# 150gal build. The Sanford and Son way.



## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

It's been a long time coming, but I finally have what I have dreamed about for ages.

Well, almost. Let me explain. First let me warn you. If you haven't read my other posts, (what few there are) I can be rather long winded. So sit back and relax, this is a long one.

I live in Oklahoma. Yeah, tell me about it... cheap place to live, nice people, that's about it. I also work in a pawn shop. It is nothing like those shows on TV. No-one brings in a rare Davinci. No ancient sunken treasure. Look around your house...see that microwave you bought at Wal-Mart ? I can get you twenty bucks to put some gas in your tank so you can make it a couple days till Friday. I like my job. Helping regular Joes like you and me.

Because I am a regular guy who works in a pawn shop, I am going to write a build journal the way a guy with a regular job, in a depressed economy would.

I can't just go out to my LFS and swipe my credit card for 8000.00 dollars like I witnessed the other day. This guy comes into the store (LFS ) with his wife and two daughters. They pick out a big tank, tell the employee they want a saltwater reef tricked out, and an hour later, he's melting plastic like no tomorrow.

Now I don't fault the guy, and i am in no way upset. Maybe he was the one who won the Mega-millions lottery. I dunno. Maybe he works his butt off, and made a few good choices in life like college, good job with advancement opps, and keeps his credit rating high. Maybe he saved up for 5 years and his dream, just like mine is coming true. Either way, must be nice...

Now my dream starts when I walked into a LFS after lunch with my wife back in October. I was looking for some cichlids other than the Petsmart stock. This place is mostly a reefer's store, but I heard they carried some freshwater stock too. Unfortunately, The stock was not very well maintained. Many had ick, tanks were not well lit, overall a gloomy looking store.

But on my way out, I saw it. There in a corner.....180 gallons of sheer wet myself goodness.
Brand new Dual corner overflows, stand and canopy, filter, pump and plumbing acc. All that was needed was some lights. It was sold as a kit for the reduced price of 2,700.00 Sadly, I knew it would never be mine. Though secretly at night, I would dream up ways to falsify documents to get a loan against my 401k.

Fast forward to the beginning of November. I had been cruising craigslist because I read on the forums about how great the deals are on these monster sized tanks. If only that were true in Oklahoma. These people have lost their minds. 200 dollars for a 55gal with a HOB and metal stand. REALLY?!! Were were the dollar per gallon deals I read about ?

I checked every day, then I saw it. A new pet store had opened up and was advertising on Craigslist. They specialized in Cichlids and reptiles. And at the very bottom of the listing was the magical dollar a gallon. OMG. I instantly became Ill. I had to have a reason to leave work early. I called my wife to come and pick me up.

When we got there, I was amazed. I saw cichlids I had only seen in pictures online. They were gorgeous and expensive. I asked about the used aquariums, and he took me to the warehouse. I passed by a 55gal and asked how much ? He said 55 bucks. I almost peed myself. Passed a 75, he said when they gett that big, they cost a little more....100 bucks, but I'll do it for 90. WOW. I paid 225 for my 75 at Petsmart !

We went all the way to the back past old filters of all kinds strewn about the floor, Lighting of all different lengths. Sorry for the mess he said, but we just moved into this building.

In the back, two tanks were sitting on stands. One I knew was a 150 Tall, oak trim, not drilled with versa-tops. The other I had never seen before. He said it was an Oceanic 150 Long Reef-Ready. It was standing on a DIY stand. Both were dirty as all get-out. Covered with dust and grime, various plumbing parts laying inside, and the 150 long still had some sand in it and plenty of calcium in the overflows.

I asked how much. He said remember what I said about the 75gal. Well the 150tall was 325 and the 150 long was 450. I asked why the difference. He was selling the long for a friend who 450 straight for it, or they would be closer in price. I had to have it. I knew it was the best deal I was gonna find anytime soon in Oklahoma....

I saw a 150 tall with stand and versa-tops a Petsmart, and it was reduced from 800 down to 650. So I knew this was a good deal. It just needed some TLC and a Finished stand. The stand on the long was just a 2x4 frame with a thin plywood face. The only problem....No money.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

I jokingly said if only you guys had lay-a-way like i do at work. He asked me how long I needed to pay it off. As he was selling it for a friend, he didn't want the tank tied up and no money to give his buddy. I told him I could scrounge up 200 bucks today, and since I knew I was going to be working some OT for the X-mas season, I could get the other part to him by the end of the month. We shook hands, and I brought the 200 dollars to him later that day after shuffling some bill payments around.

Two weeks later I was back there again. I had the other part of the money, and a little extra.
He asked what the little extra was for. I asked him if he could bring it to my house as i drive a Sebring Convertible. I offered 30 bucks, and he agreed. I then asked if he could fill it and let it sit overnight before bringing it to the house. He did, and I went there the next morning before work to look at it. What a magnificent sight. Sitting on on its stand full of water. It was delivered around 7pm that night.

