Advice on a tall, small footprint sump?

[Smarkow]

Currently run a 210 display above a 75 gallon macroalgae fuge. The sump is a 30g tall with drilled overflows into the fuge, and is cryptic with bioballs and my heaters. I don’t skim and have a mixed reef which is fish heavy.

The layout:

Current setup of flow:

Display (210g) overflows (yellow) to elevated sump
Sump overflows (green) into fuge
Red is return line path


So the 30g tall is elevated so the overflows can dump into the fuge.
The current overflow setup has had me happy for 2 years - quiet, good gas exchange since I don’t skim, each 2” wide and protected vs blockage.
Elbow overflows on the left (2x white)

I’m looking to replace the 30g tall with a sump that I don’t have to elevate, so needs to be close to 38in tall, no more than 30” wide, and 12-16” deep. If deeper than 12-16” then I need to have it either cylindrical/hexagonal or triangular/pentagonal because the wall starts a 45 degree angle at 16”. Can have whatever bracing it would require. I’d like the ability to have more cryptic depth and run a bit more equipment, such as my avast ozone V2, my phyto station, and my clearwater scrubber. Eventually I can make my big fuge into a frag tank!

Already mounted! But no where to plumb... yet

Any thoughts on acrylic thickness or bracing?
Any ‘off the shelf’ containers that I could convert?
Think I should rearrange the whole bottom?

Don’t want to spend $ on custom sump bc I enjoy DIY/conversion and would rather the wife not kill me in my sleep

Thanks all! Open to every idea, don’t hold the crazy ones back

Stephen

 

[Ron Reefman]

Stephen, have you given any consideration to building the sump with 3/8th inch thick glass to the exact size you want? You like DIY and the truth is, building small (under 75g) glass tanks is pretty easy with just a few tools (4 small corner clamps, 2 or 4 big clamps, a calk gun).

I've made 6 tanks and/or sumps and over 6 or 7 years since I did the first one, none have ever leaked. My current 40g cube and 40g sump/refugium are DIY tanks.

 

[Smarkow]

Stephen, have you given any consideration to building the sump with 3/8th inch thick glass to the exact size you want? You like DIY and the truth is, building small (under 75g) glass tanks is pretty easy with just a few tools (4 small corner clamps, 2 or 4 big clamps, a calk gun).

I've made 6 tanks and/or sumps and over 6 or 7 years since I did the first one, none have ever leaked. My current 40g cube and 40g sump/refugium are DIY tanks.

Thanks Ron! Had not really thought about glass, mind was stuck kn acrylic. I do have all those tools on hand, but have never attempted. 1/2 electrical setups is right next to where the sump would go, so a catastrophic failure of the tank could be bad... Maybe I can internally and externally brace?

Thanks!

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks Ron! Had not really thought about glass, mind was stuck kn acrylic. I do have all those tools on hand, but have never attempted. 1/2 electrical setups is right next to where the sump would go, so a catastrophic failure of the tank could be bad... Maybe I can internally and externally brace?

Thanks!

Given the size of the build and the use of 3/8" glass I rate catastrophic failure chances at close to zero percent. Besides, it's a sump, not a display tank, so a little extra RTV silicone squeezed out won't be a big deal. On my 40g cube I didn't even give a second thought to doing a second inside bead of silicone. The tank has been running for almost 4 years (2 with a previous set up and 2 more as it is now) and it's been moved around and re-plumbed. If you want help or advise, even if it's just to build up a little confidence, just ask. The keys to success are a good glass cutter (I use a big glass and mirror shop here in town), doing a serious test fit with clamps and all, marking the sides so it goes back together the same way in the actual build and finally, don't squeeze the clamps too tight and push all the RTV silicone out.