DIY Sump
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Mike N
Valuable Member
There are ways to safeguard against flooding if you use a HOB overflow. You can have peace of mind without drilling.
1) Use an aqualifter pump or something similar to maintain siphon when the return pump shuts off.
2) Drill a small hole just above or below the water line on your return jet.
1) Use an aqualifter pump or something similar to maintain siphon when the return pump shuts off.
2) Drill a small hole just above or below the water line on your return jet.
I will drill the hole in the return pipe, thanks for reminding me of that trick. I also bought one of these to shut off the pump if the water gets too high in the DT. I plan to attach it to the bottom of the glass lid.
BornHandy
Active Member
Just in case it sets you at ease, back in the early 2000's, I worked at a pet store that maintained somewhere around 100 aquariums. After a while, I became one of the maintenance guys.
I would guess that about half of those tanks were drilled, and maybe a quarter were using over the rim boxes. Out of the three catastrophic floods we experienced in that time, (3 years or so) none were a result of a failed siphon in the u-tube.
One was an angry wife with a bat, one was a failed seam, and one was a plumbing failure.
Almost without fail, a bubble would develop in the u-tube over time, but it was still siphoning as much as the pump could supply. A bit of shaking the u-tube to break the bubble apart, and the smaller bubbles would be pushed out of the tube by the siphon until it was clear.
I am not saying that a drilled tank isn't a safer option, but I wouldn't let the fear of an over the rim overflow slow me down. Having said that, I drilled my own tank, and it was way easier than I thought it was going to be.
I broke my first tank because I had been assured the bottom was the only tempered pane. As it turned out, all planes were tempered, and I shattered it. The next 4 holes were in the new and non-tempered glass...easy peasy in my experience.
I would guess that about half of those tanks were drilled, and maybe a quarter were using over the rim boxes. Out of the three catastrophic floods we experienced in that time, (3 years or so) none were a result of a failed siphon in the u-tube.
One was an angry wife with a bat, one was a failed seam, and one was a plumbing failure.
Almost without fail, a bubble would develop in the u-tube over time, but it was still siphoning as much as the pump could supply. A bit of shaking the u-tube to break the bubble apart, and the smaller bubbles would be pushed out of the tube by the siphon until it was clear.
I am not saying that a drilled tank isn't a safer option, but I wouldn't let the fear of an over the rim overflow slow me down. Having said that, I drilled my own tank, and it was way easier than I thought it was going to be.
I broke my first tank because I had been assured the bottom was the only tempered pane. As it turned out, all planes were tempered, and I shattered it. The next 4 holes were in the new and non-tempered glass...easy peasy in my experience.
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Be patient, give it a week to fully cure the silicone!
jsvand5
Valuable Member
It’s not likely that they will, but it really doesn’t even matter all that much if the baffles leak a little. You just want to make sure the final baffle before the return pump is water tight. That way in the worst case scenario only water higher than the final baffle in the sump could possibly be pumped into the display.
OK. I made a 4-1/2 inch tall egg crate floor for the Skimmer section to make sure it runs at the proper depth. I am using pieces if 1-1/2 inch pvc as risers. Should I drill holes through the risers so stagnant water won't sit in the risers or am I over thinking it? (I even thought of drilling small holes and filling the pvc risers with pond matrix to encourage slow flow for nitrate removal.)
I also bought 2 buckets of Seachem Pond Matrix and bags to hold it. I plan to line the egg crate false floor with the bags of matrix to ensure flow through above the water outlet section. I decided to use the Matrix rather than live rock since it has much more surface area and is easier to use.
As always, thoughts and/or suggestions are welcome.
I also bought 2 buckets of Seachem Pond Matrix and bags to hold it. I plan to line the egg crate false floor with the bags of matrix to ensure flow through above the water outlet section. I decided to use the Matrix rather than live rock since it has much more surface area and is easier to use.
As always, thoughts and/or suggestions are welcome.
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Good luck, I think it will be fine!
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OK. I made a 4-1/2 inch tall egg crate floor for the Skimmer section to make sure it runs at the proper depth. I am using pieces if 1-1/2 inch pvc as risers. Should I drill holes through the risers so stagnant water won't sit in the risers or am I over thinking it? (I even thought of drilling small holes and filling the pvc risers with pond matrix to encourage slow flow for nitrate removal.)
I also bought 2 buckets of Seachem Pond Matrix and bags to hold it. I plan to line the egg crate false floor with the bags of matrix to ensure flow through above the water outlet section. I decided to use the Matrix rather than live rock since it has much more surface area and is easier to use.
As always, thoughts and/or suggestions are welcome.
A filter sock or nothing at all I would use instead of the sponges. 3 sponges would just be a PIA to clean every few days. I wouldn’t have bothered with the baffle around the pipe coming from the overflow. You could have set the water height with one baffle. I would have used a MarinePure Block instead pond matrix. Make sure you have good flow though that stuff or it will become a detritus trap.
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clm65
Well-Known Member
I tend to agree with the socks versus the sponges. Sponges will be a pain to maintain, and when you remove them any loose crap will fall off and end up in your sump anyway. If it is not too late, I would figure out how to add a sock holder. It doesn't mean you need to always run with socks, but it would be nice to be able to add them when you want to do a little extra polishing.
Well, got the tank up and running. Changed plans and decided to go freshwater with it. Plan on Discus and assorted others (used to have a Discus hatchery). Thanks for all the input, it was awesome to get so many ideas and suggestions. Here are a few pics of the finished product. I still have a smaller saltwater tank with some coral and clowns. My wife is pretty understanding about this hobby but when I told her that it would be a long time for a 120 to get established and get the full reef look she started to waver LOL.
Also, found this stuff at Homedepot. It is cheap, 10 ft for 6 bucks, 100% polyester. I contacted the manufacturer and they said it is 450 microns. I just cut it to length, double the bottom and close off with a zip tie and clip it to the first baffle glass under the tube which is 1.5 inches under the water level. Much cheaper than the premade filter socks, I can just toss it when its dirty or clean it and reuse it, whichever I feel like at the time. Out of a 10 ft piece, I should get 8-10 socks out of it. Now that I have found it, they also have a 100 ft version for only 22 bucks. If I can get even 80 out of a 100 ft roll, then that makes each sock around .25$. That I can handle LOL. I originally got it to use it to wrap around my hose when siphoning the sand substrate during a water change so sand doesn't get down my drain and clog it up...... again LOL. Works great for that also, plenty of waterflow through it but no sand gets through.
Again, thanks for all the input. I will be doing a larger reef tank in the future but need to let my wife gradually work her way into the process LOL. Losing that Sailfin Tang really bothered her.
Again, thanks for all the input. I will be doing a larger reef tank in the future but need to let my wife gradually work her way into the process LOL. Losing that Sailfin Tang really bothered her.
Ok, couldn't stand not having the large marine tank so, in my storage room I am setting up a spare 125 and using a 55 gallon to build another sump Gonna change a few things and thought i would see what you all think.
fishybizzness
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Just finished my 55 gallon sump. I installed an egg crate section after the overflow to use with filter pads. I have a same setup on my original tank and I really like it. I just take the dirty pad out every 3-4 days and hose it off and rinse it in some rodi and it's good as new! I usually replace it every 2 months with a new pad. I bought a roll of it on Amazon and it lasts for a few years.
