BUY A SUMP OR BUILD ONE?

[Nick428]

Could I get a tank and then go get acrylic sheets from Home depot, caulk those in and be set?

I suppose you could but there a little narrower toward the bottom like an upside down trapezoid.

Honestly i made them so i wouldnt need dividers. I have a full lit refugium on one and the other is deep sand bed dark refugium.

maybe a drop in nano skimmer could fit in the medium but definitely the larger one.

 

[Acros]

I used Fiji cube diy sump kit to build one. Cheap and relatively easy to put together.

however, I would buy something pre-made next time.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

does it come out to be the same? This including time and buying all of the stuff to build one when you have nothing on hand.
I own a business and I am working 24/7 but I think I can manage to have 30 minutes during the day to do some work on it and then maybe another 30 at night. Or should I just buy a sump online? this is for a 50ish gallon low boy.

If you're in the 48 states, I go on a website call OfferUp and I picked up a 46 gallon tank to use as a sump and they weren't far, for $25 brand new tank. Just a thought

 

[WvAquatics]

I will always make mine. Mainly for cost. If I could afford a bashsea sump I'd def buy one. But 1k is alot on top of other expenses E6000 is good at holding acrylic to glass.

 

[X-37B]

oh wow! that looks easy enough! lol do you find any difference in using baffles vs not?

If you run a fuge you need baffles.
I have no issues with bubbles or ato keepimg things stable.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

does it come out to be the same? This including time and buying all of the stuff to build one when you have nothing on hand.
I own a business and I am working 24/7 but I think I can manage to have 30 minutes during the day to do some work on it and then maybe another 30 at night. Or should I just buy a sump online? this is for a 50ish gallon low boy.

Bummer you don't live in southern california, I have a wholesaler that will make glass tank sumps whatever you want for a price you cannot refuse. Here's an example a tank that's 4 ft long 30 in wide 17 in high. 1/2-in glass and it's just regular glass nothing special. Retail you're looking at and I got quoted in my area to be made at $1,300. I got it at this wholesaler who just builds tanks , price total only for $197. I'm going to have another one made soon.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Do you have a photo!?

You want to see me dirty sump? Lol ok here goes (note, I did 0 prep or clean up for this pic!)
$40 tank from petsmart
$20 baffles from local glass shop
$4 silicone
$2 painters tape
Total $66+tax

 

[Bluefin1989]

You want to see me dirty sump? Lol ok here goes (note, I did 0 prep or clean up for this pic!)
$40 tank from petsmart
$20 baffles from local glass shop
$4 silicone
$2 painters tape
Total $66+tax

Dang! that's not bad! especially for the price!

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Dang! that's not bad! especially for the price!

Thanks! I'm pretty happy with it and it was a fun project. I will say that when I went to pick up the 1/4" baffles I paid cash and I asked the lady if I needed to sign anything and she said "no, you were never here...." so it's possible your glass shop might charge a little bit more.

 

[Beau_B]

I built one out of a standard tank and a sheet of polycarbonate. I am a home builder, with all the tools and experience... wouldn’t do it again. I made it fancy with sock holders, routed out flow gates, adjustable height weir, all of it. Took way more effort and time than it should.

The kits available from various companies with laser/cnc equipment would be the way to go. If I ever need another sump, that is how I would go about it.

 

[Bluefin1989]

I built one out of a standard tank and a sheet of polycarbonate. I am a home builder, with all the tools and experience... wouldn’t do it again. I made it fancy with sock holders, routed out flow gates, adjustable height weir, all of it. Took way more effort and time than it should.

The kits available from various companies with laser/cnc equipment would be the way to go. If I ever need another sump, that is how I would go about it.

Thank you for your feedback!

 

[Bluefin1989]

Bummer you don't live in southern california, I have a wholesaler that will make glass tank sumps whatever you want for a price you cannot refuse. Here's an example a tank that's 4 ft long 30 in wide 17 in high. 1/2-in glass and it's just regular glass nothing special. Retail you're looking at and I got quoted in my area to be made at $1,300. I got it at this wholesaler who just builds tanks , price total only for $197. I'm going to have another one made soon.

wow thats a sick price!

 

[GuppyHJD]

What kits do you recommend other than the Fuji Cube I am looking at?

 

[Drewe]

I've never used a pre-built sump, though I would if it were offered. I just can't justify the cost. There are a lot of ways to spend money in this hobby and I don't think spending hundreds on a pre-built sump is a good way. In the past I have used 20 longs and 40 breeders. I used to just get glass cut at Lowes and sand down the edges so I don't get cut, but now I'm using pre-fab acrylic baffles, I think I paid $25 on Amazon.

They're perfectly sized and all I had to do was measure my skimmer and return pump and place the baffles in with silicone. I got the tank for $50 at Petco, the silicone is like $4, and the baffles were 25. A 40 breeder sump for $79, not bad. Takes me about 15min to install the baffles but I use big globs of silicone because I don't care what it looks like under the stand.

 

[snorklr]

if you mask on both sides of each seam with blue painters tape about 1/8 inch from each edge you can silicone it and wipe the seam smooth with your finger...pull off the tape and the seams will look professionally done....fiji cube kit and dollar a gallon tank here....the kit has an adjustable water level baffle ....once i figure out what level makes the skimmer happy i'd be able to re-create it with glass baffles in the future