First tank build… how’d I do?

[rja]

Hey all,
I got my first “big” tank, a 75 gallon with a 36x12x15 sump. The tank was used (Full with fish when I got it) and I decided to just trade the fish to the LFS and do some modifications to the tank.

It originally had a corner overflow with one single bulkhead draining through a soft line into the “sump” which was just an open 32 gallon tank.

Photos below:

This design scared the crap out of me because of a couple reasons.

1. The overflow will collect debris at the bottom and the water will probably become stagnant down there. I assume the bottom pane is tempered hence why it wasn’t bottom drilled.

2. It was one single bulkhead which can get clogged easily and ruin my floor.

3. One bulkhead will be very loud.

4. A totally open sump will fluctuate water level in the sump chamber and also be a lot of water volume lost before triggering an ATO.

So, I decided to get to work because this tank was so cheap and came with an OCTO 110SSS, Sicce Syncra 3.0, nice stand, 70 pounds of rock, and many other nice bits all for $400.

I went ahead and drilled a hole for the first time ever (hole is okay at best) to install a Fiji Cube 800GPH overflow box to create a herbie overflow. Also, I got baffles from Jax Racks on Ebay (for a 20 long) and installed them into the 36x12x15 sump. They fit just fine in the very odd sized tank. Also, I am awaiting a 1” bulkhead to fill the original overflow hole to create my return input into the tank.

My silicone work kinda sucks because I couldn’t get the sump out of the stand and it was my first time using silicone. I feel like I screwed up by not flipping the sump and having the overflow go in the opposite side and the return vice versa. But if it works, it’s no big deal to me. I used sch 40 PVC for all of it. Probably should have made some unions but I still have a lot of time to change things before the tank gets wet. I also used a 1” sch 80 gate valve on the main overflow from Fiji Cube. Seems to be fine and a good alternative to the Spears. ($50 more) The two pipes entering the sump are just placeholders for a moc up. I am cutting longer ones. I will not cement those in place so I can remove them. Doesn’t matter to me if they leak into the sump. Also, I still need to pipe clamp everything in place. It’s just zip tied for support currently. I am certain that zip ties will be fine but the sump area is already ugly enough.

I also made this interesting 1” square aluminum light mount to accept two Hydra 26HDs.

I will be painting the back of the tank black as well as the light mount when things get closer to the end.

My questions to all who have read this are:

- Is there any major screw ups you see?
- What should I change?
- Can you see any potential for issues down the line (other than no unions..)
- Should I just throw it all out and buy a CADE?

THANK YOU ALL!

Cheers from my Biocube:

 

[Petcrazyson]

Hey all,
I got my first “big” tank, a 75 gallon with a 36x12x15 sump. The tank was used (Full with fish when I got it) and I decided to just trade the fish to the LFS and do some modifications to the tank.

It originally had a corner overflow with one single bulkhead draining through a soft line into the “sump” which was just an open 32 gallon tank.

Photos below:

This design scared the crap out of me because of a couple reasons.

1. The overflow will collect debris at the bottom and the water will probably become stagnant down there. I assume the bottom pane is tempered hence why it wasn’t bottom drilled.

2. It was one single bulkhead which can get clogged easily and ruin my floor.

3. One bulkhead will be very loud.

4. A totally open sump will fluctuate water level in the sump chamber and also be a lot of water volume lost before triggering an ATO.

So, I decided to get to work because this tank was so cheap and came with an OCTO 110SSS, Sicce Syncra 3.0, nice stand, 70 pounds of rock, and many other nice bits all for $400.

I went ahead and drilled a hole for the first time ever (hole is okay at best) to install a Fiji Cube 800GPH overflow box to create a herbie overflow. Also, I got baffles from Jax Racks on Ebay (for a 20 long) and installed them into the 36x12x15 sump. They fit just fine in the very odd sized tank. Also, I am awaiting a 1” bulkhead to fill the original overflow hole to create my return input into the tank.

My silicone work kinda sucks because I couldn’t get the sump out of the stand and it was my first time using silicone. I feel like I screwed up by not flipping the sump and having the overflow go in the opposite side and the return vice versa. But if it works, it’s no big deal to me. I used sch 40 PVC for all of it. Probably should have made some unions but I still have a lot of time to change things before the tank gets wet. I also used a 1” sch 80 gate valve on the main overflow from Fiji Cube. Seems to be fine and a good alternative to the Spears. ($50 more) The two pipes entering the sump are just placeholders for a moc up. I am cutting longer ones. I will not cement those in place so I can remove them. Doesn’t matter to me if they leak into the sump. Also, I still need to pipe clamp everything in place. It’s just zip tied for support currently. I am certain that zip ties will be fine but the sump area is already ugly enough.

