Diy sump questions

[AlohaTropics]

Acrylic buckles against water pressure. Silicone also does not fully bond to acrylic as it does with glass. Essentially, you are only making silicone "bumpers" to hold the baffle in place when using acrylic. Eventually, there is a strong possibility that the baffle will break free of the silicone and the waterflow can bend it out.

Glass on the otherhand can be fully bonded to each other with silicone (that's why they don't use silicone to make acrylic tanks, the joint just isn't strong).

I've gone through this before. Go to any glass worker, have them cut perfectly to size the pieces. It will cost less than acrylic.


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[batt600]

Acrylic buckles against water pressure. Silicone also does not fully bond to acrylic as it does with glass. Essentially, you are only making silicone "bumpers" to hold the baffle in place when using acrylic. Eventually, there is a strong possibility that the baffle will break free of the silicone and the waterflow can bend it out.

Glass on the otherhand can be fully bonded to each other with silicone (that's why they don't use silicone to make acrylic tanks, the joint just isn't strong).

I've gone through this before. Go to any glass worker, have them cut perfectly to size the pieces. It will cost less than acrylic.


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Thank you . See people was it that hard to answer . But if you use a thin piece of acrylic yes it will bend but if you use a think piece like 3/4 inch sheets it wont buckel and if you cut it so it goes in snug on the glass it will never come free with the silicone . Thats just my experience with making sump with acrylic sheets i do notice that black silicone bonds much stronger with acrylic tryied to remove a baffle and ow man it didnt what to come out .

 

[AlohaTropics]

3/4" yes. But that's some really expensive acrylic. Really your making a wall rather than a baffle. Your also killing sump space. A 3 baffle bubble trap will take up 4" of your sump. Most have 2 over unders, separating the sump into 3 sections. Your gonna lose almost 8" just in baffles!


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[batt600]

3/4" yes. But that's some really expensive acrylic. Really your making a wall rather than a baffle. Your also killing sump space. A 3 baffle bubble trap will take up 4" of your sump. Most have 2 over unders, separating the sump into 3 sections. Your gonna lose almost 8" just in baffles!


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Sorry i mean 1/4

 

[CheckSix187]

Thank you to everyone who has been helping, anyone know if lowes or home depot cuts class? Id feel safer using it now

 

[batt600]

Thank you to everyone who has been helping, anyone know if lowes or home depot cuts class? Id feel safer using it now

no you have to find a glass place

 

[rkaragozler]

Checksix, just got your pm, will work on it tonight and post here, and if you need the glass i'll cut it for you no charge, and send it, without a problem.

 

[rkaragozler]

Here you go this should work for you, If you have any questions post here

 

[CheckSix187]

Wow thank you! thats Sketchup right? lol (im an architecture student and I use it constantly)

Just a few questions, how high is the baffle seperating the fuge and return? and in which compartment does the water from the tank enter the sump?

 

[rkaragozler]

Yes it is sketchup, the baffle that separates the fuge and return is 12". The water is t'd off the main drain, when t'd one side goes into the fuge with a ball valve, and the other side goes into the skimmer (no valve). By t'ing the drain and putting a ball valve on the fuge side you can control the amount of flow you want.

 

[InfernoST]

Nice drawing Rich.

 

[rkaragozler]

Thanks, if anyone else needs one just shoot me a pm

 

[pyekhine]

I built my own sump(same design) from 30g Long glass tank with thin acrylic sheets from HomeDepot. Big mistake. Get at least 1/4" acrylics. Third baffle (it took most pressure when water is low in the sump) fell apart after 5 months and now i'm waiting for the whole thing to go down.

I used marineland aquarium safe silicone. I suggest you buy the 10oz tube. I had to use two 3Oz tubes (i messed up couple of times).

Here you go this should work for you, If you have any questions post here

 

[rkaragozler]

pyekhine, don't throw out the acrylic sheets, use them as a template to cut your glass, and IMO the silicone you used is the best.

 

[pyekhine]

Thanks for the advice, I didn't think about it. now that you mentioned it, i'm going to rebuild the sump for my new 30g reef (i'm going to set it up sometime next year). But for the mean time, i bought a acrylic sump/refugium from another MR member.

 

[rkaragozler]

Good luck, and if you need help just ask.

 

[bigyankfan]

glass sticks to glass and acrylic bonds beter to acrylic

Acrylic bonds to acrylic - glass does not "stick" to anything. If he uses silicon to add the baffles in a glass tank, there is no difference between glass and acrylic baffles.

 

[CheckSix187]

Thanks for all the help Richie! Ill let you know how it goes, just picked up the tank from INNEED today!

 

[rkaragozler]

No problem that what we are here for. Please post pics would love to see how it comes out.

 

[CheckSix187]

No problem that what we are here for. Please post pics would love to see how it comes out.

I definitely will, progress is gonna be a few days delayed however cause unfortunately i just got into a minor car accident, snow bank was lookin at me funny so me and black ice showed him whos boss so vehicle is OOC for a few days
:iamwithst