Retractable sliding sump/refugium under stand.

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Fishsticks86

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Messages
72
Location
Tacoma
Just thought i share this project. I added some drawer silders under the base of my sump so it can slide out for maintenance. It can slide out about 8-10" more and the bracket will break. I can slide out with the sump filled all the way up :rockon: let me know what you think.
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Sump out
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That's a great idea. Just make sure that you're hoses and chords are long enough to accommodate it when it moves out like that and also make sure that it doesn't go splish splash as you slide it out. LOL
 
That looks really nice and you will enjoy the easy access, job well done. If you ever do another they make heavy duty guides that hold up to 300lbs extended. If possible when you install your system it wouldn't hurt screwing stand to wall:)

Nice One!
 
Thanks! Yeah wiring and piping are next hopefully I can make a clean install with that. I don't think I can slide it out fast enough for it to splash. I installed the slides on the flat side so it needs a little muscle to pull out lol
 
Spinner, I tried to look for some heavy duty glides but the Home depot and lowes here doesn't have what I need and I don't want to wait to order but i am glad slidders (rated @ 100lb) works.
 
Cool idea,
Rockler has the heavy duty glides. They are at Southcenter. Plumbing will be a challenge. I would also install some kind of a stop so the slides dont open to far by accident.

Did you use under mount drawer slides, or your basic side mount drawer guides? If they are not the under mount type, they may not work for very long.

Please keep us posted on your plumbing.
 
I got the guides from my cabinet company back then but they can be found online now days. I would install a solid block on each side of stand and install guides on the sides. I would use heavy duty stainless steel screws and real wood w/melamine, glue, nails, and calking for filter pullout tray.

This is a great idea and works well, plumbing is easy using vinyl hose and barbs. Over build this option with filter pull out but once you have it.....Its nice. Also gives you a view of your system most people never see.
 
I like this and was thinking something similar but was concerned about weight and hoses, hope it works. Keep updating this would like to find out more.
 
It doesnt matter if the drawer slides are rated at 100 or 500 the screws and material they are scewed to are not even close. 24 lbs is closer to real and pushing it.
If you put a drop block under the pullout you will have no problems what so ever. A hinged drop block will support the platform with the floor. Put all your rigid plumbing towards the front so the sump moves not the plumbing.



Don
 
Great advice from Don above, I built and sold cabinetry for 25+ years and always got a laugh out of the drawer glide rating in literature "60,75,100lb Drawer Glides!" with just (4) lil screws attaching them to particle board or cheap plywood sides. Anyhow cool idea and one more suggestion = spray a silicone sealant on the glides to protect from salt corosion.

Cheers, Todd
 
Try Boshield t-9. Works great on hinges and anything metal around your tank it was made for marine environments.

Don
 
With respect to Fishsticks86 great diy project i hope that others will try it as it is a nice feature. But it is an option that needs to be built with high quality parts, the glides i used cost a couple hundred dollars but well worth it as no support block or lubes needed. Now i do feel adding a support block once tray is open would be a nice backup but build it so it is not needed then it is just back up.
I plumb mine using vinyl hose and barbs as stated with all plumbing at the back of filter with just a little extra hose length for pull out. I never ridged plumbed one so don't know how that would work short or long term and with the ease of tubing not sure why you would use hard pipe, i see that as a problem waiting to happen. Last thing i feel is important to share with this option is screw/bolt base cabinet to the wall and if you doing a large system/filter area make two pull out trays in lieu of one big one.


Best of luck!
 
One last option is to use a false toe kick screwed to cabinet base filter pull out with casters under sump/filter. This is how i did the larger systems along with also using metal stand structure's too. Toe kick will hide casters:)
 
Hello all, you guys are full of useful informations and thank you. I wish I knew about the undermount sliders but these will have to do for now. I did use the stopper idea, and some grease on the rails to help from corrosions. Enough talk here's an update.
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Plumbing is complete, stand is painted. The tube that goes all the way out on the right is for easy water change and I needed a shelf for my electrical so..... I had extra drawers slides so why the hell not. Lol
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I hope people do take the sliding sump idea and take it to the next level. One of the coolest feature I have on my build so far.
 
This will be a good reference thread for your design. Keep us posted on how it all works. In 6 months or so let us know how it is functioning and what you may have done to make it more user friendly.
 
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