Custom Sumps & Refugiums

[B-Ironic]

This is my first post and my need for assistance is high. I have a stand for my 75 gallon one year old reef. I have been running it rather helter-skelter.
My sump and refugium setup is a sad state of affairs. I am wondering if there are people out there who know the pain of a cabinet that has a center support dividing the stand in half. Each half measures w.21 1/2" d.17 1/2" h.28"
I would like to have a sump on one side for my skimmer, probes, for the flow from the tank as well as the return. On the other side I would like as large of a refugium as I can manage. I would plan on drilling two holes in the center of the "wall" that divides the cabinet. This will let me run a small pump from the sump to the refugium and a natural overflow back to the sump.
Does anyone know of a person/place that makes custom sumps and refugiumg for problem setups like mine? I talked to Jeff and LifeReef but I am too anxious to wait the time it would take to make (5-6months).
Any suggestions or thoughts that might help would be very welcome
Thanks!

[Renae]

Don't give up anything is possible. You can e-mail me and I will see what we can do for you.
deepseagalleryd@aol.com
Renae

[thebigblue]

B-ironic

i am doing the same thing...having a split sump/refugium...i have emailed the guys at jmk displays...

http://www.jmkdisplays.homestead.com/tanks.html

and they have been very helpful...very affordable and the shipping isnt bad...seems they can custom make anything you want...

do you have a design yet?...i have some ideas but nothing for sure yet...email me if you wanna compare notes

goodluck

brad

[srlumaye1]

If you have a table saw, (or friend with one) you should be able to purchase some 1/4" acrylic, cut a couple "boxes" out (4 sides, a bottom, and a re-enforcing lip on the side's top), glue it together using Weld-on, test for leaks, drill a couple holes to connect the two, connect using unions that can be unscrewed, and you should be good to go.

Worked for me. If I even need to, I can pull each "Side" out of the stand (Course it is a lot of work to get the wter and sand and whatnot out)

Final cost? - a lot less than purchasing it from some company.

Steve

[thebigblue]

i havent completley ruled out a DIY project...

...but if i screw it up and all the seams arent water tight then im dumpin 125 gals on the floor...ive made a prefilter box out of acrylic before and it wasnt that tough...i guess it just comes down to if you trust your craftsmanship and if you have the time...

heres a link on the subject...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54039

brad:D

[newkie]

http://www.aquariumproducts.com/contents.htm

[B-Ironic]

Thank you everyone!

Brad- Thank you for the link. It looks good. I will mail them tomorrow and see what they could do for my setup. I have been mailing many places for different quotes and design concepts. I do have a design that a friend of mine is drawing up on their computer. When I get that I will email you the picture, as well and my wishes for the design. I would like to compare notes and share a few ideas. :reading:

Steve- It would be the best if I could DIY this project. It does sound easy enough when you break it down. The problem with me is that I no skills as far as carpentry work goes. To put my dyslexic mind on that kind of task would be waste :lol:

Greenbud- Thank you for the link. Another good site to get the help I need. I will email them tomorrow and see what they have to say. I apprectate it.

[Spectral_Ranger]

I second JMK Displays, great products at a very reasonable cost (and short timeframe). The 30 gallon sump pictured on their site is the one they made for me. Craftsmanship is excellent, and they did it exactly to plan (although the plan was somewhat simpler than yours!). I've also heard good things about the other places people have mentioned, but have no firsthand experience with them.

Chris

[thebigblue]

b-ironic

cool...i actually did some measuring last nite...

my thinking is to have the sump side be 24" long, 15" wide and 16" tall to fit under my stand....then have the refugium side 12" long, 12" wide, and 20" tall...

like you i have to be able to fit these in one door opening in the stand...

i hope to work on it this weekend and i will email you some plans as well

thanks

brad

[jrc]

Do you have a basement? If so, is drilling a hole in the floor an option? If so, life will be good from now on by putting sump, pumps, refug., etc. in your basement. Do it yourself and safe money. Take you a week at most.

[thebigblue]

jrc

agreed....i wish i had one!

brad

[B-Ironic]

JRC- I have no basemant :( that would have been perfect. I thought about having the tank in our living room, and have it against the wall. On the other side is our garage. That way I would have lots of room, and a source of water. Sadly that wall is load bearing and has plumbing and wiring through it. Blew my hope all to he!!

I have mailed a few more places this moring and I hope to hear back from them soon with some good news.

Brad- I will send you that drawing this afternoon. :thumbsup: