Cheap Sump Almost Done !!!!!

[Civicdemon]

Ok so this weekend did not go completly as planned but i got most of it done.

My Cheap Sterlitte sump and plubming.

So here my First way of plubming with the overflow in the middle of the DT.

But i was thinking if i wanted to put it over on the left side for better access and looks ( IMO ). I would add elbows and screw inlets so i can still take it apart if need be. So if i did that it would also have a 90' angle in there so i think it would be less noisy this way also. correct me if im wrong.

Thanks.

 

[kevdogg]

I would add unions to any section that you will be wanting to take apart or think that you may need to. All my pipes are glued together but I have multiple unions along the whole line just in case. As far as silence goes I found that closing the intake valve slightly worked by creating more of a siphon. Look into the "bean animal" setup for an idea. (thats the setup that d2mini is using. I am still working on mine which is more modified for HOB overflow setups.)

 

[Civicdemon]

Yeah i did add unions where i tought i would need them, I can fit everything in place and put it toghether just the way it is. If i do decide to do the overflow in the left side of the tank and not the center then i already have the elbows that are slip on one side and screw on the other side. so i would be able to take that apart really simple

 

[Civicdemon]

Got my Baffles in Yesterday just waiting for them to dry now. Then i should be ready to go.

Question : Do i fill my sump up all the way first with new water or slowly pore out water from my tank and add new salt water into the tank ???? would it even make a difrence ???

 

[ErinCahir]

I'd put new water in the sump.

 

[Old_Moe]

+1 on water in the sump

any updated pics? love the DIY stuff.

 

[Civicdemon]

No pics yet, Im picking up the Skimmer Friday so i think the hole thing will be done that day.

Also thinking of picking up some mirical mud to use in the refugium section.


Everything is pretty much done now along with the baffles. So it should work good. im going to double check tomorow to make sure the baffles dont leek. but i think its ready for instal.

Ill post pics when its finished.

 

[Bifferwine]

I wouldn't use the mud -- it's expensive and requires maintenance. And I'm not so sure there has been anything conclusive that shows it actually helps anything or benefits the system. Most people go with a bare bottom fuge or a (remote) DSB.

 

[Civicdemon]

The pods and snails and everything will still be ok in there with no substrate and just rubble rock and a couple larger pieces of live rock ??

 

[ErinCahir]

Yup!!

 

[Civicdemon]

So what kind of snails should i put in there ???? i dont think nassariouse would be good in there since they like to go under the sand ?? Should i maybe put a crab in there ??

 

[Bifferwine]

When picking inverts for a refugium, lots of people pick animals that they want, but can't keep in their display tanks. So if there's a cool looking crab you like that is not reef safe, the refugium would be a good place for it.

 

[Civicdemon]

Wouldnt really matter to me. I would not be able to see it so i would not care. Might get some blue leg hermits for my dt and move my regular ones to the fuge. What kind of snails work good in a fuge with no sand bed? ?? Something thay will eat diteius.

 

[FishyReef]

super tongan nassarius snails eat detritus, and so do fighting conches. I added 2 conches to my DT and they are my best cleaners! I think hermits do too, but I wouldn't mix snails and hermits since they tend to murder snails even when you give them plenty of extra shells.

Oh, and its fine to keep nassarius snails w/o a sand bed, as long as there is something for them to eat they are fine.

 

[Civicdemon]

Ok cool thanks. I just got my skimmer today. Setting everything up tomorrow

 

[Civicdemon]

Well cheap sump did not work. About 10 min into it baffle came unglued. Im just going to order 2 berlin sumps and unit them. Does anyone know how tall the naffles are on the berlin sump?

 

[Bifferwine]

Too much pressure bowing out the sides caused the baffle to detach -- you can't say you weren't warned to use a sturdier container instead of the clear ones. ;) If you use a heavy duty plastic container, you will have much better results. There are similarly sized containers available at the hardware store that are black and can withstand the water pressure.

Do you have a link to the sump you are talking about?

 

[Civicdemon]

Actually it did not bow to the sides it just topoled over the wall from water weight i guess. But yeah anyways im thinking of just using 2 of the berlin sumps.

Berlin Sumps

Then i would just drill these and connect them with the bulkheads.

 

[Cathic]

What glue or cement did you use to bond your PVC? Seems like it would take a lot of weight pressure to rupture on one of your joints, or just fall over as I think you stated.

 

[Civicdemon]

Sorry no On PVC it was one of my faffle walls in the sump i was trying to make.