Finshed adding sump/fuge to my 12 gallon nano

phurst · #1 12/12/2007, 12:06 AM

Yeah, so maybe it's crazy to add a 15 gallon sump/fuge to a 12 gallon tank, but I did it anyway. Tonight was my first time drilling a glass tank, and, well, doing ANYTHING DIY as far as aquaria is concerned. I'm bushed, and I'm going home, but i just had to toot my own horn, especialy after the super glue incident last night

mr294 · #2 12/12/2007, 12:15 AM

Nice project! Pics?

twon8 · #3 12/12/2007, 12:35 AM

i like a system with more sump than display, makes for a more stable system

phurst · #4 12/12/2007, 08:30 AM

The first pic is crappy, because i took it last night with my cell. this is the back of the tank (JBJ Nanocube 12DX) right after I finished drilling the holes and fitting the bulkheads.

Here it is back in place and plumbed. Don't ask why I have a ball valve on the drain line, I just happened th have 2. The durso isn't all the way finished yet either.

Here's the sump/fuge itself. I'll be adding some cheato and LR rubble to the left chamber, and a HOB skimmer and possibly a pair of phosban reactors to the right hand chamber.

Here's the inside of the rear chamber of the nano. Drain on the left, return on the right. I wanted to modify it as little as possible, so I lined up the return bulkhead with the hole that was already in the front of the rear section for the stock return. I had to rig it with some clear tubing so I didn't have to drill it out to accommodate the PVC. The smaller diameter of the tubing increases the velocity of the flow anyway, so it's a win-win situation.

The whole thing took about 2 hours, which included making the extra 12 gallons of salt water to fill the sump. I'm using a Mag 2 as a return, and so far, it's silent, has more flow, and the temp is considerably cooler than it was before. Cool enough that I shouldn't have any problems with additional powerheads to run the skimmer and phosban reactors, and possibly add more flow to the display.

So far, I'm really very pleased with how this has gone.

Hopeful Reefer · #5 12/12/2007, 08:52 AM

This looks really good...nice use of a stock nano tank to make a bigger system with the sump...are the corals any happier with the increased flow?

phurst · #6 12/12/2007, 08:59 AM

They're actually kinda P.O.ed right now. I think between the increased flow, the temp swings while I was working on it last night, and lots of dust from the sand in the fuge side, they're just irritated. Everythig is half open, but nothing looks to be in real distress, and the fish and inverts are fine, so I think it's just adjusting.

phurst · #7 12/13/2007, 09:50 AM

Everything looks 100% better today, except maybe the xenia isn't as full as it usually is. If it decides to melt away, I'm not going to argue with it

Also, maybe 90+% of what little algae (hair and film) was in the tank turned white overnight and is just blowing away. No idea what that's all about, but it's fine by me.

Got the durso tuned as well. It's pretty darn quiet now.

J. Montgomery · #8 12/13/2007, 09:52 AM

I think Colleen has a refugium thats much bigger than her main tank.

I'd imagine by now your coworkers have confirmed that you're totally insane (don't tell 'em about the superglue incident). Looking cool, man.

Neptune777 · #9 12/13/2007, 01:59 PM

Very nice work Pearson!

TammyLiz · #10 12/15/2007, 03:26 PM

Those look like cubical walls. Is this at an office?

phurst · #11 12/15/2007, 03:43 PM

Yep, a cube in my cube...

TammyLiz · #12 12/15/2007, 04:37 PM

Thats great!

I have the same tank, which is what I am working on upgrading right now since I really only feel the need for one tank.

I'm sure if I had an office I'd feel a need for a second, though!

What kind of mantis do you have? I see in your sig thats what is in the tank.

Edit: I almost forgot to add, I've heard of people taking out the false wall. Since you've drilled, have you considered trying to do that so you'd have more room in the display now that you have a sump? I yanked on mine a little and it didn't budge but I'm not sure I tried hard enough. Maybe you'd need to do a little chipping away or drilling in the upper corners before it would move.

phurst · #13 12/15/2007, 05:27 PM

It is a Neogonodactylus curacaoensis:

I haven't considered pulling the back out, primarily because the rear section is functioning as an overflow, providing surface skimming, keeping the water level at the rim of the tank, and the 3 rear filtration sections are still functional, and have carbon and LR rubble in them.

The tank is all zoas/palys with some frogspawn and xenia. Now that I have a sump/fuge, I'm seriously considering adding a MH light, some more flow and going SPS.

bradlyallen1 · #14 12/16/2007, 08:05 AM

Awesome, nice setup for work.

phurst · #15 12/16/2007, 09:06 AM

Thanks. People at work think I'm totally insane, but whatever...

TammyLiz · #16 12/16/2007, 11:16 PM

Pretty pretty blue!

Yeah, "whatever" to anyone who doesn't understand it! They're probably even weirder but just hide it better.

Lavish62 · #17 12/28/2007, 12:43 AM

Nice mod, I'm getting ready to that to mine. I am a little nervous though. What type of diamond blade and drill did you use?

I'm trying to figure out how to run the pumps, and how much flow. Right know I have a powerhead on the in the stock location and one through a bulkhead low on the left. It works good, but know when I do the mod I'll only have one and no wavemaker.

I just picked up my JBJ 1/15 chiller, PM phosban reactor, and tunze protien skimmer. So I am pretty excited about setting it all up.

You should deffinently put in the MH lights, they're great. I had the nano tuners 70 watt MH and 18 watt actinic installed and love it. Although you'll have to run a chiller. The ice probe won't keep up.

I'll post some picks when I get done.

phurst · #18 12/28/2007, 07:28 AM

I used these bits from eBay.

They worked great, and I was glad they had a pilot bit to keep the circle bit from wandering. I'd love to see some pics of how yours goes.

samdaman316 · #19 12/28/2007, 08:33 AM

All I can say is WOW!
Office frag party sometime?

phurst · #20 12/28/2007, 08:49 AM

Thanks.

LOL, that would be, uh, interesting

Hopeful Reefer · #21 12/28/2007, 12:44 PM

You think people at work think you are crazy now...

Just wait till you host a frag party...

Oh, hey boss...no, these are just a bunch of reefers like me...

Can see where that could get misunderstood big time!!

Lavish62 · #22 01/03/2008, 10:33 PM

Thanks I found a bit(not as nice as yours) and started drilling. It went successfully. I'll post some picks when I get some.

phurst · #23 01/03/2008, 10:49 PM

Great, I'd love to see them.

phurst · #24 01/07/2008, 10:33 AM

MH lighting is now installed. Thanks Dave!

Neptune777 · #25 01/07/2008, 10:35 AM

That looks really good!