It was very dirty, even after being filled with water, the was still crud in the tank, and the overflows were very crusty with calcium deposits. I set to cleaning it up that weekend. I bought a tarp and some bleach. And it takes a lot of vinegar to soak, soften, and clean off the calcium deposits. Here is the end result.

IMG_1439 by Fatcatcz, on Flickr

The light that you see on top of the tank didn't come until much later.


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## Woodworm (Jan 3, 2009)

nice


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Very nice. How long till fish and what's going in it? opcorn:


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Great post and congrats on the new tank!!


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

I don't really know what to put in it. It's kinda like getting your dream car and then someone asks you where the first place you're gonna drive it to . Since I never thought I would ever have a tank this large, then possibilities are almost endless.

I have always dreamed of a full reef aquarium....but I have a Sanford and son budget. Even used gear is still expensive. Then I thought about all out cichlid mania. Overstocked full of candy-colored cichlids. Right now I have 40 Malawi in a 75gal . I'd have a crazy amount in the 150gal. Dual fx5s to handle the load of course.

Then I thought about a saltwater FOWLR tank. No corals mean a heck of a lot cheaper set-up. And I must admit, a 15" Lionfish is a beautiful sight to behold.

Then I saw a gorgeous planted tank....

Then I saw a discus biotope...

Then I saw a high-tech planted tank with adult show discus.....drool....

I am flip flopping more than a presidential candidate.

As for when fish will go in, my birthday is July 10th.... No later than that.

So that I would not drag this out for a real long time, I bought a lot of the stuff I will need before I made this thread. I have more coming this week. As well as still building the stand and canopy.

I have some really cool ideas for this tank and want to make it an event and one to remember. I don't know if this has ever been done before, but I am going to make this build interactive. What this means, is that when it comes time for assembly of the tank, building the stand, even placement of the rocks....you can help decide. I don't take your opinions lightly. If you see that I am going about it all wrong tell me. Do I need to add a ball valve to a drain pipe? Glad you mentioned it, 'cause I would have not known that.

When it comes time to aquascape there will be a poll to decide rock placement. Choice of fish? Another vote. Ever hear the phrase " it takes a village" ? We are gonna do a barn raising Cichlid-Forum style.

So I hope you stay with me for this build. It's gonna be a lot of fun in the next few months.

Still need to design a stand and canopy, choose my rock and substrate, how do I set-up and plumb my filter, hard PVC or flexible hose? Do I need a light timer, an aquarium computer.... And how and where do I get it? nd can it be done cheaply?

:thumb:


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## Jayse (Feb 15, 2012)

Awesome reading, haven't read your other threads, but I definitely like the way ya tell a story. Can't wait for more pics. Great find. I get some people on craigslist here that think their quite used tank with metal stand or tv cart/ stand should go for new retail price. I just ignore those and wait for the good deals... you'll see them a couple weeks later with a lowered price.

Good to see I'm not the only one that lives in an area where a handshake is still a person's word.

opcorn:


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Great story and I love the Sanford and Son reference!

Tropheus would look great in that tank. They'd use the full height without you having to stack rocks to the brim. Sorry, I know you haven't started the poll on how to stock it but I had to get that out. :lol:

opcorn:


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

So the tank sat like that for three months. We had a shortage of employees at work and a managerial change. I worked a lot of hours and was exhausted everyday. I spent my days off mostly sleeping or thinking about the amount of work to get done when I got back to work. State audits suck. Company audits suck even more....

Anyway. I didn't mean to start off this post so depressing. It was Christmas time then right?
Around the beginning of January, I was once again cruising Craiglist and saw the same Pet store advertising a huge sale. I thought I would stop by and see what they had. Maybe I could grab a couple of things for my tank. Plus my wife wanted some more guppies for her planted 20gal.

I walked in and promptly thanked them for the tank and told them about cleaning it up and how nice it looks now. He was very nice and enthusiastic about my build. I told him I was here to try and pick up a few things for my build, and he took me to the warehouse section. They had cleaned it up nicely and had tables with all sorts of filters, lights, and other aquarium pieces on them. They had other tanks along the walls too. A 125 with stand and canopy for 400 already cleaned up and holding water. Everything was clearly labeled.

I didn't have much money, but I walked around looking at the various filters, heaters and such. They had a UV sterilizer for 10 dollars with no bulb, a couple of 200 watt hydor inline heaters for 5 bucks each, a reef octopus skimmer for 125 dollars. But next to the register was a huge light fixture that looked like it was long enough for my tank.

Walking up to the man at the table, he turned and grabbed the light and set it down on the table. He remembered my name and the tank I bought. He said, Yeah this one will fit your 150gal . He told me it was a 6ft coralife CFL with 2 actinic and 2 10k bulbs, and they all worked. Without asking he plugged them in and lit them up. I noticed that the LED moonlights were missing. He said he wanted 150 for it. He also said it had a crack on the end of the casing that could be fixed with some glue. I had looked at a light similar to it and new it was a decent deal.

