Diy sump advice

[Red_Beard]

Check valves are all well and good....until they aren’t. I have seen too many fail industrially and read about a ton here that have too.
Also that’s awesome, I wish I could have gone bigger, but a 75 is what fit the space we had designated. I wouldn’t have thought so going in, but the cost of a decent tank isn’t that much compared with everything else. And that is the part you will see most, or see through most.

 

[Smokeshow]

Haven't read about the check valves going bad. I'll have to look more into it.
Here's the 125 for 400

Not a fan on the crushed coral substrate though

 

[Red_Beard]

Very nice! All that space is awesome.

Yeah I did crushed coral mix in my smaller tank, didn't like it either. This go-round I went with tropic eden reef flakes and mini flakes, love the reef flakes, I think now that mini flakes are a hair small.

 

[garethwood]

Is skimmer then fugee the way people go? I was planning floss then fugee then skimmer then baffles into return

 

[Smokeshow]

I have 120 lbs of rock already. And since the substrate, canister filter and stand won't be used and im already going to the city where the other 125 is i may try and get that one. If I can talk him down to about 80-100.

 

[Smokeshow]

Is skimmer then fugee the way people go? I was planning floss then fugee then skimmer then baffles into return

I'm doing the refugium after the skimmer to get most of the mechanical filtration done before it gets to the fuge. The fuge will have pods and micro algea to take care of the bio/chemical filtration. And I'm trying to keep as many pods as I can out of the skimmer

 

[Smokeshow]

Just heard back from the seller of the 125 with the rock and he said he could do 300 for just the tank and rock. Is that a good deal. Should I get some of the crushed coral as well and put live sand on top?

 

[Red_Beard]

I guess that all depends on how much rock there is and what condition the tank is in. i have seen 125's in my area go anywhere from 100(scratched and needing resealed) to 600 or so(like new) and rock usually goes for a buck a pound or so. probably not a bad deal

 

[Smokeshow]

Okay. Im probably going with the good one with the rocks. Its a bit further than I like to travel in my truck but looks like it'll be worth it. Hopefully the glass isn't tempered.

 

[Red_Beard]

Yeah, I would go with the best one you can. Every time you look at stuff in the tank you will see it and if there is some little thing like scratches or dings or whatever it gets irritating everytime you look at it.

 

[Smokeshow]

Everything is really starting to come together. Its really exciting. Mainly waiting for the glass to be cut for the sump and need to go get the wood for the stand.

 

[Smokeshow]

well since Im now getting a 125 Gallon tank ill have an extra 75 gallon. what to do with that? had a crazy thought about putting the 55 under my 75g freshwater tank and using the extra 75 to do a sump for the 125 lol. but that would push the build back another 2-3 weeks to wait for the glass to get cut.

 

[Smokeshow]

After 6 hours on the road its finally home


The back and one side is already painted black but that makes it where I can't test to see if its tempered glass. If the unpainted glass is not tempered would it be a safe guess to assume the back isn't? Or should i scrape off the paint to make sure?
Also got a call from the glass shop. They had to wait for a shipment of glass to come in but is being delivered tomorrow so I should have the baffles by Friday.

 

[Red_Beard]

if in doubt, scrape it out

 

[Smokeshow]

I picked up a 4" paint scraper from the hardware store yesterday. It worked wonderfully. Used my laptop and some polorized sunglasses and the screen went dark so its not tempered. Set the tank on its side and started cleaning the glass. Measured for the eshopps eclipse L overflow and started drilling. Had both holes drilled in about 30 min. Drilled from the inside going out. The measured 8" from each side and drilled for the 3/4" returns. The 40mm holes took half as long to drill. The glass is approximately 3/8" thick.


Going to pick up some more paint when I got the the store this afternoon. Thinking a dark blue instead of a gloss black.

 

[Red_Beard]

You should start up a build thread!

 

[Smokeshow]

You should start up a build thread!

Would i put it in the members tanks thread?
Picked up the glass for the baffles and some paint for the back of the tank.



And started working on the stand while the silicone cures.

Will I need another vertical support in the front center? Was wanting to keep it open to make working on the sump easier.
And the piece of glass that was going to hold the filter socks fell and shattered inside the sump. I have a good bit of 1/4" acrylic. I may have to use that to make the sock holder

 

[Red_Beard]

Yes, put it in the member tanks forum. Then all the stuff you just put here, put there too so people can follow your build!
That is looking good man! But yes, if it was me I would put in another brace or use 2x6s or 2x8s on the top.

 

[Smokeshow]

just made a build thread in the members tanks section. Thank you for your help.

 

[Brom]

just made a build thread in the members tanks section. Thank you for your help.

I may be wrong, but I think you skipped the badge step so we can get right to your build!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/get-a-build-thread-badge-and-become-one-of-the-cool-kids.703478/