How would you fix this sump?

SteveG_inDC

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I am planning a 240 gallon display tank (72" long x 30" front to back) and wanted a generous-sized sump to fill that space below.

I saw a used 100 gallon acrylic tank (48" x 22" x 22") and jumped on it, but there's a complication. It's a reef-ready tank, so there are corner overflows. I thought either I could remove the overflows or just cap the bulkheads and leave them there. No big deal to give up space in the corners.

But I just learned that the overflows are not watertight. If you fill either overflow while the rest of the tank is dry, you can see water streaming straight into the tank. So they will get stagnant water, which I don't want. Do I try to seal the seams? That's 21" x 2 sides x 2 overflows, plus the width (5"?) x 2 x 2. If so, do I get some Weldon #60?

Or do I try to cut them out? I have a dremel, but am not very handy. What attachment do I use and what am I in for? This sounds scary to me as I will probably make a mess of it.

Thanks!
 

Ippyroy

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I am planning a 240 gallon display tank (72" long x 30" front to back) and wanted a generous-sized sump to fill that space below.

I saw a used 100 gallon acrylic tank (48" x 22" x 22") and jumped on it, but there's a complication. It's a reef-ready tank, so there are corner overflows. I thought either I could remove the overflows or just cap the bulkheads and leave them there. No big deal to give up space in the corners.

But I just learned that the overflows are not watertight. If you fill either overflow while the rest of the tank is dry, you can see water streaming straight into the tank. So they will get stagnant water, which I don't want. Do I try to seal the seams? That's 21" x 2 sides x 2 overflows, plus the width (5"?) x 2 x 2. If so, do I get some Weldon #60?

Or do I try to cut them out? I have a dremel, but am not very handy. What attachment do I use and what am I in for? This sounds scary to me as I will probably make a mess of it.

Thanks!
I am not totally sure, but personally I would cut them out and glue a piece for acrylic over the holes with acrylic glue or maybe just super glue. The hard and long way to remove them is with a razor blade and time. Then sand them down. If you don't remove them they will possibly become detritus traps.
 

xxkenny90xx

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I agree, remove the overflows and the bulkheads and weld some acrylic pieces over the holes (get the stuff made for bonding acrylic, no superglue)
 
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SteveG_inDC

SteveG_inDC

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Ok, so how do I remove the overflow boxes? They are on there pretty good. It's not like removing something siliconed onto glass, these are bonded (except of course they are not leakproof, so I have the worst of both worlds).
 

xxkenny90xx

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Someone else would probably be better to answer that since I haven't worked with acrylic much but I'd just cut them off with the dremel.
 

LarLarsLair

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If it were mine I would try skilled hands + reciprocating multitool with a thin blade on it. We call it a h.a.f.t. at work. Handy as **** tool.

 

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