Once again money was a problem. Even though I had plenty of OT at work most of it went to pay bills we were behind on. I asked if they would take 20 for it until payday when I could bring the rest. He politely declined. Said he had a lot of peoples eyes on it. Wouldn't take less than half to hold it. First person to pay wins. I looked pleadingly at my wife, but she wasn't coming off her hard earned mad money for MY toys. BUMMER.....

I had to let it go. There will be others I told myself.

So the tank sit and gets dustier. I really should put the tarp over it to avoid having to re-clean my already clean tank. But being able to see it gives me hope....

March arrives and once again I find out that the LFS is once again having a sale. Stopping by I discover that the light i had looked at before was still there in its same spot.

I hate to do this to you guys, but it's about lunchtime, and the wife is telling me I can play with my friends later....Be back soon and with pictures.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

Oh, so yeah. The same light in the same spot as it was a month ago. I was so happy to see it, but I was also suspicious of it...

Why was 400 dollar light just sitting there. It was a good deal right? I mean sure it dusty, covered in salt, and had a big crack in one side. Oh and someone decided to keep the moonlight LEDs for themselves. 150 was good for it, right? I dunno.

He knew what I wanted and said "Before you get all excited, it's on hold for someone." ****!! He said they have been holding it for close to a month. Guys got 75 on it. LFS guy said he'd call that day and see if the guy still wants it. If he can't pay, then I bring 150 cash and it's mine. So I said okay cool, and continued to rummage around looking for other stuff to buy while trying to figure out how to get 150 bucks if the guy flakes out.

I found the 2 Hydor inline heaters I saw from my last visit, and bought those with the lunch money my wife had given me. No lunch at work for the next couple of days. I didn't care. Those heaters are like 40 bucks each when they're new. I bought them for 10 dollars for the pair. I didn't know if they worked, but everything else is make as broken or needing this part or that part. One of the heaters need the little blue screw/compression fitting on one side. Anybody got a spare one of those they can send me? LOL. I am sure I can make it work.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

I didn't receive a call that day or even that night. The guy must have paid for the light and it was his now. Oh well. How long will it take me to save up for a similar light at new cost ? 3 months, maybe 4....

Off to work the next day. The new boss is cool. She's crazy organizational. But at least she's better than the last boss. She at least shows up for work. An uneventful day. Think Office Space but in a pawn shop setting.... I didn't have any lunch money so i just browsed Dr.FosterSmith dreaming about the gear that will one day go on my tank. But hey !! I am one step closer. I got the heaters. Plus it will be super cool to have no heaters in the tank. I can attach the to the FX5 hosing. Dreaming of running dual FX5s.

When I get home that night I realize I have not had my phone with me all day. It's the bedroom where I left it with the little red message light blinking at me. Probably just an email for enhancement pills again. I wish there was a pill to make my wallet bigger. sigh.....

It's a voice mail. I don't recognize the number. That means it's a bill collector. I am not paying for a newspaper that never even made it to my porch. Most of the time never even made it to my house. How can it be The Daily Oklahoman if you can only ready every other day!!! I'm off on a rant. Sorry. It's from the LFS.

He says the guy came and picked it up. But he has another one they just got in today. No moonlights, but all bulbs work, no crack and much cleaner than the last one. But that message was at 12:30 . It was now after 8pm. They were closed. I called him on his cell. Voicemail ****. I txt him, no reply. ****. I hope it isn't sold, I hope it isn't sold.

First thing in the morning, I call the LFS and they answer the phone. The guy recognizes my number and without even saying hello, he says "You can have it for 150 cash before we close today cause I got another buyer lined up." Just my luck I am trapped at work with no money. Wifey get paid today, but she doesn't get off until 3pm. Then she has to cash her check and make it all the way across town. And sometimes she can be a little slow when it comes to doing things for me that involves using her money.

I called her at work and told her what happened. uh, uh, okay, I see. Thats all she said. Long pause and then she said how did I get the money to pay for it. In my happiest voice I said "That's where you come in" uh, hmmm, okay, I see. So I get my money next week you get paid? , she says. There's no bonus on this check which means i have to sell something. I already sold a bunch of stuff to work just to get the tank. I decided I would sell my dvd collection since I am transitioning to Blu-rays anyway. Plus the shop was buying them at a good price since we were low on movies after the X-mas season.

When she got to the LFS, she called me to tell me about the light. I asked her to have him demonstrate how it works, and to check for damage, rust salt creep. It turned out to be just like he said it was. Even better condition than the other one. He also said he had another coralife CFL and said he would give me both for a good price. It was a 24" 50/50. I could get both for 200 dollars. I said sure. I was getting plenty for my movie collection and i would still have money left over. Plus I might need a refuge light.

