OK... it's official... I hate my tank. It was a gift 20 years ago... A top of the line Tenecor acrylic with a built in sump - they called it the simplicity model... I used it for maybe 2 years, fish only - then due to a move, it went into storage where it sat waiting for me. A little over 2 years ago, I dug it out, and set it up. The old T12 lighting was ditched for a pair of radions. The return pump was a Rio - allegedly a good pump back when I bought it, but I ditched that for a danner pump. I also added a pair of MP10s on the sides for better flow. I've kept the bioballs - despite what everyone says my water parameters are always spot on... SO - here's the part I hate... The pondmaster is starting to give out on me... It's time to get a new return pump. I want a Vectra. but I'm not sure it will fit in the sump... When the tank was new - that back wall sump was an expensive option and the latest thing... I'm just not as enamored of it as I once was... I want a REAL sump, one that can add significant water volume, one I can have a refugium in, one I can run a REAL protein skimmer in... For both cost and sentimental reasons, I'd like to keep this tank - but I'm giving serious thought to a teardown and restart. Does anybody have any thoughts about cutting out the false back wall and creating just a standard tank that I can then put a ghost overflow on with a sump? Is modifying an acrylic tank like that even advisable? thoughts?
I hate my tank!!!
- Thread starter BigMack
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azbigjohn
Valuable Member
I guess it depends on what the false back is made out of.
If it is the same thickness of acrylic as the tank, it might be structural, and probably not worth it. If it is a thinner material, it probably could be cut out, then sanded down fairly flush. Question then will be aesthetics of the area and if you will be okay with how it looks. Is it a different color?
I fully get the sentimental value of the older tank. I would probably give it a go. If you aren't happy, you were looking at getting a new tank anyway!
If it is the same thickness of acrylic as the tank, it might be structural, and probably not worth it. If it is a thinner material, it probably could be cut out, then sanded down fairly flush. Question then will be aesthetics of the area and if you will be okay with how it looks. Is it a different color?
I fully get the sentimental value of the older tank. I would probably give it a go. If you aren't happy, you were looking at getting a new tank anyway!
R_C
Active Member
I woul just leave the wall and drill the sump area's bottom and add a bulkhead and durso or bean animal overflow and add the sump you want in the stand. Also drill the return lines there if you want.
mcarroll
10K Club member
SAVE THE TANK
This link has more pics:
http://www.tropicalfishstore.com/simplicity.htm
First, rethink that Mag pump....more than likely it's OK.
At most an impeller may need to be replaced (which had a 1 year warranty)....more than likely the pump just needs to be cleaned. Sometimes this cleaning takes more effort than it initially appears. If it requires more than a cleaning or impeller replacement, then the whole pump has a 5 year warranty. Don't waste a perfectly good pump - call them!
http://info.dannermfg.com/dw1/warranty/
A sump is certainly not a requirement, and you said you had decent success with this tank before. Well guess what? The tank may be the same as 20 years ago, but everything else has gotten better - not the least of which is our knowledge! It should be easier to keep things in this tank today than it was back then...even with the same old gear!
I don't see any reason you can't "rephrase" the current tank into something better just by changing some of the equipment to more optimal choices. The lighting and pumps you picked are definitely more suited to a cube-type tank, for example. Forget the Vectra, IMO...you and the tank get very little out of the deal for the cost.
You mention cost as a factor, so my recommendation is a different direction. I'm guessing since you haven't yet told us the size of your tank, but you could have almost $2000 in your current lights and pumps - probably no less than $900. Switch out those lights and pumps - you'll have a better fitting solution and probably some money left over in the pocket afterward.
With the size of your tank we can make some better recommendations.
DITCH THE TANK
But if you really, really want that sump, I wouldn't mess around with this tank at all. Either find another use for it, or....let it go.
Tough call....been there.
Get a plain tank you can drill or get a predrilled tank....and get glass this time since it'll be your choice! So much easier to live with - especially when you're reefing! Low-light/FOWLR is a different story...acrylic is probably much less offensive.
This link has more pics:
http://www.tropicalfishstore.com/simplicity.htm
First, rethink that Mag pump....more than likely it's OK.
At most an impeller may need to be replaced (which had a 1 year warranty)....more than likely the pump just needs to be cleaned. Sometimes this cleaning takes more effort than it initially appears. If it requires more than a cleaning or impeller replacement, then the whole pump has a 5 year warranty. Don't waste a perfectly good pump - call them!
http://info.dannermfg.com/dw1/warranty/
A sump is certainly not a requirement, and you said you had decent success with this tank before. Well guess what? The tank may be the same as 20 years ago, but everything else has gotten better - not the least of which is our knowledge! It should be easier to keep things in this tank today than it was back then...even with the same old gear!
I don't see any reason you can't "rephrase" the current tank into something better just by changing some of the equipment to more optimal choices. The lighting and pumps you picked are definitely more suited to a cube-type tank, for example. Forget the Vectra, IMO...you and the tank get very little out of the deal for the cost.
You mention cost as a factor, so my recommendation is a different direction. I'm guessing since you haven't yet told us the size of your tank, but you could have almost $2000 in your current lights and pumps - probably no less than $900. Switch out those lights and pumps - you'll have a better fitting solution and probably some money left over in the pocket afterward.
With the size of your tank we can make some better recommendations.
DITCH THE TANK
But if you really, really want that sump, I wouldn't mess around with this tank at all. Either find another use for it, or....let it go.
Tough call....been there. Get a plain tank you can drill or get a predrilled tank....and get glass this time since it'll be your choice! So much easier to live with - especially when you're reefing! Low-light/FOWLR is a different story...acrylic is probably much less offensive.
