Home Brew Sump

[Jeff Rehling]

Petco has their tank sale and I'm about to get a 40g breeder and build my own sump. I have two USED large pieces of plexiglass for the baffles, but since they've been used, what would be the best way to clean them for use in the sump?

Also, does anyone have a table saw I could use to size them? I would buy the blade and give it to you.

Thanks

 

[sfsuphysics]

How does the acrylic need to be cleaned? Is there coraline? green algae? brown diatoms? Soaking your pieces in vinegar would probably help with most of that.

Also make sure when you do you cuts you do not make a tight fit, make sure there is a gap as acrylic will expand, silicone won't stick to it but you can always just make a thick gasket with it.

 

[Jeff Rehling]

it appears to have been used as a desktop protector of some sort. dirty, dusty. likely in a shop or warehouse?

 

[sfsuphysics]

Is it acrylic? Or polycarbonate? A desktop protector most likely the later. Also how thick is it? I wouldn't use anything less than quarter inch for sump baffles.

 

[xcaret]

How soon you need to cut the pieces?
I have a table saw.

 

[Jeff Rehling]

I don't have the tank yet...turns out a 40g breeder doesn't fit below my tank. I need a 40 long instead. If Petco has them in stock I'll pick one up this week. Not next weekend but the weekend after. Thanks

 

[Jeff Rehling]

Is it acrylic? Or polycarbonate? A desktop protector most likely the later. Also how thick is it? I wouldn't use anything less than quarter inch for sump baffles.

it's 1/4"

 

[xcaret]

I don't have the tank yet...turns out a 40g breeder doesn't fit below my tank. I need a 40 long instead. If Petco has them in stock I'll pick one up this week. Not next weekend but the weekend after. Thanks

If the length of the tank is fine, you may want to consider a 30g long.

 

[Coral reefer]

Baffles are over rated

 

[sfsuphysics]

... if you run an external skimmer.

 

[Jeff Rehling]

internal skimmer. current sump is eShopps and it's a micro bubble factory. hate it

 

[Coral reefer]

... if you run an external skimmer.

I run in sump skimmer, sump has no baffles. Works good for me.

 

[Jeff Rehling]

I run in sump skimmer, sump has no baffles. Works good for me.

so you just run an open tank? could you photograph and send? do you have a fuge?

 

[xcaret]

I imagine lots of people run baffle-less sumps. Years back Green Marine in Berkely had all their systems (all 40B’s) without baffles. If you are experiencing a lot of microbubbles, maybe some issue with the skimmer?

 

[sfsuphysics]

For me baffles are more for keeping water level for the skimmer constant, quite a few are very touchy, including really high end models like Bubble Kings.