The wife even drove by work, which was out of her way, to show me the lights. She knew I was excited about it and wanted to give something to smile about even though I sold all my movies. I was extremely pleased when i saw them. Just like the guy said. Very nice condition. I set about cleaning them when i got home. Removed the fans, the bulbs, the ballasts, even the reflector. I made those lights new again. I placed the big one on top of the tank even though it was empty and fired it up. Holy ****! I think it dimmed the lights in other peoples houses it was so bright. I can only imagine what a 400w MH would do.

The small one Had some issues. While it does work, I had to break the bulb to get out of the fixture. The pins had rusted themselves to the connector, and I had to pry it apart. Luckily I didn't break the fixture. But now it is sitting on top of the tank with no bulb in it.

So here is what I got:




Actinics and 10k on


the 24" fixture



So the count is now :

Oceanic 150gal reef-ready on DIY stand 450.00

2 Hydor 200w In-line heaters 10.00

Coralife 72" Aqualight CFL Fixture 150.00

Coralife 24" CFL fixture 50.00

That comes to 660.00 not counting the labor put into cleaning it.

Now if If i go and buy this stuff new or at least find the most similar items new :

GC didn't have my exact dimension listed but the 180 tall is pretty close. 1,000 dollars

72" coralife CFL fixture 475 dollars on

24" coralife CFL fixture 125 dollars

Hydor 200w In-line Heater 53 dollars each

THat comes to 1,725 dollars. 
Hows that for cheap?!

Now I don't know if I can post those prices and business names, so moderators, please let me know and I will adjust the post. I would hate for it to be deleted as it took me a long time to type.


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## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

=D> Lovin this post man! I'm sorta in the same spot with my 90g

Craigslisted for a while, way expensive... Then I found a 55 for $25, but it was 
all the way in Santa Cruz. Beautiful drive, but with gas prices..... Yeah
Found a 90 for $40, and WAY closer. So off I went. Bonus Whisper 100 (submerged 
in rain water) and a 48" light (also partially submerged.)

I crammed everything into my Honda (Yes, Honda)










I dried out the pump and light, and everything worked. WooHoo!

I spent $50 on lumber, built myself a stand that would support my Honda....










Sold my computer desk 10 minutes ago, and I am going to go by my oak paneling to finish 
the stand.

All in all, I am on a roll.... $90 into it, tomorrow I buy a canister or 2, get the tank in the 
house and wait for it (double wide) to be leveled and reinforced for the tank.

So close I can taste it 

opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

Gonna have to get some floor jacks for my floor too. Make sure to get pics of the leveling ang reinforcing process. If you don't already have a thread, you should make one. Congrats man. opcorn:


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## a7oneal (Dec 30, 2004)

I have a friend that excels at fishkeeping (large tanks, too) via DIY, and he's a member here. I sent him a link, because I think he (and others in that sub-forum) can really help with getting things running on a budget. I will personally attest to his fish, as well. Sometimes people that are looking for me at his house, find me in front of one of his tanks, staring at his Trophs and Petros.


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## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

FatCat11cz said:


> Gonna have to get some floor jacks for my floor too. Make sure to get pics of the leveling ang reinforcing process. If you don't already have a thread, you should make one. Congrats man. opcorn:


Well, as far as pics of that process goes, I can't do much for you other than get under 
there and take pics of the finished job. My roommate has someone hired to do this, as well as 
reinforce for my tank.

I actually have a thread: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... 6&start=30

I just wanted to chime in and show my appreciation for your thorough post, and share a little 
of my own piece meal journey. I didn't mean to thread jack.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

No, no. I did not assume you were thread jacking. I just thought you might already have one. Feel free to post your updates here as it give ideas back to the community for doing their on monster tank on the cheap. :thumb:

Any pictures or stories are helpful. Some one reading through this might find an idea from someone other than my build, and that's great.


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## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

Got it 

I'm looking forward to seeing yours all set up.

Awesome wife too BTW.... You should save up for something shiny for Her :wink: :lol:


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

That's one of the advantages of working at a pawn shop. She has begun to complain about it. She says all she ever gets is jewelry or stuff from the shop. Working there has made me cheap. I hate to buy stuff new.


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## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

I totally understand.... If I can find it used, or Hopefully manufacturer refurbished, I try to do it. I haven't been too happy with craigslist lately, so I'm buying a shiny new canister. Ordering it anyway. :thumb:


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

I did read through your other post. When I get around to building my stand, I want to make it as tough as yours. I don't care if it's heavy. 2x6 construction equals peace of mind. Plus the use of 17,000 lbs floor jacks means I can park a Hummer H1 on my floor no problems. :dancing:


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## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

That was $50 in materials.... Spent nearly $50 yesterday on the plywood.... Add a little today for hardware, and yesterdays mistakes  LoL

It is indeed strong :lol:


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## a7oneal (Dec 30, 2004)

SobrietyRocks707 said:


> Got it
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing yours all set up.
> 
> Awesome wife too BTW.... You should save up for something shiny for Her :wink: :lol:


Fish are shiny.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

Hello everyone!!