I also made this interesting 1” square aluminum light mount to accept two Hydra 26HDs.

I will be painting the back of the tank black as well as the light mount when things get closer to the end.

My questions to all who have read this are:

- Is there any major screw ups you see?
- What should I change?
- Can you see any potential for issues down the line (other than no unions..)
- Should I just throw it all out and buy a CADE?

THANK YOU ALL!

Cheers from my Biocube:

I think you did a great job refurbishing everything, also your cube looks really cool. Your precautions and worries were correct, its a good thing you had those things in mind.

I’d give it a go and re-silicone areas you see could be problematic, especially the part where the pipes fit into the bottom of the external overflow, and finding a light for your sump. I’m not sure if that will be the permanent height from the water level in sump to the gate valve pipe, but I’d try to extend that pipe a little longer to reduce some of the noise. Have you reinforced the light stand so it can hold the lights well enough? They are pretty heavy.

Just my two cents.

What type of reef are you thinking of making it?

 

[fishyjoes]

I'd suggest changing your sump to flow the other way (just turn it around) so the drain and return lines don't have to cross.
Let the drains go straight down, and the return straight up.
This would also let you use two 45s on each drain line instead of 3 90s (one 45 at the stand to angle under the stand, and one more just above the sump to angle down into the sump)

 

[rja]

I think you did a great job refurbishing everything, also your cube looks really cool. Your precautions and worries were correct, its a good thing you had those things in mind.

I’d give it a go and re-silicone areas you see could be problematic, especially the part where the pipes fit into the bottom of the external overflow, and finding a light for your sump. I’m not sure if that will be the permanent height from the water level in sump to the gate valve pipe, but I’d try to extend that pipe a little longer to reduce some of the noise. Have you reinforced the light stand so it can hold the lights well enough? They are pretty heavy.

Just my two cents.

What type of reef are you thinking of making it?

Thank you!!
I will be reinforcing the light stand, by securing it to my wall and/or adding a shelf corner to the 90* arm for cantilever support.

Those pipes in the sump are just placeholders for the moc up. I will be cutting longer ones.

I have a Kessil H80 fuge light that BRS accidentally sent me instead of my 1” bulkhead yesterday so there’s that… lol

I would like the reef to be a mixed reef 90% softies and LPS. Only SPS I would like is various Digis

 

[rja]

I'd suggest changing your sump to flow the other way so the drain and return lines don't have to cross.
Let the drains go straight down, and the return straight up.

I really wanted to to do that but I would have to take apart the stand to flip the sump. I wasn’t really thinking when I put the baffles in because I was confident I was going to drill the 40mm preexisting hole out to 60mm and install my overflow on the other side. But instead I drilled a whole new hole and am now using the 40mm for a return. I think it will definitely be worth it to just take the center brace out of the stand (reinstall after), flip the sump, and re-route my plumbing so it’s only traveling the shortest distance possible. Since the pipes are already fixed to the 1” overflow bulkheads, this would give me a good reason to scrap the Fiji Cube OEM bulkheads for better ones.

I might just do this, thank you

 

[benbalter]

I would have used clear glue. It's just a me thing. I would have also put a valve in the return, for maintenance and I found by slowing my flow control the noise. But hey nice job I have now redone my plumbing 3 times trying to get it write

 

[rja]

I would have used clear glue. It's just a me thing. I would have also put a valve in the return, for maintenance and I found by slowing my flow control the noise. But hey nice job I have now redone my plumbing 3 times trying to get it write

I haven’t done the return yet, i have a ball valve for it thank you!!! I too would have used clear primer but I thought I was going to be slick and use what I already had in my garage but carefully…… we call it ugly but functional LOL

 

[FrugalReefer]

Start a build thread.

 

[benbalter]

I learned the hard way never use glue over 6 months old!!!! I got cheap and used old glue and yes 1 week later the joints failed 6 dollars for glue 700 dollars in repairs. Mmmmmmm

I haven’t done the return yet, i have a ball valve for it thank you!!! I too would have used clear primer but I thought I was going to be slick and use what I already had in my garage but carefully…… we call it ugly but functional LOL

 

[rja]

I learned the hard way never use glue over 6 months old!!!! I got cheap and used old glue and yes 1 week later the joints failed 6 dollars for glue 700 dollars in repairs. Mmmmmmm

the glue i had was hard as a rock, the only old part was the primer that stayed liquid