Building a sump...

sean04 · 05/17/2007, 05:21 PM

I have seen mostly all of Melevs DIY sumps and it seems to look easy enough to do. So my question is:

Has anyone made a custom sump by cutting acrylic pieces themselves and actually making the sump successfully who was a beginner? I'm asking because I have never glued/bonded or cut acrylic before and wanted to know if it is as simple as it sounds or should I rather have some professional make it for me?

And if you have what type of problems should I expect to run into if I do it myself?

Thanks!

mushumatt · 05/17/2007, 06:41 PM

You may get more help over in the DIY forum. I personally have not made a custom acrylic sump, but my dad has made numerous other acrylic applications and as long as you have the right materials, take your time, and know what your doing your fine. I would read up and get some scrap acrylic and try to make stuff out of that first. you dont want to ruin $100 worth of acrylic on a mistake that could have been dealt with.

nick18tjetta · 05/17/2007, 06:45 PM

Acrylic is not hard to work with if you have the proper tools. If you don't have table saw, I would recomend just using a glass tank and getting 1/4" glass cut to size to make your baffles. I made a sump/refugium with a skimmer section this morning. It cost me $25 for 5 panes of glass, $3 for silicone, and I already had the 29gallon tank. Even if I didn't have a tank, I still could have built it for $100.

harrisagogetter · 05/17/2007, 07:34 PM

The hardest part that i found was making all of the 90 degree marks fit together. Make sue that you have plenty of grips to hold together so that everything will fit tightly. Do plenty of water tests, they will be a life saver in the end. Let it sit for two days before using any said project. i based mine off of melevs also due to the fact that under the tank was only 11'' wide and i wanted to have alot of space to work about.

HTH
Aaron

atvdave · 05/17/2007, 07:45 PM

I was a bit scared myself so I just got a acrylic tank and glued the baffles in myself. It doesn't look as good as Melevs sumps but it's cheep and works.

Here some pic's.

harrisagogetter · 05/17/2007, 07:48 PM

good job i like it, cheap effective and clean

nick18tjetta · 05/17/2007, 07:58 PM

Nice, and just as effective as an acrylic sump with much less of a headache.

05/17/2007, 05:21 PM	#1
sean04 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 262	Building a sump... I have seen mostly all of Melevs DIY sumps and it seems to look easy enough to do. So my question is: Has anyone made a custom sump by cutting acrylic pieces themselves and actually making the sump successfully who was a beginner? I'm asking because I have never glued/bonded or cut acrylic before and wanted to know if it is as simple as it sounds or should I rather have some professional make it for me? And if you have what type of problems should I expect to run into if I do it myself? Thanks!

05/17/2007, 06:41 PM	#2
mushumatt Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Chester Posts: 670	You may get more help over in the DIY forum. I personally have not made a custom acrylic sump, but my dad has made numerous other acrylic applications and as long as you have the right materials, take your time, and know what your doing your fine. I would read up and get some scrap acrylic and try to make stuff out of that first. you dont want to ruin $100 worth of acrylic on a mistake that could have been dealt with. __________________ Lets Go Mountaineers WVU Audi Sport/ACNA/NEQ Current Tank Info: 40 BR w/20L sump

05/17/2007, 06:45 PM	#3
nick18tjetta Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 643	Acrylic is not hard to work with if you have the proper tools. If you don't have table saw, I would recomend just using a glass tank and getting 1/4" glass cut to size to make your baffles. I made a sump/refugium with a skimmer section this morning. It cost me $25 for 5 panes of glass, $3 for silicone, and I already had the 29gallon tank. Even if I didn't have a tank, I still could have built it for $100.

05/17/2007, 07:34 PM	#4
harrisagogetter Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 226	The hardest part that i found was making all of the 90 degree marks fit together. Make sue that you have plenty of grips to hold together so that everything will fit tightly. Do plenty of water tests, they will be a life saver in the end. Let it sit for two days before using any said project. i based mine off of melevs also due to the fact that under the tank was only 11'' wide and i wanted to have alot of space to work about. HTH Aaron

05/17/2007, 07:45 PM	#5
atvdave Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Newburgh, IN Posts: 1,763	I was a bit scared myself so I just got a acrylic tank and glued the baffles in myself. It doesn't look as good as Melevs sumps but it's cheep and works. Here some pic's.

05/17/2007, 07:48 PM	#6
harrisagogetter Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 226	good job i like it, cheap effective and clean

05/17/2007, 07:58 PM	#7
nick18tjetta Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 643	Nice, and just as effective as an acrylic sump with much less of a headache.