Has anyone built there own sump and refuigium?

[hedgehog01]

I was Looking at the melevsreef.com page I was thinking I could build my own sump and refuigium. Have any of you built your own? If so any tips on what to use and what not. Whats a good size sump and refuigium for a 55 gallon.

Stephen

[pilot_bell777]

Get you a 20 or 30 gallon or 20 or 30 gallon long (depending on what will fit under your tank) from Petco or someone else on Maast. Go to Home depot and get some either glass or acrylic sheets, cut to fit and install as baffels, and if you want you can drill it and put in bulk heads. Easy enough! Not the prettiest, but works! Some poeple have even used rubber maid containers.

If your in Austin, I'd be happy to help you!

[ReefOne]

i have...check it out on my thread in the DIY forum

[::pete::]

I have built several that are being used ny myself and other members. I got plans from Marks site and would be glad to help in anyway I can if you want to build your own.

[CD]

Stephen - OK, now bear in mind this is JMO, but you may want to talk to Dan Parks about building you a sump/refugium. Unless you have a wholesale acrylic "insider" person that you can get the materials from, you will not find a better price. Our sump and fuge was made by Dan, and to be honest, we wouldn't have been able to even buy the acrylic for what we paid for them - not to mention the quality work he does. PLUS it was made to order, and fits our system perfectly. ;)

Also, I know Pete is pretty darn handy with acrylic - I'm sure he would do a wonderful job as well. If you've seen some of the other things he's constructed out of acrylic and the *awesome* stands and canopys he's built, you know what I mean!

Pete - have you started building sumps and fuges yet? :)

W. :)

[CD]

LOL...I see he answered that while I was posting...AWESOME!

W.

[wkopplin]

Dan built my stuff for me and I was very happy. If you are good with silicon, it can be done, but Dan did a great job on my stuff.

[::pete::]

Dan's work is awsome including the frag tank he just finished!! I just thought from reading the post that he wanted to tackle it himself.

[pilot_bell777]

I guess that is my approach to everything....being the cheapskate that I am....LOL

[MikeyBoy]

Good luck on your project!! I wish I were handy enough to try to tackle such a project.
Dan is a great option, he built (2) 135 gallon sump / fuges for me and just love them!
His work is outstanding!!!

[::pete::]

You arent taking the cheap way to the meeting!! Definitely the better route, but not the cheapest!

[pilot_bell777]

That is for flight time though....If I didn't need the flight time, I would be thumbing it! LOL

Like I tell my wife....Millionares are always cheapskates, so if we are ever going to be one; we'd better practice now! LOL

[::pete::]

Like I tell my wife....Millionares are always cheapskates, so if we are ever going to be one; we'd better practice now! LOL

:lol

[pilot_bell777]

~Pete~...........we can't hi jack this thread.... :lol

Hedgehog....I'll be glad to help you build it or Pete or Dan can do wonderful work!

[CD]

I saw that he was planning on building it himself - which is very cool - but as far as cost involved (that's generally the reason we try to build things ourselves), we had checked into that also, as my hubby is a very handy guy when it comes to building things, and researches stuff to *death* before he does anything (I think that's super cool BTW). Anyway - acrylic is VERY expensive to buy retail! Our sump and fuge - custom made - cost about what we would've paid to buy JUST the acrylic alone - not even taking into consideration all the labor and the possibility of making a booboo with an expensive piece of acrylic. Having someone pre-cut the acrylic also costs extra money...AND if you are going to do the cutting yourself, then there's the cost of the blades for the saw, etc., etc.

If the intent was more to have the satisfaction of building your own stuff, then I totally understand, but if it is to save money - well 'nuff said. ;)

W. :)

[pilot_bell777]

You can build it out of glass......

Get a pre made (cheap) tank, some silicone, some panes of glass for baffels, and possibly a glass cutter (I have one if you need to borrow it), and if you want it drilled, get it down before you put the glass in.

As long as you get the water moving, it doesn't matter how pretty it is.

[NaCl_H2O]

Dan does great work (built lots for me), and so does Pete ... but if you learn how to do it on your own ... then we might have a third option in the future ;)

[CD]

Get a pre made (cheap) tank, some silicone, some panes of glass for baffels, and possibly a glass cutter (I have one if you need to borrow it), and if you want it drilled, get it down before you put the glass in.


Yep - another great idea, and a good way to practice before you enbark on building your own. :D

W. :)

[pilot_bell777]

PRACTICE!!!! Shoot....I was thinking about selling them! LOL

Call it "The Ugly Sump" LOL

[captexas]

I have built a 75 gallon sump/fuge combo for my 75g tank and then I built a 85g sump and 48g fuge for my 240g tank, all out of acrylic. It's not difficult to do if you do some research into working with acrylic. The problem is that in most cases, it's cheaper to pay someone else to make you what you want rather than buy the tools and materials to make it yourself. When you pay someone else that does it for a living, you aren't paying for the tools and the materials are a bit less in cost as they get it cheaper due to buying more. Acrylic is expensive (gone up in cost lately) and the right tools aren't cheap either. I spent over $100 on acrylic for my first sump/fuge and then $400 for the sump and fuge for my big tank. That is just for the acrylic only. You add on the router, bits, weldon solvent/glue, sanding materials, and all that stuff, it gets expensive, especially if it just for a 1 time deal.

I would suggest either finding a used one, adapting a already made glass/acrylic tank, or having one of the local guys on here build you what you want. They will build it exactly how you want it or help you come up with some new ideas as well.

[hedgehog01]

Thanks for all the feedback! Will Pete, or Dan what would you need as far as ideas to give me a quote for a 30 Gallon sump and fuge combo. I was thinking of the possibbilty of being able to keep frags in one of the chambers. I have enough hobbies as it is so it would probaly be a better idea to have some one else do it being that tools and material are expensive. Checking out some of the local stores just the sump and fuge tank were expensive so I was looking for another option. I am not in hurry so maybe Pete or Dan could send me some pics of the work or direct me to some on the site.

Thanks Stephen

[::pete::]

So ... now you dont want to tackle it!! Its easy and as I said I will show you!

[hedgehog01]

Sure I am willing to do it if its affordable! What would you think the material would cost for a 30 gallon combo? Maybe you would like to see my tank to get help with some ideas!

Stephen

[::pete::]

OK ... how about this ...

We have posted in the past to do a workshop and alot of the response was for acrylic. I will get Gary to narrate in his thong :D and show you how to do it as Tony Little says in the Geico commercial.

You get the meatrials and we will build it ... you walk away with your sump ...

[captexas]

That could make for a long and blinding workshop! :ph34r

[Darth-Tater]

I would go for the workshop (not the thong) I think that would be a great learning experience I thing I could use a fuge .

David

[hedgehog01]

Sounds like a deal!

[Dozer]

I did what Pilot is talking about with my sump/fuge. Bought an old ugly standard 55 gal glass AGA aquarium from someone out of the newspaper for peanuts, bought a few pieces of glass at HD (they'll cut it for you whatever size you want) and siliconed the baffles myself. Also drilled it myself for the external return pump using a dremmel. It definitely doesn't look nice but it's not supposed to for my case. It's underneath out of view and full of algae and stuff anyway. I'm the type that likes to do things myself when I can because I like to learn about how it all works. That being said, in the future I might very well have a nice one built because now I've experienced making one myself. So I would say if you're really really strapped for money, and/or like to try things yourself at least once, make it yourself. If you really want it to come out nice, and/or don't have the time or patience for a DIY project, have one built by one of the expert acrylic guys on this forum. JMHO... Good luck!!