Rubbermaid Sump Design Ideas??

[rocket]

In the next month or so I would like to build a Rubbermaid sump in my 75g stand and I'm looking for some advice or someone who has done it before.
My plan is to use an 18g to 28g (whatever I can get to fit) clear container. Then use an overflow to get the water out and a Mag 9.5 as the return pump with some lockline tee'd into two nozzles.
I would like to put the Remora skimmer and a UV filter in the sump, maybe a heater. Would I need any baffles or chambers in the sump for this design?
Any comments or suggestions?
Thanks for your help!!!
Nate

 

[Krish]

Brian (mungus) did it. Take a look here...HTH

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13411

 

[rocket]

Thanks Krish, but that sump look to be a little outa my league (too big) until I remodel the house to accommodate a bigger tank!

 

[Reef Mystique]

Save yourself time & money over the long run - buy a sump from I.A.P. and do it right the 1st time (you will thank me in the long run).

Best,
Wil

 

[DisturbedReefer]

I agree with Wil, you can read my thread and see what can happen with the smaller rubbermaid. It was a disaster just waiting to happen, search te web and you will find many others that have had similar experiences with them. Keven from Aquatic Dreams had some that did great for a long time but most are not that lucky. IMO not worth the chance, get a real sump or at least a tank and you won't have to worry about it.

The beginning with the rubbermaid:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=59892&postcount=78
The disaster:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=68845&postcount=150
The fix:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=68849&postcount=151
The best solution:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=217192&postcount=387
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=223287&postcount=418

 

[rocket]

Thats a very nice set up Todd. Actually I got the rubbermaid idea from Kevin originally. Unfortunately the size of my stand prohibits many sump options. I figured a 30g glass aquarium would work if I cut out the end of the stand and reinforce it and add a panel to access the door, that way I could slide the 30 in under the tank.
But until I get the cash for a "real" setup, I thought a rubbermaid would work for a few months. Maybe I should wait until I can get all the stuff together.
Anyone in Spokane have a 30g tank they dont need?

 

[IAP Brian]

Save yourself time & money over the long run - buy a sump from I.A.P. and do it right the 1st time (you will thank me in the long run).

thanks for the plug Will !

I agree with Wil, you can read my thread and see what can happen with the smaller rubbermaid. It was a disaster just waiting to happen, search te web and you will find many others that have had similar experiences with them

DisturbedReefer is giving you good info. You don't have to buy a sump from me, but I strongly advise against the small rubbermaid tubs for a sump. They bow out like a football and I have had two of them over the years blow apart at the molded seem. Since you are in Spokane, try Barr Aquatics (shipping from this side to you puts the price out of the practical range.) Or at least go with a glass tank and silicone in some baffles. You can get a sump from me through ANW and then Kevin in Spokane but once again with two mark-ups it won't be cheap. PM Ed from PSAS. He is over here a lot and runs across the mountains all the time. Perhaps he could help.

 

[rocket]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will give it some more thought and probably hold out for a glass sump. I would kinda like to do as much myself as I can.

 

[bigffish]

just a thought rocket, and I don't mean to jump the thread, I have been lurking inthe background. any way i have on order some acryllic to make my own sump/refugium and just modeling mine after so many of the commercial available ones. the acryllic+shipping is costing me 130 bucks and coming cut, I think that's pretty reasonable. And you might want to chk out melevsreef.com, some great how to's. Good luck, bigffish

 

[g0rFz]

as far as the baffle question, from the way i understand it that is to prevent microbubbles from coming into your tank from the RETURN, which i guess they get stuck under your corals and can burn them/create bad airpockets so that depends if you are keeping corals i guess...correct me if im wrong on this anyone

 

[ziggy]

they look bad too, and cut clarity so the corals dont recieve the light they should.