Mobile QT Tank with Slide Out Sump

[Salt Empire]

Awesome build looks really well done and I love the mobile qt idea!!

 

[drawman]

Very nice job! Now you make me want to do the same!

 

[dbl]

Awesome build looks really well done and I love the mobile qt idea!!

Very nice job! Now you make me want to do the same!

Thank you both. It doesn't get a lot of use, but I actually have it up and running at the moment with a new CBB going through the routine. I have to admit...the portability is quite nice!

 

[JoshH]

Interesting I found this thread, I am planning a slide out sump for my DT just to make maintainance a little easier in a tight cabinet. Excellent project and looks awesome! For those interested you can purchase horizontal drawer slides capable of holding 2000 plus pounds. Just not at the Depot lol you would still need an adequate counter weight depending on how far you plan on having the slide out go.

http://www.slim-track.com/heavy_duty.html

there are plenty other suppliers out there you just have to dig around to find them.

 

[dbl]

...you would still need an adequate counter weight depending on how far you plan on having the slide out go....

Josh, no truer words could be uttered. I can't stress this enough, and I mentioned it much earlier in this thread, if you do a project like this, be very careful when sliding the sump out when the display is empty. As mentioned, you have to have the counter weight to offset.

And yes, there are much better suited slides for this, not found at the orange and blue stores. But remember, this started out as a fun weekend project/experiment with products I had on hand....lol.

 

[JoshH]

It really is an important thing to remember when doing a project like this. And I did realize that it was a Spur of the moment project I was just pointing others in a more appropriate direction if they were seriously considering a project like this like I am. I think it's a fantastic project you have made and would be very useful for most of us in the hobby

 

[JoshH]

I certainly admire your ingenuity, but there's a skeptic lurking inside me - and I'm looking forward to a photo of your water filled sump fully extended...

Give me a couple months and I will fulfill your skeptical side with this project, I will be taking lots of photos when my project is under way. Waiting on certain things in order to get going again

 

[skjohn98]

Great job, this is the first time I have seen this thread

 

[Skydvr]

That came out pretty good for a quick weekend project. I need to get a place with some workshop space so I can start some woodworking projects.

I know it is a little late in the game, but some ideas if other try this...

There are a few online companies that specialize in high quality casters that have beetter prices that you will see for crappy ones you will see at the blue or orange stores. I believe I went with delrin material for the wheels on a project and they handled rough surfaces well. I want to say caster connection is where I went through.

There are higher capacity drawer sliders that should work well.

As far as the plumbing goes, if the return and drain lines are set up at the front of the tank, it will allow you to slide the tank out most of the way without having to disconnect any plumbing.

 

[dbl]

Haven't provided an update on this in forever. Well, as it turns out this little weekend project is no longer a "Mobile" QT tank. In fact it's no longer a QT tank.

My daughter and her husband recently moved back to SW Florida and decided they wanted to get started with a small tank. Well the rest of the story pretty much writes itself!

So this little system is now set up in their house. I ended up winning 40 lbs. of Caribsea Life Rock at our local club's reef conference last weekend. Picked up some sand and it's now cycling. Pictures below.

I figured I'll end up getting it back at some point as they'll eventually want to upgrade from a 20g long!

 

[Stephen Richards]

Beautiful!

 

[dbl]

Beautiful!

Thank you.

I'll take a moment for a quick update. I did in fact end up getting this system back. Daughter recently moved so we tore it down for the move. Luckily they hadn't over stocked it and we found new homes for everything. Cleaned it up and it's ready for service again.

 

[TherealplexiG]

Dbl
Why didn't you test your acrylic skills this time?

 

[dbl]

Dbl
Why didn't you test your acrylic skills this time?

LOL...believe it or not, I considered it since I still have some acrylic panels from the scrapped sump project. But I already had the 20g tanks at the house (with the obvious exception of the one that hit the concrete) so I just used them.