Check out my 10g sump, lots of pics!

[Silver_Stang]

I started building a sump out of an old 10g tank I had for my 29g. Here is a picture of me applying silicone to the baffels


The silicone I used, got it at home depot 4 bucks.


Testing the seals for leaks


The hurricane overflow box I purchase from ebay, $45 shipped. 1 inch bulkhead.


All of the baffels are installed, I let them cure for 48 hours. The area on the right is a refugium, the left is the intake, and the center is the return.


I got my mag 5 from bigalsonline.com for $55 dollars shipped, I put together some plumbing and tested it with a 5 gallon bucket, it worked great.

While I was testing the sump and pump, the doorbell rang and my float switches arrived. $6 each and $3 shipping. One switch will shut off the mag pump if the water gets too low, the other switch will run an auto top off system, and the third switch will act as a safty shutoff in case the auto top off gets stuck on for some reason (snail or salt buildup)


I siliconed in the brackets for the float switches


I glued in brackets to support the plumbing.


The mock up of the plumbing - if it fits the tank properly I will glue it together.


I am now working on the wireing for the float switches and waiting for the brackets to cure. I will post the completed set up later tomorrow hopefully.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations for the fuge let me know, DSB? how deep? what kind of sand? what kind of seaweed? snails, yes or no?

[cozmo1]

looks very nice so far

[mov_ax_dx]

Where did you get the float switches for $6?

[dfiddy]

Originally posted by mov_ax_dx
Where did you get the float switches for $6?

i second that question!! I'll be needing some for a diy auto topoff and I'll be in the process of transforming my 29g into the sump/refuge in the next 2 weeks for the 75g that is being setup. I like your setup.

[Silver_Stang]

here is the link for the float switches

http://www.floatswitches.net/floatswitch.html

[Silver_Stang]

I made my float switches run a bosch spdt relay. It is an 12v 30a automotive relay. I will use an old 6v transformer I have laying around the house (probably from an old cordless phone or similar low voltage product) to activate the coil on the relay (terminals 85 and 86) The positive end of the transformer will go to terminal 85 and the negative end will run through the float switch (note: you can fuse the positive end with a 5 amp fuse if it makes you feel better). Then I will cut one side of an old extension cord and attach one end to contact 30 and the other to contact 87. Contact 87a is not used. Now what ever you have pluged into the extension cord will turn on and off with the float switch and their will only be 6v running through the switch which keeps things safe for you and your fish. Also, I will house the relay and all connections in a homemade ABS plastic box. All connections will be sodered and taped with 3M super 33+. You can buy the abs plastic and the bosch relay at best buy in the car installation bay (which is where I work -- so if you are in IL near chicago stop buy and say hello) for about $20.

[Silver_Stang]

Here is a crude diagram of what I am talking about. When the float switch is moved, it completes the circuit giving one end of the coil 12v or 8v or 6v --- depending on your transformer. This then moves the little arm on the relay off of terminal 87a and connects terminal 30 and 87. The setup I have pictured would turn on a top off pump if the water got below a certain point in the tank. You could also add a second float switch that would break the circuit in case the first switch fails (so your auto topoff system doesn't flood your house and kill you fish by adding too much fresh water). Or you can hook up the extension cord to 87a and place a floatswitch in your sump to turn off your return pump if the water level gets too low. the relay and all sodiered connections would be contained in a sealed plastic box.

[EmergencyDpt]

Is this a meth lab? JK.
Wow, what a cool project. You did a great job. You lost me on the electonics but that's not your fault. I'm just a little dense.
I have a ten gallon tank I'm thinking about adding to the side of my wet/dry. I will probaby have to have some kind of auto shut off just in case. If I need you too will you give me a step by step on this part?

[Silver_Stang]

yeah, no problem ------ I probably made it sound complicated, but it really is not that hard.

[Ehydo]

Your putting 115 volts on a car relay? I would not suggest that.

[impur]

Originally posted by Ehydo
Your putting 115 volts on a car relay? I would not suggest that.

He's using an old phone power supply 6 volts not 115.


Great job on the sump and plumbing. I love the plumbing support brackets, great idea. Your getting a great start to this tank, can't wait to see it stocked. Keep this thread updated!!

Miles

[Silver_Stang]

The relay handles 30a at 14.4v, The pump draws 1a at 115v, this is not enough to burn up the relay. I double checked with my dad, he was a union electrician for 40 years --- he said I wouldn't have a problem. Also, the relay I am using has some heavy duty contacts, much larger than the contacts on a typical 120v relay from radio shack. It should work fine ---- I will let you guys know if their is a problem when I hook it up after class today.