I took a vacation this past week, and did absolutely nothing. No work, no play, I mean nothing. Laid around being a bum in my boxers, and munching chips and cookies and watching a marathon of Top Gear. The good version not the USA wanna-be show.

You see I was was broke for 90% of my vacation. My check didn't come till this past friday. Since it was our check that contains our monthly bonus, it was a very long and boring week waiting until Friday. Also because i was not at work, I could not see the expense report to calculate what the bonus would be in advance. So rather than spend too much, I just decided to wait for my check. When it hit my account early Friday morning, I thought there must be an error.

Apparently replacing the management with people who come to work and do their job has a profound impact on my earnings potential. Who would have thought.

First thing on my mind....Fish tank!

Since I had already been talking about working on my tank during my vacation, my wife was ready to go. She knew I would wanna hit the usual spots. Craigslist, my LFS, the used aquarium guys, and the high end guys across town. She had to endure my moping around all week because i didn't have any money. Now she was ready to go and get the spending done so that I could shut up about it. And so was I.

After cruising around town, we decided at last to check out what the used dealer had even though they weren't advertising a sale. They usually spend the week stocking up on stuff and then sell it off on the week end. And I wasn't disappointed.

Now let me explain some things first. I am not very good with money. And when I get a goodly amount of it at once, i can drain a wallet faster that a 2" bulkhead in a 40gal tank. My wife on the other hand. Dented can specialist. Not that she's cheap, but without her, I'd be living on the street. She saw my eyes light up. And she put a stop to it real quick.

Get only what you need, she said. She knew what the items were, as i had talked about it all week. A filter or a sump. Cause 2 FX5s was gonna be a 400 dollar hit. Sand, if they have it cheap. More bulkheads. Light timers. I began looking through the stuff on the tables. They still had the Skimmer. She said no because the skimmer is cheap, live rock is not. So I guess she just veto'd saltwater.

They guy asked me what I needed. I told him the main thing was a big filter, followed by glass tops, and then sand. He said your in luck, I got all three. He showed me to a table full of HOB and canister filters. Most of the filters didn't have connectors or hosing, so they were out. There was a sump that had been used for saltwater, but it was really dirty, and had a 2" bulkhead on it. It would have been for a huge tank. Maybe 300gal or more.

Under the table was more skimmers and a dusty white box. I didn't need a skimmer as I can't afford live rock at 4 dollars a pound. Can you put lava rock in a reef tank :-?

I asked what's in the box, and he said it was a broken sump. I asked how broken it was, and he said "serious repairs needed." I lifted it out of the box. It was acrylic. Pretty good looking not scratched up. And all the pieces were there. Two bulkheads, some elbows, ribbed hosing, some bio balls. Then as I looked it over, I saw that it was cracked. Pretty good too, and not just in one spot. If i had lifted it wrong, the entire upper portion might have snapped off.






How much you want for your busted sump ?, I asked. I'll take 200 dollars for it he says. I suck in a breath. I know these things can be expensive but, dang. Even a busted one can't be that much. I said, "but it's busted. I'd have to fix it with silicone, and even then it might not hold."

Now before I go on with my story, my thinking is this:

I got a few ways to go when it comes to filtration. I was planning on getting two FX5s for around 200 each with media. That's a 400 dollar hit. I could build a sump using a tank that I could find at the used dealer. It would only have to be 50gal or slightly less, and at a dollar a gallon, I could get one cheap. But then I would have to figure out how to build it. I've never worked with silicone before, and lining things up straight ain't my strong suit.

On the other had, I could talk him down on his price, and then I would just have to get some silicone and acrylic pieces to patch the sump. The problem was, if the sump didn't wok out, it was non-returnable. Do I take a chance on repairing the sump, or try to build my own from scratch. As I mulled this over, I I was lifting, turning, assembling the sump to see how it went together. I realized that through all of that, it did not break or crack some more. In fact it was very strong. Plus it had all the pieces I would need to make it work, minus the pump and return hosing.

I decided I wanted the sump. I knew nothing about sumps, but i knew that if i could talk him down, I would come out cheaper, even with buying a pump VS the FX5s.

I said, " you have everything I need today right? What kind of deal would you make on the sump if i got a bunch of other stuff too?" I needed sand, and they had black sand and crushed coral gravel. Both of these they pre-was there in the store. I did not want coral sand as it was to coarse, so that left the black. They normally sell it for 50 dollars for about 50lbs. It comes in a 5gal bucket. He was out of the buckets but had it in boxes of 40 lbs. He offered 3 boxes of black pre-washed sand for 100 dollars. That 120lbs. Black Tahitian Moon @ Petsmart is 25 dollars after tax for a 20lb bag. I would be saving 50 bucks. I said load it up.



