3 gal pico frag tank DIY build

[Fapman]

https://reefcasa.com/product/beam-led-light/ At only $50, this is another option I was considering for lighting, but it lacks a remote and customization.

Do you mind showing us your lighting after you get it set up? I would love to learn how to do my own DIY lights.

 

[dansyr]

How do the slots in the weir look? I was hesitant about the small size but only time and actual testing will tell.

I'm still playing with some sump designs and it looks like you will have yours going well before me so any feedback on actual flow rates through the weir would be great.

Finally got it hooked up and flow seems good. I had some issues with pump kicking off intermittently so I need to sort through that tomorrow (hence no photos). But! while running, the weir easily handled the nominally 200gph pump at about 12" head) and it didn't look near maxed out.

 

[whybenormal]

I’ve been following and am looking forward to your pics!

 

[dansyr]

Just got shipping notice that my 3g sump (same dimensions, just undrilled) is on the way!!! it's all coming together!

 

[dansyr]

Progress update! Last week was a little busier than anticipated work-wise, but the sump came in and got that put together. Photo here from several days ago, unfortunately I missed a spot and it had a leak in the corner but otherwise we're good. So in the meantime, plumbing and lighting the undercabinet before the sump gets in there. Next post!

 

[dansyr]

The plan for the "sump" is to be a semi-display refugium/macroalgae garden. So needs lights, but not coral-scale lights. I had a couple bridgelux strips lying around from previous projects. I really love these strips for photosynthetic purposes because at their test current (half max) at 350ma, each gets 1200 lumens or about >180 lumens/watt, doesn't need heat-sinking (stays around ~50-55C), and super cheap. And, 2x 10" strips fit perfectly. But, not waterproof. So, fixtures!

Got aluminum door threshold from Home Depot for $10. Looks like this link, but it had more of a slot on the open end and was 1-1/4. The strip itself fit the slot perfectly, but the wire connectors were too bulky so screwdriver opened up the lips a bit.

And I cut a little acrylic strip to sit on top. Put some thermal paste down just on a whim and epoxied the light strips to the aluminum. After that, dry fit test to make sure there was enough clearance:

And then epoxied the acrylic onto channel to close up the little gaps. Little messy looking if you get close but overall fairly clean, I am happy.

Then attached to the underside of the cabinet lid, and we're ready to slot the sump in once it's finished leaktesting!

 

[Chewy954]

Do you have an update on your build?

 

[dansyr]

Do you have an update on your build?

Sadly yes. Have been discussing more in the other thread, but basically I blame the initial use of weldon16 to making too many bubbles in the seams that there were pinprick leaks that didn't show up in early leak tests. after several attempts to get weldon4 to percolate through, and it failing in some spot every time and the seams getting messier and messier. So, I risked it and popped it apart at the seams. It took a fair bit of force, as it was definitely welded in most spots, but came apart cleanly.

Currently it's disassembled and finishing up the polishing where I had to sand down. The constituent pieces are pretty clean, just a few left to do. Now to see if I can find time and finally remember how to weld acrylic properly

Sump is an even sadder/scarier story (note my sump is not the black sump kit they made, just an undrilled version of the frag tank). Seemed like it all went together, really clean seams, took a patch or two to get a leak on the bottom but altogether it went beautifully. Held water well for several hours, so I got it salty, left it overnight, and still no leaks. Feeling very vindicated at this point. Even transferred in some. Got the sump lights finished, cheap DC pump custom programmed for wave mode, feeling good.

Then, 4 days later (last Saturday), i had just sat down at my kitchen table with my coffee and heard a small "pop". And water starts pouring out from the sump. Turns out two of the side edges just opened up at the seam. An autopsy revealed that the failed edge was slightly not square, the angle was maybe 88 or 89 degrees. And because Tenecor cuts their acrylic so beautifully, the solvent basically never made it through to the crack, so it just welded the very inside corner but didn't travel through to the joint. So when it was together, that ~1/32nd of an inch was enough to be watertight and feel strong, and looking end-on it looked clean, but it was actually just empty. Oops... So, I popped the whole thing apart, thankfully no cracks, and that's on the list to re-weld when I get the time.

 

[dansyr]

Update: Rebuilt and so far 3 days water tight. Hoping that by posting here I jinx it if it's going to fail so it fails soon

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

Glad to see someone keeping up with it! I spent a couple weeks tweaking with the tank but just couldn't get the leaks to stop. Ended up trashing the tank and just buying a 5g elsewhere to scratch the itch. I'm not nearly as handy as you!

 

[dansyr]

Glad to see someone keeping up with it! I spent a couple weeks tweaking with the tank but just couldn't get the leaks to stop. Ended up trashing the tank and just buying a 5g elsewhere to scratch the itch. I'm not nearly as handy as you!

thanks! not that handy compared to most of the folks here I think, but I just got way too frustrated to admit defeat. Got any photos of the new 5 in action?

 

[dansyr]

1.5 week leak test in the garage worked, so now doing a kitchen table leak test while finishing up programming the lights, DI water in since saturday night.

Any good recommendations on a quiet submersible DC pump, in the ~120-300gph range? I'm thinking something in sound range of the Jebao DCS, but ideally something that just ends in wires so I can control it myself. I got a really cheap one off amazon that's getting the job done going but it's a little on the loud side for my tastes.

 

[Jim Gomoll]

1.5 week leak test in the garage worked, so now doing a kitchen table leak test while finishing up programming the lights, DI water in since saturday night.

Any good recommendations on a quiet submersible DC pump, in the ~120-300gph range? I'm thinking something in sound range of the Jebao DCS, but ideally something that just ends in wires so I can control it myself. I got a really cheap one off amazon that's getting the job done going but it's a little on the loud side for my tastes.

I'm going with the Innovative Marine Mighty Jet DC Return Pump (Mini 266 GPH). $99 on Amazon​

Small, fits in the sump kit and programable.​

Still in same boat as many getting around to finishing assembly. Tank done but need to finish the sump. Even with preplanning marking what end glues to the side I ended up doing in reverse making sump too wide to glue on bottom. Waiting to cut lager bottom piece vs breaking it apart. ​

 

[Chewy954]

any update on this thread?

 

[dansyr]

any update on this thread?

Thanks for keeping me honest So the frag tank has held up fine, but the sump blew a seam (after ~2 weeks DI test, with pump running). So the whole thing has been sitting in the garage for the last 1.5 months as life has been crazy. Planning to rebuild soon with pin method vs capillary, and might try to put a euro brace or some kind of brace on top?

I think the weir/overflow on the frag tank helps brace, but the two real times the sump seam popped it was along a vertical seam. So I think the 1/4" just has literally zero forgiveness strength-wise for an amateur acrylic person like me? Like I'm thinking that having any bubble, even if water tight, just reduces the bonding area enough that it can't hold the weight over time. Anyway, we'll see what happens when I get back to it... Not ready to drop this project yet but it's been a roller coaster let me tell you.

 

[Chewy954]

I plan to start my build soon, if you have any update I would love to see it!