How do I get the sump out of the cabinet?!?

Spectral_Ranger · 03/27/2016, 02:34 PM

Working on a project to get move my sump out of the cabinet and down to the basement below the tank. Got it all drained, but now I can't get it out! It's like trying to fit a couch out of a doorway, and no matter what I try, I just can't get it out. It's a CAD Lights 100g aquarium. Did they build the cabinet around the sump?? I'd ask them, but with their terrible customer service, wouldn't believe the answer even if I got one. Does anyone have some bright idea as to what to do?? Looks like the vertical support brace in the front could be pretty easily removed... though that seems like a disaster waiting to happen. What if I cut a 2x4 as a temp brace that's offset from the center a little?

Bdial · 03/27/2016, 02:41 PM

is the back open? I had the same issue before. I had to pull one end of the tank out from the wall and angle the sump so it would slide out. Check the brace. It looks mostly aesthetic but the picture is small it's hard to tell. Can you stand the sump up in the stand?

Spectral_Ranger · 03/27/2016, 02:47 PM

There's a full tank on the stand, so there's no sliding the stand out from the wall! Besides, the back is not open. No, I cannot stand the sump up in the stand. Doubt the brace is aesthetic... Without it there would be no support along the entire front edge of the tank. My best thought right now is to put a temp brace in the front, but off to the side a bit, so I can take that vertical one out for a minute.

thegrun · 03/27/2016, 03:08 PM

You may need to install a temporary center brace that extends out a couple of feet outside the cabinet and then cut out the center brace. Remove the sump and then replace the center brace.

Spectral_Ranger · 03/27/2016, 03:17 PM

Well, my impatience got the better of me and I went ahead with my offset brace idea. And, PHEW! It worked. Cut a 2x2 to height of brace, then shimmed it so there was good positive pressure (didn't want stand to sag at all). The cabinet's center brace was pretty easy to unscrew and remove. Slid sump out easily, then quickly put center brace back in. Done!

Thanks all for the quick tips and ideas... Very glad this one ended well.

cincyjim · 03/27/2016, 03:19 PM

I have the same problem of getting my sump out... it's not coming out. I think your safest option would be to leave that one in there and get another one for the basement. Might be move expensive but it's less of a headache and stress. Just my two cents.

cincyjim · 03/27/2016, 03:21 PM

Just read your last post. Seems we were posting about the same time. I'm glad that worked out for you!

dweber618 · 03/27/2016, 03:22 PM

Totally off topic - I have the same tank. How long have you had yours? Still happy with it? Can you take a picture of your tank?

Spectral_Ranger · 03/27/2016, 03:24 PM

I had been thinking of getting a new sump as part of this project, but the new Vectra pump already put me out a bunch of money and I couldn't stomach spending another few hundred for a new sump. The idea did flash through my mind again as I was debating what to do today, but I'm really cost averse right now so took the chance. Besides, it would've been a huge pain to get my drain and return lines down to the basement with the sump still sitting in the cabinet. Probably would've ended up breaking it to get it out if I went that path.

Spectral_Ranger · 03/27/2016, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweber618

Totally off topic - I have the same tank. How long have you had yours? Still happy with it? Can you take a picture of your tank?

I've had the tank almost exactly a year now. Very happy with the tank. Customer service stinks though. I made a build thread that has some fairly recent pics in it. How are you liking yours? Any issues?

dweber618 · 03/27/2016, 03:40 PM

Wow - beautiful. I've only had mine up for about 7 months. I had the same things happen in my tank, lost a bunch of my fish due to ich (started on my kole tang). Went the fallow period and am now just adding fish back, slowly, after full QT. So far I've got a clown and a longnose hawkfish. I just got a blue and gold Midas blenny in from DD that's in QT now. I've got quite a few soft corals - but hoping to start adding more after my fish stocking is done.

I love the tank - no complaints for me thus far! Just waiting to get past the "uglies" - I'm still going through algae phases. Slowly but surely as per usual.

Ou8me2 · 03/27/2016, 04:06 PM

Yeah, the screws on the center brace was how they got it in and out.

robertifly · 03/27/2016, 07:03 PM

Yep, screws are the give away that's how they intended sump tank install/removal. I had a stand custom built once and to facilitate sump install/removal I had the center brace located on biscuits, worked great. For my next one i made sure the sump will go out the end doors. Glad you worked it out!

hogfanreefer · 03/27/2016, 07:18 PM

This is why my stand has doors on both ends. Can't tell from your pictures but if the stand is painted rather than a stained wood finish it would be relatively easy and inexpensive to put a door in at least one end.

GimpyFin · 03/28/2016, 08:31 AM

Another thing that works well if you build your own stand is putting magnets on the center piece. Then it pulls out and goes back in pretty easily. Mine didn't need a center brace, so it's more just of a trim piece to cover the door gap.

