75g Acrylic tank w/ 40g sump (Journal build thread)

[rickztahone]

I feel like I've sketched out this overflow box a million times! Here's one more and I'm pretty sure these will be my final measurements when I cut the acrylic.
Bean Animal outside overflow box measurements highlighted.jpg

[blueluv]

How is it going with the build ? When will you have it up and running ?

[rickztahone]

How is it going with the build ? When will you have it up and running ?

at the rate I am going I'm sure I will be done by 2018

I have the acrylic/solvent/blade to do the overflow but reefers on another forum have got me paranoid about attempting this build on my own. I am having reservations about going the DIY route now.

The way I figure it though, I have already bought the acrylic and I doubt anyone will buy it for anywhere near what I paid for it, so I may as well just try. I need a weekend off of work to try this though.

Thanks for following up Chris

[nate c]

what are the reef guys saying ? that is of any concern.

[rickztahone]

what are the reef guys saying ? that is of any concern.

Simply put, I should leave the acrylic cutting and welding to the pros. I feel I have done enough research to at least attempt doing it, but again, I have reservations because this will ultimately be pumping over 90g of water through it, and the last thing I want is a tank fail over a DIY part I built.

[DiscusRob]

Simply put, I should leave the acrylic cutting and welding to the pros. I feel I have done enough research to at least attempt doing it, but again, I have reservations because this will ultimately be pumping over 90g of water through it, and the last thing I want is a tank fail over a DIY part I built.

Ricardo, did you ever check out the link I sent you several pages back, the guy is a master with acrylic and diy sumps, and he has no problem answering questions, if you haven't yet, check him out, send him an e-mail. your call Brother. Just trying to help.

[rickztahone]

Ricardo, did you ever check out the link I sent you several pages back, the guy is a master with acrylic and diy sumps, and he has no problem answering questions, if you haven't yet, check him out, send him an e-mail. your call Brother. Just trying to help.

I've seen through that site for sure. That is one of the reasons I felt I could do it as a DIY project. I guess I am just siking myself out here a bit. I will bite the bullet here soon enough I'm sure.

[kris2341]

which part are you having the most trouble with rick? is this the sump making or the mounting of the overflow to the tank?

(BTW unless you really REALLY want all your plumbing through the bottom of the tank, run the bulkheads out of the back of the overflow, not under it. if they are off more than a few milimeters you'll have some sealing issues especially with 3 sets of bulkheads)

havent been keeping up with the thread and im in class, but the easiest overflow to work with would be one that is just a coast to coast mounted inside the existing tank rear wall, it no longer has to deal with much pressure or even be water tight... it just takes up interior space however, but it is the best route for you in my opinion as you have a lot of material on hand.

[sdrexler078]

I was worried when I first started my 230 but I did it and I'm glad I did myself and not take it anywhere. It brings joy knowing you accomplished it. The key is to take your time and buy extra sheets acrylic to practice

[nate c]

^like

[rickztahone]

Well, good news and bad news situation.

The bad news, I completely failed at making the baffles for the sump, lol. I didn't have enough material to give it another try and I'm ditching the idea of making the sump out of acrylic. I am trading up my acrylic for a glass 40g breeder and I will have someone cut my pieces of glass locally to make the sump.

The good news. The overflow setup was not that difficult. I welded the rear overflow box yesterday. I am yet to attach it to the tank, but when I do, I will be running leak tests like crazy, lol. I may have a pic up later in the week. I still need to weld the inside overflow box which I made 38" long. That should give me a whole lot of surface skimming. I still need to drill the rear holes on my tank wall.

[Discus-n00b]

Sounds good. Make sure you measure the glass baffles correctly, you don't want them putting so much pressure on the sides of the sump it explodes lol.

You may have already posted but how are you doing your return with this overflow, just to the side of the overflow? I'm sketching out my plans now and I'm stuck debating the return in a C2C setup. I can go all the way through the box and tank into the tank, up and over without holes, or squish the overflow box in and put 2 returns to either side. Hmmm

[rickztahone]

Sounds good. Make sure you measure the glass baffles correctly, you don't want them putting so much pressure on the sides of the sump it explodes lol.

You may have already posted but how are you doing your return with this overflow, just to the side of the overflow? I'm sketching out my plans now and I'm stuck debating the return in a C2C setup. I can go all the way through the box and tank into the tank, up and over without holes, or squish the overflow box in and put 2 returns to either side. Hmmm

Yeah, I'm going to have to make sure that whoever cuts the glass will do it exactly to measurements. I thought I had measured correctly yesterday whem measuring from wall to wall to make a baffle yesterday, and it was 14.5", or so I thought. It ended up being 14 5/8" which of course was 1/8 longer than the piece I had just cut! At that point in the day, I was over trying to make my own sump baffles. I started drilling and experimenting on the left over acrylic pieces. Needless to say, I need another tank to make a sump.

I think I will be doing just one return on either side of the inner overflow box. Additionally, I was thinking of just shooting over the back of the tank and making a pvc spray bar the width of the 75g. I am still undecided though. I don't think I will split the line because many have warned me that with a BA setup, it is very difficult to get any type of even flow from both lines and I don't want to have to put gate valves on both returns at this point when I can just do a single one. We will see though. I would personally like to have 2 spray bars with less intensity but if it is a pain to regulate, not sure that I want to do it.

[rickztahone]

On second thought, I may try the baffles again. I still have enough to try to make 3 baffles instead of the original 5 which included socks. I can deal with a sockless sump and just rely on poret foam and filter floss.

[Discus-n00b]

It might actually be better that way. From what I understand you will eventually get tired of changing the socks and they become nasty traps. Might be worth a shot if you have the stuff anyway.