Next he showed me over to a table that was full of versa-tops. All of them were wither chipped, broken or just generally so filthy, they could not be clean with some strong acid. I passed, but under the table was another white box. It contained lids that were 2ft x 18" . I knew they would fit and they were brand new. Marked at 60 bucks though was steep. New they were, and cost was about 80 new. But he let them go for 40 bucks. 



So far the was in my pocket for 140 dollars. Now came time for the sump. I was hoping I could get it for a hundred bucks, but he knows me, knows my budget, and knows how i think.
" I already gave you a great deal on the sand, you don't even have to wash it. Plus you get Versa-Tops for your tank for half of new." Maybe he should come work at the pawnshop....

"Yeah, but it's busted.", I reply. "If it's so bad, just leave it. Who wants a busted sump? Unless you're think that you could fix it with some silicone and some acrylic patches?", he fires back. Dang, he got me there.

I say to him "realistically, what do you expect to get out of it?" He goes, "I'll tell you what, you buy it for 150 and I'll give you store credit if you can't fix it with a reasonable amount of effort." Wow. That's a pretty generous offer. He knows that if I cant fix the sump, I would just end up buying a glass tank to use as a sump anyway. No matter what, he gets money...

I tell him sold. And begin to load the items in the car. That when he comes up to me and hands me two brand new sets of bulkheads for my tank. Saving me another 20 bucks.

Now I know what you all are thinking. Man he got jacked on the sump. I probably did, but I have a good time buying from them and at the end of the day, those guys always have what I need. And they have never failed to save me money.

I gotta go and start dinner for the Mrs. She beats me me if i don't have it ready when she gets home. 

When I get done, I have pictures of my siliconed and patched sump along with my other purchases that day.


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## SobrietyRocks707 (Feb 23, 2012)

opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

I forgot to mention that when i bought this sump, I had no idea what capacity it was or if it would hold the back-siphon water from my tank in the event of a pump failure.

Through the use of sump calculators I have found that my sump need to hold 23 gallons. This is a 30x12x16" 25gal sump. It's close. very close indeed. I also noticed that this is a Berlin style sump. Meant to be used with a protein skimmer. There is no where to put filter floss.... My first real problem of the build. Hold your suggestions until after you have seen the repairs made to the sump. :thumb:


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## quentin8 (Sep 30, 2011)

opcorn: opcorn:


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

The first thing I did was to was to take the sump and disassemble it. Then I dumped out all the styrofoam and dirt. Cleaned it with very diluted bleach/water, and soft cloth. It was pretty easy to clean, and shined up real nice.



After it was cleaned up I measured the size of the cracks to determine the size of the acrylic sheet I would need to buy. As Usual, the was no one to help me at Home Depot, but after about 30 minutes i found the glass and acrylic. I bought a medium sized sheet of acrylic 1/8" thick and some silicone, gun and a cutting kit. I would later find out the cutting kit is for class only and it useless on acrylic. If only there was someone there who could have told me that. Maybe all their employees are off training for the Olympics. Home Depot really is the DIY store. Maybe soon they will add a DIY cashier... That way no one will work there....



I even cleaned up all the various plumbing parts I had. Standpipes and the one return. Gonna have to make the second return.



I soon found out that the kit I bought would not score the acrylic well enough to cut the pieces i needed. After failing with a jig saw, I decided to score it several times with a box knife and using a piece of wood as a lever, bending the acrylic along the score-line until it snapped.
It never did break straight on the line no matter how many times I scored it. But It didn't need to be pretty. It just needed to work.


I then proceeded to seal the inside and the outside of the crack. Once it became slightly stiff but still very tacky, I placed an acrylic patch over the crack. I sealed the outside edge of the patch with more silicone, and held it in place with tape until it dried.




After I had it all Sealed up. I let it sit for 24hrs just to make sure it cured well. Then I took it outside for a water test. I assembled the sump and shoved a hose into one of the sump intakes. We have very high water pressure on the outside faucet, and I would be able to flow a lot of water through the sump. I let the sump fill to the brim and let it continue to overflow for about an hour. Then I turned the water hose off and let it sit outside for another 3hrs full of water. There was no flex, creaking or oddness at all. If anything the sidewalls were stiffer due to the added support of the patches.





I brought it inside to dry. After looking at the sump all cleaned and patched, I noticed that there is no where for me to hang filter socks, or put foam blocks or drip-plates. I found out that the sump i bought is a berlin style filter. Made mainly for protein skimmers. If anyone had an idea about how to turn this sump into a proper freshwater filter please let me know. I have some left over silicone, half of the acrylic sheet I bought, and some plastic egg crate.

This is the first time you guys get to be part of the build. It is the imagination, ideas, and sense of community that I am trying to cultivate here. Lets make the most of it!! =D> =D>

I will go first. 


