. I actually have a filter sock in the left back corner...behind the skimmer. In hindsight...I probably would have moved all the baffles to the right about 2" to give my filter sock/skimmer section a little more room. But the setup works great and still holds a lot of overflow from the main tank when the return pump is off.

 

[Reefpuck]

Yeah I just have to figure out where is get glass that wide and tall. Thanks for your help

Maybe a 20g tank would work? I don't know what glass panels cost these days...but a 20g should have all the pieces you would need. Especially if you can get one used or at the dollar per gallon petco sale.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Yeah I just have to figure out where is get glass that wide and tall. Thanks for your help

local glass shop will cut and sand it for you.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

I have a 220 display that I converted a 75 gallon tank into a sump. I wanted the mechanical filter after fuge section, I got tired of cheato getting stuck in my return pump on my previous tank. So my tank has ~25 gallon fuge, a baffle for socks or floss, skimmer section with space for a frag rack, and return.

Drew it up in sketchup.

I bought a tinted piece of glass with a broken corner for $10 on craigslist. That I cut for the baffles. The 75 gallon tank also came with a 3/8" piece of glass as a center brace that removed and reused. (The baffle is more than enough bracing.)

 

[jschlem]

I bought some baffles for my diy sump out of a 125 from @TaylorPilot they look great and are working perfectly. Would definitely recomend him.

 

[Mstanker]

Man that set up is what I was thinking about going with.

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

The sketchup file is not supported by this site to share it. If you want, I can send you the file I drew up. Sketchup is a free download if you've never used it.

 

[Mstanker]

Yeah sure that program looks good.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Here are two 75 gallon sumps I've put together.

What's great about DIY sumps is that you can customize the sizes of each compartment to fit whatever you wish to put in there. Most likely the largest item will be the skimmer. You want to make sure that obviously it fits in the space, but that you also have the room to get the skimmer in and out of the sump as well.


Note that there is nothing wrong with acrylic baffles (as long as they are thick enough.) The secret about making them stay put is using the right silicone. Here is a silicone that sticks to plastic and glass like grim death.

 

[Mstanker]

Where did you get the glass for the baffles

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Where did you get the glass for the baffles

I took apart a couple old 10g I had sitting around.

 

[Mstanker]

Oh cool that’s a good idea. Do you think any type of glass would work. Window

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

Any glass will work, but you can't cut it if it's tempered.

 

[lion king]

Here's my 55g, the refugium section could easily be your frag section.