removing sump

[tenMann2]

I need advice. I want to remove my wet/dry and replace it with a functional refugium/sump. Only problem I want to go with a sump that will not fit unless I remove the center brace. Since it is an established tank, I can't drain the tank to do so. Is it still possible to remove the center brace and not put too much pressure on the stand or tank?
Here is an old pic of my stand. There is a center in the front and back of the stand and is screwed into the stand. Tank is a 72g bow. The wet/dry is only 24x12x12 and can easily be removed. But if I go with a 30 or 36" sump I'll no option but to remove the center brace. Is it safe?

 

[rebelson]

I personally wouldn't risk it.

 

[CoralMeister]

Or you can get some thick wood planks like 2 x 4s or something, put it under the 4 corners for sturdy support, and then proceed with taking out the center piece. After words, work with the sump.

 

[skene]

or you can bite the bullet... and take the bioballs out of the sump... put in a smaller 5gal tank in there fill with sand and chaeto/caluerpa/roock... put a light on top... Tada!!! you have a refugium.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Support the corners and take out the middle. I would replace it after you got the sump in. I would make it a quick change just to play ot safe

 

[Thavngr98]

I just did this. Before I removed the brace I wedged a 2x4 between the floor and the top horizontal support. Put my tank in and then reattached the support.

 

[billcobb51]

I just did this. Before I removed the brace I wedged a 2x4 between the floor and the top horizontal support. Put my tank in and then reattached the support.

I did this also on my 55. I did it during a water change so the tank would be about a hundred pounds lighter while took a small hacksaw a cut the staple attachment on the brace. Now I remove the brace when I need to work on the sump.

Bill

 

[mbg75]

It's a bow front so it might not be a good idea unless u drain most of the water..
How many sections is the current sump?
The room u have now on the right side would be great for an Ato reservoir.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[LatinP]

I'd take the safe route and do it right. Break down into buckets, remove the tank, take out the old sump, add new sump and rebuild.

 

[tenMann2]

I did this also on my 55. I did it during a water change so the tank would be about a hundred pounds lighter while took a small hacksaw a cut the staple attachment on the brace. Now I remove the brace when I need to work on the sump.

Bill

I planned on doing it on a water change as well. The current wet/dry when pumps are off hold 11gal, 8gl from the sump and 3gl that drains from display.

or you can bite the bullet... and take the bioballs out of the sump... put in a smaller 5gal tank in there fill with sand and chaeto/caluerpa/roock... put a light on top... Tada!!! you have a refugium.

I like your idea but want a all-in-one sump/fug/ato. I wanted to get rid of the bioballs, by just removing them would a wasted space since I can't put anything inside because it is a closed top.

 

[tenMann2]

It's a bow front so it might not be a good idea unless u drain most of the water..
How many sections is the current sump?
The room u have now on the right side would be great for an Ato reservoir.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

The bow is what scares me, since it over hangs from the center of the stand. I would assume, removing the brace would put a lot of pressure forward onto the tank.
The pic I posted is old one, currently to the right of the wet/dry I have a 5g home depot bucket as my ato and my 2-part (3) containers. But in my new sump design, I will include the ato water into the sump/refug if I go with a 36" sump.

I'd take the safe route and do it right. Break down into buckets, remove the tank, take out the old sump, add new sump and rebuild.

I wish the safe route would of been the easy one. I going to try to drain at least 50% of the water if possible. At the least I'll be removing 11gl from the wet/dry and 19gl from the display. So 30gl out of the 80gl, rough estimate.

 

[piranhapat]

How thick is the wood under the tank. I took my 58 gal center off to remove sump. Had no problem. I highly think that center wood is holding it up. Its just extra support. If you going to quickly removed it and replace it its not going to come down. If you want put 2x4 say off to center so you have enough room to remove and add the new sump. Shouldn't be a problem. If it has staples its just extra support. That center wood looks like 1x4 . If that needed support it would be 4x4. If that was the case that stand won't be to steady even with that Post.

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

I need advice. I want to remove my wet/dry and replace it with a functional refugium/sump. Only problem I want to go with a sump that will not fit unless I remove the center brace. Since it is an established tank, I can't drain the tank to do so. Is it still possible to remove the center brace and not put too much pressure on the stand or tank?
Here is an old pic of my stand. There is a center in the front and back of the stand and is screwed into the stand. Tank is a 72g bow. The wet/dry is only 24x12x12 and can easily be removed. But if I go with a 30 or 36" sump I'll no option but to remove the center brace. Is it safe?

If I well understood the load distribution of your stand is evenly distributed and for that it resorts to the side and back walls of the stand and to centre braces, one at the front and one at the back and you want to remove the front brace so that you have enough space to remove the wet/dry filter and replace it with a sump. By removing the central front brace you might unbalance the load distribution, even if the plane on which the tank is seated is quite thick. Well have a look here ... its about science of beams explained with simple models and examples. Basically and to be on the safe side, you put a triangular beam made of cylindrical metal tube or wood such as the one sketched bellow

The reason for the tubes to be cylindrical is explained in the link above, this triangular beam has to be firmly attached to the wood stand side walls and then you remove the front centre brace. It should not be to costly to have it made and it will give you room to perform the change you want as well as safely compensate the load distribution. The triangle can be more open if you attach its sides to the side walls of the stand. If you visit a church for example and observe the arc or triangle beams that hold the roof, you will see that these end on the load bearing side walls in many cases and not on the floor

you could use civil construction scaffolding props, and in that case you could use 2 scaffolding props and a beam ...

well this is a suggestion aimed at load even distribution and prevention, this said and whatever decision you take, make sure the load remains well distributed because if it doesn't you could have a big loss. Wish you all the best in this operation your about to do. Hope the suggestions and examples above were not to confusing for you.

Pedro Nuno
​

 

[Pedro Nuno Ferreira]

I don't know for sure if these will be strong enough, but you could think of Triangular shelf brackets ... heavy duty type ...

Well whatever you do, I suggest you do not take unnecessary risks.

Pedro Nuno

 

[tenMann2]

If I well understood the load distribution of your stand is evenly distributed and for that it resorts to the side and back walls of the stand and to centre braces, one at the front and one at the back and you want to remove the front brace so that you have enough space to remove the wet/dry filter and replace it with a sump. By removing the central front brace you might unbalance the load distribution, even if the plane on which the tank is seated is quite thick. Well have a look here ... its about science of beams explained with simple models and examples. Basically and to be on the safe side, you put a triangular beam made of cylindrical metal tube or wood such as the one sketched bellow

well this is a suggestion aimed at load even distribution and prevention, this said and whatever decision you take, make sure the load remains well distributed because if it doesn't you could have a big loss. Wish you all the best in this operation your about to do. Hope the suggestions and examples above were not to confusing for you.

Pedro Nuno
​

Pedro thanks for a good explanation of weight distribution and possible options. I will definitely try to take some measures into consideration. The tube supports are good but would need at least 3 legs so they don't buckle to one side.

 

[copiaguesharks]

nice tank