03/27/2016, 02:34 PM	#1
Spectral_Ranger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Westford, MA Posts: 155	How do I get the sump out of the cabinet?!? Working on a project to get move my sump out of the cabinet and down to the basement below the tank. Got it all drained, but now I can't get it out! It's like trying to fit a couch out of a doorway, and no matter what I try, I just can't get it out. It's a CAD Lights 100g aquarium. Did they build the cabinet around the sump?? I'd ask them, but with their terrible customer service, wouldn't believe the answer even if I got one. Does anyone have some bright idea as to what to do?? Looks like the vertical support brace in the front could be pretty easily removed... though that seems like a disaster waiting to happen. What if I cut a 2x4 as a temp brace that's offset from the center a little?

03/27/2016, 02:41 PM	#2
Bdial Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Huntington, wv Posts: 675	is the back open? I had the same issue before. I had to pull one end of the tank out from the wall and angle the sump so it would slide out. Check the brace. It looks mostly aesthetic but the picture is small it's hard to tell. Can you stand the sump up in the stand? __________________ Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good. Haste makes waste. WINTER IS COMING

03/27/2016, 03:19 PM	#6
cincyjim Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,147	I have the same problem of getting my sump out... it's not coming out. I think your safest option would be to leave that one in there and get another one for the basement. Might be move expensive but it's less of a headache and stress. Just my two cents. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: SCA 150G, 5 inch sand bed, 2 Tunze 6095s, ReefBreeders v2+ 50" with 2 all Blue Reefbrites, and Continuous Water Change System

03/27/2016, 03:21 PM	#7
cincyjim Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,147	Just read your last post. Seems we were posting about the same time. I'm glad that worked out for you! __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: SCA 150G, 5 inch sand bed, 2 Tunze 6095s, ReefBreeders v2+ 50" with 2 all Blue Reefbrites, and Continuous Water Change System

03/27/2016, 07:03 PM	#13
robertifly Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Milan, Tn Posts: 867	Yep, screws are the give away that's how they intended sump tank install/removal. I had a stand custom built once and to facilitate sump install/removal I had the center brace located on biscuits, worked great. For my next one i made sure the sump will go out the end doors. Glad you worked it out! __________________ reefracer Current Tank Info: none

03/27/2016, 02:47 PM	#3
Spectral_Ranger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Westford, MA Posts: 155	There's a full tank on the stand, so there's no sliding the stand out from the wall! Besides, the back is not open. No, I cannot stand the sump up in the stand. Doubt the brace is aesthetic... Without it there would be no support along the entire front edge of the tank. My best thought right now is to put a temp brace in the front, but off to the side a bit, so I can take that vertical one out for a minute.

03/27/2016, 03:08 PM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	You may need to install a temporary center brace that extends out a couple of feet outside the cabinet and then cut out the center brace. Remove the sump and then replace the center brace.

03/27/2016, 03:17 PM	#5
Spectral_Ranger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Westford, MA Posts: 155	Well, my impatience got the better of me and I went ahead with my offset brace idea. And, PHEW! It worked. Cut a 2x2 to height of brace, then shimmed it so there was good positive pressure (didn't want stand to sag at all). The cabinet's center brace was pretty easy to unscrew and remove. Slid sump out easily, then quickly put center brace back in. Done! Thanks all for the quick tips and ideas... Very glad this one ended well.

03/27/2016, 03:22 PM	#8
dweber618 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: MT Posts: 334	Totally off topic - I have the same tank. How long have you had yours? Still happy with it? Can you take a picture of your tank?

03/27/2016, 03:24 PM	#9
Spectral_Ranger Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Westford, MA Posts: 155	I had been thinking of getting a new sump as part of this project, but the new Vectra pump already put me out a bunch of money and I couldn't stomach spending another few hundred for a new sump. The idea did flash through my mind again as I was debating what to do today, but I'm really cost averse right now so took the chance. Besides, it would've been a huge pain to get my drain and return lines down to the basement with the sump still sitting in the cabinet. Probably would've ended up breaking it to get it out if I went that path.

03/27/2016, 03:40 PM	#11
dweber618 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: MT Posts: 334	Wow - beautiful. I've only had mine up for about 7 months. I had the same things happen in my tank, lost a bunch of my fish due to ich (started on my kole tang). Went the fallow period and am now just adding fish back, slowly, after full QT. So far I've got a clown and a longnose hawkfish. I just got a blue and gold Midas blenny in from DD that's in QT now. I've got quite a few soft corals - but hoping to start adding more after my fish stocking is done. I love the tank - no complaints for me thus far! Just waiting to get past the "uglies" - I'm still going through algae phases. Slowly but surely as per usual.

03/27/2016, 04:06 PM	#12
Ou8me2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 743	Yeah, the screws on the center brace was how they got it in and out.

03/27/2016, 07:18 PM	#14
hogfanreefer Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 2,117	This is why my stand has doors on both ends. Can't tell from your pictures but if the stand is painted rather than a stained wood finish it would be relatively easy and inexpensive to put a door in at least one end. __________________ DSA 155,Custom Trigger 42" sump/refugium, MP40 X2, MP 10 X 2, AI Hydra 52 X3, Apex controller, Tunze ATO Current Tank Info: DSA 155 gallon, mixed reef, SPS and wrasse dominant

03/28/2016, 08:31 AM	#15
GimpyFin Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,032	Another thing that works well if you build your own stand is putting magnets on the center piece. Then it pulls out and goes back in pretty easily. Mine didn't need a center brace, so it's more just of a trim piece to cover the door gap.