I probably should have used red but I'll walk you through it. Anyone can feel free to mod any off my images. Maybe you could even draw it out using sketch-up or something. Anyway...

The water comes down from the drain and into the first chamber, spill over the wall into the second chamber onto a drip plate made from the left over acrylic and covered with filter floss. It then flows down through some bio-media ( maybe ceramic rings ), sitting on the egg crate. Under the egg crate and the partition heading left. Up over the partition and through the bio-balls. Down under the partition again and into the pump chamber containing my sump pump and a bag of carbon.... What do you think guys?....


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## ryencok3 (Feb 25, 2012)

opcorn: opcorn: Cant wait to see this thing transform


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## Pizzle (May 24, 2011)

So this is the part when we get to tell you how to make a sump. I have never used a sump so I was hoping that someone else would give you some input. I enjoy your writing style so I want to give this a bump since you had fallen so far down the list of posts.

I assume that doing it the Sanford and Son way means that you are trying to do it inexpensively. In that case, I would not use carbon. Replacing the carbon is not cheap and I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t see the benefit of it unless you are trying to remove meds or some toxin that got in your tank. Bio-balls and ceramic rings are also not cheap. I have read about people using pot scrubbies or shower scrubbies instead and they get em for cheap at the dollar store.

When looking at the diagram that you drew on the sump, I donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t understand how it will work. It seems like the chamber that is filled with the layer of floss and the media will constantly be full of water, instead of water flowing through the media, as you describe. How will the water flow down through the media and then climb up over the wall to get into the chamber with the bio-balls?


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## hauntingurcoma (Dec 19, 2011)

any updates??


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

Have you thought about writing for some side money? Ill buy you a six pack of beer and a bucket of bait next time I'm visiting the in-laws in OKC if you sit by a lake and tell me some stories. I was disappointed when I got to the end of the thread because I didn't get to hear the the ending. 
Now to you question. I propose you extend the divider walls in the first chamber higher (red lines) after installing a new divider as you proposed. Place a drip tray (composed of acrylic with holes drilled in it) on top of this new box, and fill it with pot scrubbers (8 for a dollar at a chain store I can Pm you the name). Then divide the box on the left with eggcrate and place your filter floss on the eggcrate. My logic is the pot scrubbers will get the bug gunk and work great as biomaterial. Then the floss right before the pump will polish the water.


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## MyMonkey (Oct 7, 2004)

Great thread. Where are you finding these used items locally? Seems most LFS have shut down in the past few years!


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## Catfish Dan (Apr 12, 2011)

opcorn:


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## lucid_eye (Apr 12, 2009)

Its been a month since we got an update, I hope he didn't give up.

opcorn:


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## Catfish Dan (Apr 12, 2011)

> Its been a month since we got an update, I hope he didn't give up.


This feller doesn't strike me as a quitter!


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

No, not a quitter. I am currently working on bringing home my mother-in-law from a US encampment in Mexico. Dad passed away a year ago, and she is by herself and doesn't speak any Spanish. It's time for her to come home.

Also I had to make a choice between getting the fish of my dreams, or finishing the tank. Both cost the same money. More to come... opcorn:


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## sandandrocks (Apr 3, 2012)

Glad to hear you're OK. Take your time, we'll be here we're not going anywhere.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

Man your story makes me wish I lived closer to you so that I could help in any way that I could. That said I like lucid's idea for the sump. I have not tried the pot scrubbies but hear they work just as good as any other media and they are cheap. I instead went for the ceramic tubes, got a great deal for them on ebay and bought a 6 pounds of them...which is not a whole lot of ceramic to be honest. I also used pond Matrix which so far has been working out great for me however, its a bit expensive but yet again ebay had the best deal on that as well. I think all in all I have about $70 in my filter media but then again I have a 240 gallon so I do not think you would need as much if you decide to go that route. Also, another idea for the water polishing would be poret foam, you could cut it to just fit and it can be a baffle in itself instead of using the egg crate filter floss idea (either way will work I think just an idea to throw out there). Hope everything works out for your mother-in-law and good luck on resuming your tank build.


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## mightyevil (Oct 23, 2008)

I tried to read as much as I could and very quickly so I might have missed it if someone warned about this already... and I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, did you test for leaks before you patched the sump? a crack in acrylic does not necessarily mean that it is broken and it will leak, chances are that the sump would not have leaked from the crack. Now, this does not mean that it will not leak in the future. Acrylic and silicone don't do too much for each other, in fact, look at the sump, you would not find any silicone in/on it (other than what you patched) because acrylic is welded together with a welding solution. The patches you made will only prolong the inevitable, if that, but the sump may burst at any time when you run it. The proper way to fix that sump is to remove the pane that is cracked and replacing it. This can be done best with a router (can be expensive but you are the master of bargain, you can probably find one for $50-$80 used, if you don't have one). After routing it off you can weld the new sheet with weld-on #4 and a solution bottle with needle, you can find both these items on Ebay for less than $20 shipped.

