Rubbermaid Stock Tank as a sump?

[slayertx]

Rubbermaid containers have been the go to item for diy projects in this industry for years. Just about every major fish keeper has used them at some point as they just flat make fiscal sense

 

[Punksboops]

+1 on the rubbermaid 150 mine has about 120-130gallons to run my 350 gallon system

 

[Pivitol]

Does anyone have the drainhole measurement with the bulkhead removed or know of a quality replacement size over the one it comes with?

 

[Chef Tommy]

Does anyone have the drainhole measurement with the bulkhead removed or know of a quality replacement size over the one it comes with?

Believe it's 1 1/4

 

[Chukthunder]

Yes it is a 50 gallon. The top is approximately 52" x 31". The bottom is approximately 44" x 23". Should fit perfectly on the stand you have!

Thanks, that was going to be my question.

 

[CindyKz]

THis might be a dumb question but how do you drill them?

 

[DarthSimon]

Here is mine...

 

[Dsnakes]

THis might be a dumb question but how do you drill them?

When I spoke to @WWIII about it, I believe he said he cut a length of 2x4 to wedge in and support the pressure to drill. Any drill hole saw should work.

 

[WWIII]

When I spoke to @WWIII about it, I believe he said he cut a length of 2x4 to wedge in and support the pressure to drill. Any drill hole saw should work.

Yep that's what I did! Just remove the junk bulkhead that comes with them. Put a piece of wood behind the hole and then wedge another piece of wood tight between the back of the rubbermaid and the wood covering the hole (to make a T). Then just use a normal wood hole saw with a pilot bit and center it over the old hole. The pilot bit bites the wood and it keeps you centered.

 

[leorii2000]

I want to set up the Rubbermaid tank as Refugium just under the sump

I want to use it as Algee and microorganism growth tank. Anyone got advise on setting this up?
Thx

 

[DarthSimon]

Do you have any pictures of your current sump?

 

[Seamore2001]

Years ago I used a 150 stock trough as a sump, in my basement, plumbed to my display on the floor above, and it worked really well. It offered me the ability to easily switch out equipment and even potentially make upgrading the display tank easier. It was nice to be able to temporarily shut off the valves connecting the sump to the display and to make equipment changes. I'd recommend using it as a sump.

 

[DarthSimon]

I agree 100 percent with above. This is what I did with mine....

Here is mine...

 

[leorii2000]

This is the current setup downstairs
Wanting to add the big tub just below as Refugium

 

[DarthSimon]

You need to get water to the refugium and then back to sump.... Can you get the Rubbermaid tank higher then your sump you you can gravity feed the water back???

 

[leorii2000]

The tank is 220 gallons.
And I got plenty of space in the basement to fit a big stock tank. Thinking 100-300 gallons.
That will give room for plenty of critters and micro algee to gro and ....I will get way more water volume for stability as well as feeding sore eyes with micro fauna

 

[leorii2000]

I could pump the water back. Let gravity take it down to the tank

 

[leorii2000]

Now is the issue of finding the stock tank for reasonable price. And get also light for it.

I might use the Refugium as frag tank as well till I get a proper one.
It’s an ongoing multilevel project.

 

[reefwiser]

Best way to do this is let the water in the current filter just empty into the Rubbermaid sump the pump out of there back up to the display tank.

 

[leorii2000]

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll start making this happen
Leo