# 112 Gallon w/ Sump Project



## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

Hey everyone,

I've been reading some of the discussions on the forums over the past week, and decided the C-F community would be a great place to document my new project. I've noticed many friendly, knowledgeable members here, and I'm really looking forward to sharing my project and ideas (hopefully getting some great ones in return too! :thumb: )

Anyways, the other projects I've wanted to undertake this summer have been nixed out of a desire to finish my undergrad in 2011 without excessive debt. Short-term pain for long-term gain, right? :zz:

My original plan was to use a 50gallon long as my display tank, which I impulsively purchased from a friend last week when he told me he didnt want it anymore. Came with a decent wood (veneer) stand with a couple storage cupboards. I guess i'll post some pictures when my camera stops being ridiculous.

Earlier today I happened upon a guy selling a 112 gallon tank, 5 feet long by 24 inches tall and 18 inches deep. Personally, I would have preferred a little more depth to the tank, but for 150 dollars, with a nice stand and canopy included I couldn't give it up. I'll most likely be going to pick it up from the guy next Tuesday after I work ALL of the long weekend! (**** continental shifts! :roll: ) He told me he would fill it up before I arrive to demonstrate that it's watertight after I was skittish about his price -- guy said he just wants it out of his garage so he can park his Porsche in there....jerk lol :lol:

The idea of a sump on a freshwater tank really appealed to me, with being able to hide all of the equipment from view in the display tank. This leaves me with two options, using the 4' 50gallon long, or my previous tank, a 45gallon tall, which is 3'long and 2' tall... I like the idea of using the tall, which would allow me to set up a wet/dry system with 4 or 5 gallons of pot scrubbers and still have a good amount of water below it without the need for a tower.

Any ideas/comments/suggestions?

Also, I was thinking it would be cool to have a chamber in the sump that I could stuff with java moss or duckweed or something to act as a natural way of reducing nitrates in the tank. This might make more sense in the long tank since I'd have the extra 12 inches of room to work with.

Anyways, I feel like I've written an essay :lol: I'll leave it at that for now.

Regards,

D.


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

*Is this the wrong section for this post?* First time; sorry if I made an error!


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## Kerricko (May 26, 2010)

I bought a 45 tall from craigslist that the previous owner had used as a sump. Not sure that helps any but it has been done.


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

Do you use it as a wet/dry? If so, what size of display tank is it supplying?


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

So, I found a 60mm diamond holesaw on eBay for $10 with free shipping from Hong Kong! Quality looks quite good, and should be here within a week. Still waiting on confirmation from a friend for help getting the 112g back to my house; its about 50minutes away and I need a truck! Nevertheless, assuming everything goes as planned, I should be able to start the project around next Tuesday when I get some time off and have a truck available.

I plan on getting a local glass shop to cut me some 3/16" black acrylic panels to make two overflow boxes inside of the tank...I'll get some PVC and fittings from Home Depot to make some durso standpipes to match...this is all assuming that the bottom of the tank isn't tempered glass. I was thinking that even if the bottom is tempered, i could use some 90 degree elbows which would let me still have the overflow boxes and standpipes, just have the bulkheads on the bottom of the back pane of glass. Any comments?

Also, the selection at the Big Al's store near my area seems quite limited, and I didnt see the point of ordering in-store when I could just use the online website. Any testimonials about how they compare vs others like MarineDepot and Dr Fosters and Smith?


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

Well, some good news..and some bad news..

Start with the good news:
I got my diamond holesaw in the mail a couple days ago, quality looks great. The diamond coating seems to be enough for a few holes, which is what I was expecting for the price. Also, I found a brand new PRO-1 Hotknife on ebay for 24 bucks plus shipping and handling!  Worked out to about 51 bucks after bidding and shipping&handling but thats less than half of what they retail for...should make cutting styro for backgrounds and "module" type rocks much easier, especially since the stuff I bought is the ultra-high R-value pink styro and is ridiculous to cut lol.

And the bad news....

The tank that I bought used off of kijiji leaks horrendously. Didn't have time to update last week because of work, but the tank had been resealed on the one side and he didn't mention that in the ad. Me, being eager to get my project underway for a discount price went ahead and purchased it anyways. Well, I tested the tank outside with my garden hose, and it only took about 10 hours to drain 5/6 of the water onto my patio.

Any advice about getting a new tank? I was considering trying to reseal this one...but then I thought I might as well just go out and buy a new one....possibly even predrilled with an overflow. Thoughts?


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

I just resealed my 60 gal and had zero problems, got the tank for 40 5 bucks for silicone and 25 for the 2x4 and screws for a a stand, it was pre drilled and had a overflow but I sitll saved money

If you have the time and want to try to reseal it you can have a nice tank for cheap. if you have the money lying around buy a new one.

I would also do a pratice drilling first but that is just me.


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

Yeah thats the thing, I called the guy and he said he'd give me my cash back and I can keep the tank, so it might be worth a shot. Any links on a guide to resealing?

Also, the black bracing at the bottom of the tank is bent otu of shape, whaddaya think?


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

I do not know about the plastic ring a pic would help.

get your money back then and use it to buy a filter and forget the drilling? that way you do not have to worry about the glass being tempered.

just google resealing a tank, it basic scrape all of the silicone off with several razor blades I like using the kind that have the littlw metal piece on top. a little easier on the hands. just scrape and do it several times unitl you feel only the glass. bu tdo not try to get between the 2 pieces of glass leave that alone.

then use masking tape to get straight lines, and run a bead of silicone and then have some water and dip your finger in it a use that finge to smooth it out.


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

i re-sealed a 135 about 6 months ago and have had zero issues with it**KNock on wood** I would not drilll myslelf and would just put in overflows with a constant syphon...thats just me


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

Alright here are some pics. Most of the framing seems fine except for this spot, which is also where the leak occured...I can feel silicone on the outside of the tank at those edges which makes me thing he siliconed both sides when he tried to fix it?


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

the plastic rims are siliconed on so that may be what you are feeling so you sill have to take it off and re-silicone that as well


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

where the end pieces of glass are siliconed to the long front and back panes, I can feel silicone along the inside and outside vertical edges, not just along the bottom.

Edit- Obviously it should be present along the inside, but when I razorblade the old silicone off, should I remove everything from the outside edge as well? I don't feel any silicone along the outside of the vertical beads on the opposite edge that didnt break. Also, when I inquired about the resealing on that edge of the tank, he said he used bar clamps to hold it secure. Anyone think using bar clamps would have actually compressed it too much and made the bead of silicone between the two panels too thin?


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## matthew1884 (Jul 24, 2009)

no just remove the inside silicone.


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Here's a vid of how to reseal it. It's easy, as far as the trim peice just remove it clean off old silicone and reattach with new GE silicone 1


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## SPYYOPS (Jul 30, 2010)

Sorry for the slowness factor, i've been working a bender of 12hr continentals lol

One more 7pm-7am tonight and then I have a day off to get the tank resealed. i'll be sure to post pictures now that I have my camera all figured out!

regards,
d


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