The LFS guy might of given you some discounts on some things but he definitely made most if not all of it back by selling that sump to you for that price. A sump like that is worth nothing because it will eventually explode, but to a person who has the tools to fix it and knows how to fix it, it can be worth something, maybe $150 after fixing it...

I hope I don't come off like a jerk, I am a big fan of what you are doing with the little you have, very inspiring! I just hope that you achieve this the first time around and not have to go through the stress of an emergency that a thing like a sump can cause. Take into consideration that if that sump did explode, your filtration system would practically be wiped out and a lot of money will have to be spent urgently to save your fish, otherwise you lose your investment (fish) and would have to start over again.

A Piece of 1/4" cast acrylic should not be expensive, you should call a few plastic manufacturers if you have some near you and ask for prices, heck, for $150 you could have probably gotten enough acrylic to make your own custom sump. They usually have the welding solution and something to apply it with for sale. They can even cut the piece exactly to the dimensions you need and is usually already considered in the price.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know of a potential danger, the sump may even prove me wrong and last that way as long as you have it but I just felt I should mention it. Sorry for the rant...


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## luuuis (Mar 24, 2012)

This is a great read, can't wait for the next installment.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

I have so much to cover. I will go back with a full update to my story, but I need some urgent help. I need to get this tank finished before the end of june. I am doing a test run of the plumbing, and everything is connected and running. But it seems to me that even with the durso standpipes, the water is still noisey. Not in the overflows, noisey in the sump. The water seems to be flowing into the 1st chamber very quickly, rushing in with a bunch of air/bubbles, pounding the bottom of the sump, and thin it gets quiet and slows down until I can barely hear it.

What causes this? Can I fix it ? Will it always be this loud? I have read that the pipes in the sump should end just below the water line. Do I need to trim my pipes? Should i put a valve on the return line to slow the water going into the tank?

The 150gal is shown at the end of the video. I ecourage you to watch the whole 7 1/2 minutes and offer advice. I'd love to hear it.

And no, even with the force of all that water flowing into the sump, it hasn't burst. My sump actually feels more solid and less flexible than the 369.99 Aqueon Pro-flex sump that I saw someone buy at my LFS yesterday....hmmm


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## reflexhunter (Jul 25, 2009)

Hey where are you located in Oklahoma? Did you buy this stuff at the new shop on s 15th


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

Okay. I cut the drainpipes into the sump to just an inch below the water in the first chamber. the pounding water in the sump was reduced. Great!! Although, now what to do about the flushing I am getting in the overflows. Water builds up in the overflow, and is then rapidly flushed out through the durso standpipe, creating the thundering noise in the sump. I have noticed that this effect is much more sever in the left overflow. It rarely occurs in the right overflow.

I am in OKC. I purchased most of it from some very exotic people on the south side.


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## danielratti (Feb 17, 2008)

Sometimes adjusting the drainpipes will help.


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## FatCat11cz (Nov 30, 2010)

how do you mean. Raising or lowering the top of the standpipe, or moving the drainlines under the tank?


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## danielratti (Feb 17, 2008)

raising and lowering the pipes from the sounds of things your pipes are too high if there is an access of water in the overflow.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

I will have to agree with migtyevil, silicone will not hold that acrylic in place. 
You need to use Weld On if you want a chance for it to hold. You can use silicone to patch glass on glass but def not acrylic on a acrylic. 
For $150 you could've gotten a new 30g tank and acrylic sheets to make your own sump plus some $ back. 
I would return that sump before it explodes on you.

I'm not trying to burst your bubble but sometime one HAVE to listen to people giving advices.

BTW. I enjoyed reading your story. I like how you tell it. Well done.


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## Brooks74 (Oct 22, 2010)

mel_cp6 said:


> I will have to agree with migtyevil, silicone will not hold that acrylic in place.
> You need to use Weld On if you want a chance for it to hold. You can use silicone to patch glass on glass but def not acrylic on a acrylic.
> For $150 you could've gotten a new 30g tank and acrylic sheets to make your own sump plus some $ back.
> I would return that sump before it explodes on you.
> ...


X2 Although I doubt he will allow you to return it ,You paid way too much for a broken sump that didnt even include a pump .Personally I wouldnt trust that sump to hold long term and when it fails it will be even more costly when it and your tank drains onto your floor.


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## kojak76 (Feb 13, 2012)

Any updates on how things are going? I miss reading your posts.


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## fusion (Jun 21, 2012)

Just found this thread, good job up to now :thumb:

can i ask what kind of silicone you used?

After all your hard work and time, id hate for you to get all finished and stocked and for the fish to be killed by the silicone.

Please check it before you put any fish in it.

Great thread, keep it up opcorn:


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