Leak turns into new build

MichaelClark55 · Feb 25, 2019

My 75G bowfront leaked at bottom seal so ordered a new 125 this morning. I will start building the stand today. Sump will be 55G and the refugium will be a 4' long 33G. I will be designing the system in the next couple days as I wait on the new tank to arrive. One of the items I want to upgrade is the ATO reservoir. I had been using a 5G bucket. Thinking a 32G Brute can if I can get it to fit in the stand with 3 tanks there.

I will update here as I progress.

NY_Caveman · Feb 25, 2019

Sorry to hear about the leak, but sounds like a nice way to recover.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 25, 2019

NY_Caveman said:
Sorry to hear about the leak, but sounds like a nice way to recover.

Thanks! Stay tuned I'm going to turn disaster into better than ever!

MichaelClark55 · Feb 25, 2019

I want to build a stand that will let me stack the 3 tanks. DT on top draining into 4' 33g fug draining into 55G sump on bottom. Anyone done something like that? I'm an architect and I will be designing it today. Looking for ideas. I need to leave room for large ATO storage.

sean rand · Feb 25, 2019

MichaelClark55 said:
My 75G bowfront leaked at bottom seal so ordered a new 125 this morning. I will start building the stand today. Sump will be 55G and the refugium will be a 4' long 33G. I will be designing the system in the next couple days as I wait on the new tank to arrive. One of the items I want to upgrade is the ATO reservoir. I had been using a 5G bucket. Thinking a 32G Brute can if I can get it to fit in the stand with 3 tanks there.

I will update here as I progress.

Nice! Whas it a marine land tank that leaked?

MichaelClark55 · Feb 25, 2019

Another question. Since I am going from 4' tank to 6' tank I will add 3rd powerhead. Is the best placement in the rear center? I will place the side ones aimed at front center as before on the 4' tank. SPS & LPS.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 25, 2019

sean rand said:
Nice! Whas it a marine land tank that leaked?

I bought it used so I don't know the brand. It was old. Time for a re-seal I'm sure. I will probably seal it myself and reuse it eventually.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 25, 2019

Draining leaker today. Building new stand. Changing design from a 3 tank system to a 2 tank.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 27, 2019

All the livestock are doing well in the temp. tank. Alittle crowed but ok. Started construction of custom build in wall 125. Got the wall cut for the stand inside wall.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 28, 2019

The stand is in and screwed to cleats that attach to the studs in the wall. This thing is stout. Center vertical brace will be screwed in after the sump goes in. Sides will be plywood before trim goes on. Looks like I will have room beside the 55g sump to have a separate refugium in a 20g tank. I really would like that so it will have a gentle flow. I can build a shelf over the fug light that will hold the ATO tank, (I think)

Very happy with the stand, it all Kreg screwed together and is sold as a rock.

OutsideBrian · Feb 28, 2019

Are you going to have the tank sitting on part of that half wall and the stand too?

Mastiffsrule · Feb 28, 2019

Looks good. Way to take a negative and turn it into a positive.

FishyDP · Feb 28, 2019

MichaelClark55 said:
I want to build a stand that will let me stack the 3 tanks. DT on top draining into 4' 33g fug draining into 55G sump on bottom. Anyone done something like that? I'm an architect and I will be designing it today. Looking for ideas. I need to leave room for large ATO storage.

Glad you got through the leaking tank and found a good solution. I know from experience that this is a very stressful situation.

I was looking into stacking tanks myself, and did quite a bit of research about tanks draining into each other. One issue I found with this is that it is difficult to isolate/separate a tank, if needed. If your fuge tank cracks or busts a seal the whole system is at risk. It may be better to have the display and fuge drain into the same vertical pipe that goes into the sump. This way you can install a bypass, meaning that you can turn a valve and have the display drain directly into the sump, bypassing the fuge. Hopefully this makes sense..as I said I was designing a system similar to what you are doing. You can check out mode aquariums website, I believe they sell a commercial stacked system that works somewhat like this. The return is the same idea.

A space saving solution for an ato reservoir I have thought of is putting the reservoir directly inside the sump. For example- if you had a 75 gallon tank as a sump, you could drop a 10 gallon aquarium right inside of the sump and have water flow around it. This all depends if you have baffles etc, but you get the idea ..and could get creative depending on the layout of your sump.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 28, 2019

OutsideBrian said:
Are you going to have the tank sitting on part of that half wall and the stand too?

Yes, there will be plywood over both making it a continual platform.

MichaelClark55 · Feb 28, 2019

FishyDP said:
Glad you got through the leaking tank and found a good solution. I know from experience that this is a very stressful situation.

I was looking into stacking tanks myself, and did quite a bit of research about tanks draining into each other. One issue I found with this is that it is difficult to isolate/separate a tank, if needed. If your fuge tank cracks or busts a seal the whole system is at risk. It may be better to have the display and fuge drain into the same vertical pipe that goes into the sump. This way you can install a bypass, meaning that you can turn a valve and have the display drain directly into the sump, bypassing the fuge. Hopefully this makes sense..as I said I was designing a system similar to what you are doing. You can check out mode aquariums website, I believe they sell a commercial stacked system that works somewhat like this. The return is the same idea.

A space saving solution for an ato reservoir I have thought of is putting the reservoir directly inside the sump. For example- if you had a 75 gallon tank as a sump, you could drop a 10 gallon aquarium right inside of the sump and have water flow around it. This all depends if you have baffles etc, but you get the idea ..and could get creative depending on the layout of your sump.

I know what you mean about the separate tanks but the most success I have ever had with nutrient control was a separate 2o gal fug. However, I am still mulling this over. May end up in the sump.

Wow, what a good idea for the ATO. Definitely going to give that some thought. I was using a 5 gal bucket. What a PIA that is during the winter. Has 2 refill every 5 days. Thanks for the tips!

MichaelClark55 · Mar 2, 2019

Here is the finished stand as it sits today. Got to get the 2 - 20amps breakers and wire run from the breaker box hopefully tomorrow. I may build a plastic tray for the sump tank just in case it leaks. Also maybe build one for the DT also with a drain hole in the middle that would drain down into the sump if it ever leaks. Or maybe I'm being too cautious after going through a leaky situation.

There will be a middle support member that I will install after the sump goes in. I'm using pocket screws so it's not a biggie to add at this point.

The holes I cut in the top are 6" wide by 3" deep for the drain and return pipes. I have cutouts in the back vertical wall of the stand to have access to install the bulkheads. I could get my hand in there easily so I think tightening the nuts should go well.

I had a fan blowing towards the front door hopefully keeping the paint fumes away from the temp tank sitting next to this one.