DIY Refugium Glass Question

[Kal-El]

I'm using my 30 gallon long as a refugium/sump tank and using Ace Hardware glass to silicone my sections, but I'm afraid it might be a little tin to hold up with the flow I want going in the refugium sump of 1200 gph. I'm waiting on my pump to get deliver for the true test. Has anyone use Ace Hardware glass for their sump/refugium and what are your feed backs? I'm second guessing myself wishing I had went with normal 1/4 thick glass.

If this doesn't hold I may have to do the rebuild all over again. If this happens what's the best way to remove the silicon and glass?

[matt56]

I think you just take a razor blade and scrape the silicone off. Whats the thickness of the glass? I plan on just using some acrylic sheets from lowes for my dividers.

[DerekFF]

Acrylic will warp and bend when it gets wet. If you use acrylic use thick acrylic like 1/4 inch


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[Kal-El]

The ones at Aces are only 3/16" thick. They don't sell any other size. The 1/4" thick at a local glass shop are expensive non temper glass. Just the cuts I'm looking for will cost me about $50. I'm better off buying another 30 gallon long and cutting that baby down to the pieces I need.

[daffyfish]

Try CL or your local building salvage store. I have found glass on CL and a local habitat restore, at great prices.

[Kal-El]

Just call Lowes and the have the right thickness 1/4" for about what I was paying at Ace. They will also do any cut you want. I think I found my glass shop and will probably redo my glass with 1/4" as the ones I have just feels like it'll break with pressure.

[Kal-El]

So my visit to Lowes after work was a disappointment. The person I talk to I guess didn't know the difference between 1/4" and 1/16" and told me they had 1/4" thick glass. They only sell one size glass. No hardware store carries glass above 1/16" only local glass shop. Hopefully the Ace glass will hold up during my test on Thursday. If not I'm just going to order a custom sump.

[Chicago Discus]

Hey you give me a call tomorrow I just divided my the 65gs on the right top row in the fishroom and purchased them at a glass shop near my house they cut it and smoothed the edges for me. I used 3/4 inch thick glass and works great holding up and doing water changes should work fine for what you doing.....Josie

[cjr8420]

i divided a 55 in half with a 1/4 " piece of glass it holds just fine.was ordered from a glass shop smooth edges non tempered it cost 11$ just tell them sizes u want and what ur doing and they should be able to have it a day or 2 later

[Chicago Discus]

i divided a 55 in half with a 1/4 " piece of glass it holds just fine.was ordered from a glass shop smooth edges non tempered it cost 11$ just tell them sizes u want and what ur doing and they should be able to have it a day or 2 later


you know now that I think about it I think it was 1/4 inch... I think thats what I used.....Josie

[DerekFF]

3/4 is what they make 300g tank of Josie lol. It must have been 1/4. That's pretty standard.


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[Chicago Discus]

3/4 is what they make 300g tank of Josie lol. It must have been 1/4. That's pretty standard.


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Its late LOL after Mike wrote that I was like of course thats the right size. My 65g would have looked pretty funny....Josie LOL...LOL..

[Chicago Discus]

Look at 4:27 on the video it shows the 65g divided....Josie its 1/4 not 3/4 LOL


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNGAglN1zE

[DiscusLoverJeff]

I went to my local glass shop in Antioch, IL and bought the pieces I need of 1/4 glass for this design and it cost me $30.00 and $10.00 to drill the hole in my 30 gallon tank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxnugJGiT3o

You can use this design as a refugium and put your skimmer in the first section where the live rock would go.

[Kal-El]

Look at 4:27 on the video it shows the 65g divided....Josie its 1/4 not 3/4 LOL


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqNGAglN1zE

Thanks for the video Josie... You did a very nice job. Anyway, I was wondering why you are using 3/4" thick glass for dividers as that would have been too thick and not needed... I figure you meant 1/4" lol... I'll call you this afternoon to get more info on your glass shop or you can PM me, which ever works best for you... I stop at the glass shop here "Bolingbrook Glass & Mirror" yesterday after Lowes and the quote is a lot cheaper for the cuts I wanted. Apparently, the first quoted me on their top grade glass. So I pickup two regular grade 1/4" thick 12x15" and 12x11" glass for $20 including tax. These two piece are for the two last baffles on my refugium sump. I figure the two last baffle are the most important as they will hold the pressure of the refugium section and return.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c145/imageher/FBCAFE58-D9AE-4DA1-AA13-A18AA1312D55-2068-000000CDCACEFBAB.jpg

I also research online and other folks had use Ace Hardware's glass as sump baffles with no issue. Hopefully with the flow rate i'm shooting for it will hold up. If not I'll take out my heat gun and razor to start taking those glass apart and put in 1/4" for the rest of the baffles on the left of my refugium.

Josie, if the shop by you is cheaper I may get some from them in the future when I decides to divide one of my 75 or 65 gallons.

[Chicago Discus]

Im sorry if you look at the other posts I made a mistake and said 3/4 but meant 1/4 it was late last night when i responded...LOL..josie

[Kal-El]

Success :D My 30 gallon Refugium sump is up and running with no issue for hours now. The first two baffles using Ace Hardware glass is holding up with no issue. My last two baffle using 1/4" glass is holding up the pressure and flow rate of 1200 GPH with no issue also. I will likely use only one drainage from the overflow as the 1" tube is able to handle the flow rate with no issue when I blocked off one of the drainage opening. I just need to finish my custom stand and put the refugium inside the stand, than finish the custom piping. When it's all done it will be my show tank display in the living room.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c145/imageher/8DAFE5BE-773D-4E80-8A11-F7A777643447-6291-000001FFBB6A9C46.jpg

[Chicago Discus]

I love it great job :).........josie

[Kal-El]

Thanks Josie... I love doing the DIY projects... so much fun... My little superman even help by holding the hose to fill in the water to the tank and refugium... lol

[Chicago Discus]

Thanks Josie... I love doing the DIY projects... so much fun... My little superman even help by holding the hose to fill in the water to the tank and refugium... lol

awww hes so cute what a big helper :)....josie

[Cosgrovb]

Drill the tank! I hate the overflow boxes!

[matt56]

If its tempered you don't have a choice. Thats a problem ive run into recently, really wish i felt comfortable with a sump at the time i bought all my tanks so i could have gotten drilled tanks. Though ive read the life reef overflow boxes work well and are very reliable. Nice job on the fuge!

[Kal-El]

Drill the tank! I hate the overflow boxes!
I thought about this but didn't want to drill it as this is my temp (show Tank) setup until I can get a 210g tank. That one will be pre-drill to use this sump. The 75 gallon will go back to being use as a grow out tanks. Also if I do decide to sell the 75 since I have two, most folks like non-drill tanks.


If its tempered you don't have a choice. Thats a problem ive run into recently, really wish i felt comfortable with a sump at the time i bought all my tanks so i could have gotten drilled tanks. Though ive read the life reef overflow boxes work well and are very reliable. Nice job on the fuge!

This overflow works great and is rated at 1800 GPH. Very quiet, surprisingly.

[cjr8420]

i see u have multiple sponges through out ur setup do u have any fail safes setup if they be come clogged like water will still make its way to pump without going through sponges if necessary same for the overflow box. dont forget to give ur return line a way to kill the siphon when loss of power occurs.it does look nice and clean good work

[Kal-El]

i see u have multiple sponges through out ur setup do u have any fail safes setup if they be come clogged like water will still make its way to pump without going through sponges if necessary same for the overflow box. dont forget to give ur return line a way to kill the siphon when loss of power occurs.it does look nice and clean good work

Thanks. I tested it with the power off after it was running, and let the siphon drain the tank. My 30 gallon is able to hold the water siphon from the 75 gallon tank with an extra 2-3" left from the top of the refugium. I'm debating if I should drill a small hole in the return pipe under the 75 gallon water level, so that when it drains to that drill spot it will stop the siphon. So far the way it's setup i may not need to drill the return pvc.

The Poret foam in my refugium is 10ppi so it should not clogged easily. I plan to check the refugium once a month to ensure that this issue doesn't happen or when I change the filter socks that I will add to this setup. As for the overflow sponge. I plan on using one of the drain as a backup to the main one. I will put a taller PVC pipe in the overflow so that if the main drain is clogged by the sponge somehow it will overflow to the second drain back to the refugium. I won't know until I have my stand finish and finalize my piping.

[cjr8420]

better safe than sry i would drill because if this is ur 1st sump u wont believe the evaporation rate and u will need to keep that motor/return side filled more so less room for tank drain back.are u having any bio media or just more volume and a refug

[Kal-El]

better safe than sry i would drill because if this is ur 1st sump u wont believe the evaporation rate and u will need to keep that motor/return side filled more so less room for tank drain back.are u having any bio media or just more volume and a refug

I'm adding Miracle mud to the refugium section and put live plants such as hygrophila polysperma, hornwart , or any fast growing water plants in it. In between the last two baffle I will put in 1.5" BIO balls. In the first section of the refugium is up in the air at this point. May just leave it just the way it is with just the filter sock filtering the water or put in K1 Media. I will decide on it later on. For the water level in the sump I will mark the max level and the min level. Once the water level drops to the min level I will top it off or like others have done add an auto top off with a float kit.

[Kal-El]

So i just finished my DIY stand and will post pic of the stand tomorrow. My question is i'm looking to do PVC piping on the drain to the refugium. What PVC cement glue is safe to use? Would any glue work once dry? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[cjr8420]

i use the standard pvc glue with no problems just make sure its fully dry/cured.i would stick with pvc glue thats what it is for other glues might not hold up to water over time

[Kal-El]

i use the standard pvc glue with no problems just make sure its fully dry/cured.i would stick with pvc glue thats what it is for other glues might not hold up to water over time

Thank you.

[Kal-El]

For those that may want to see my DIY stand here are the pics. I will be doing the custom piping in a few weeks on this stand. The stands is 40" tall so viewing the tank can be done just standing and not bending down to view it.

Start
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c145/imageher/43D57EF7-F7F6-421B-A8F8-E776109D41FC-11901-0000046647ED90B7.jpg

Finish: "I will be switching out the left doors to get one that matches the right door. I got two different doors by mistake..." This is my first full stand buildout. Not too bad I think... After doing this one I have learn so much and can do it better with less wood for my next build.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c145/imageher/688F7A7C-6211-4758-9258-6FF75A1E74E3-11901-0000046658FF4A0E.jpg