[Ehydo]

Originally posted by impur
He's using an old phone power supply 6 volts not 115.

Please look at the diagram before commenting. And you cannot run a mag 5 on a DC power supply so what you said makes no sense. It is true that it will power the relay but you have 110-115v going through the relay.


As for Silver_Stang, Please let us know.

I have tried that in the past and ended up with welded relays. I am interested in seeing if it works for you.

BTW what kind of pump are you running with this relay. The mag 5 uses 4.5 amps to start the pump and .8 amps to run after start.

I setup a similiar setup using Solid state relays because even the better mechanical ones can weld the contacts causing overflow.

As for the Union Electrician thing, I would not trust a Union Electrician to wire anything but an industrial building. They are not taught to do fine electrical work just how to properly wire a building. My Brother, Brother-in-Law and Father-in-law are/were union electricians. My father is a Electrical Engineer and he is the best source I have found for these type of projects.

I do not say these things to be mean just so people know that this is not safe.

The Contacts not the switch are rated for 30amps or 40amps 12VDC. The switch sides are usually rated 12vdc 100-200mA.

http://www.hsinda.com.tw/automoti.htm

[Horace]

well I was an electronics technician in the Navy and I think his setup may work just fine. It is not voltage that causes problems with welding it is current. High voltage means nothing. A simple spark has something like 10,000 volts. Its only when the current is too great across a small medium (small wire, or contact) that it will heat up and weld it.

However, to be safe, I would probably look for a relay that the values it is rated for are as exact to what you will be using as possible....

[impur]

Originally posted by Ehydo
Please look at the diagram before commenting. And you cannot run a mag 5 on a DC power supply so what you said makes no sense. It is true that it will power the relay but you have 110-115v going through the relay.

Sorry boss.
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Ok looked. He is using a 12v power supply from an old phone, not 115v.

[Ehydo]

Originally posted by impur
Sorry boss.
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.
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.
Ok looked. He is using a 12v power supply from an old phone, not 115v.

Yes but he is entering 115v on the other side....Notice the outlet.

[impur]

Looks like a female end to the extension cord to plug the pump into. Not sure where this is going.

[Silver_Stang]

ok --- The relays work great, they have been running for several hours --- no problems yet. The amperage draw on the mag 5 is very small, so I highly doubt their will be a problem. But I will post if I encounter one.

Impur -

I do have a small microbubble problem, many of them make it past my bubble trap, how did you solve your microbubble problem on your tank?


Horace -

Is that a mazda rx7??


Ehydo -

I have several friends who are graduating soon with engineering degrees from UIC. I will ask them, see what they have to say.

[Silver_Stang]

I got the sump up and running today, I works great with the exception of a small microbubble problem, any ideas on how to fix it?

here you can see the small plastic box I constructed to hold the relays, I made it out of ABS plastic at work.


here you can see the white return tube and the overflow box, I really have great water movement in my tank now -- no dead spots.


view of the overflow from the back of the tank, I had to add a 2 inch union to the plumbing which made the installation and removal of sump easyer.


I was able to transfer my bakpak and heater into the intake section of the sump, it really reduces clutter in the tank


here you can see my float switches, which are working flawlessly so far.


here is the completed relay box


Wow, my dog was tired after all of that hard work!!


I still have to get a light for the fuge, some substrate, and green stuff to put in it --- any suggestions???

[Silver_Stang]

A litte more on the relays, I couldn't find a relay where the contacts were rated at 120v and the coil was 12v, the closest i found was contacts 120v and coil 24v, and I didn't have a 24v transformer. If anyone knows were to get a relay with a 12v coils and 120v contacts, let me know.

[Ehydo]

Originally posted by Silver_Stang
If anyone knows were to get a relay with a 12v coils and 120v contacts, let me know.

http://www.mcmaster.com/ Search for "solid state relay" ( no coil electronically controlled)
http://www.futurlec.com/RelSS.shtml\
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/sto...tegoryId=11582

[impur]

Hey great job! The microbubble problem will go away after a few weeks. I had it as well. I used some filter socks for a short term solution and it helped. After about 2 weeks the MB reduced significantly, probably due to the slime and algae building up in the pipes. Good idea on the junction box, makes all those unsightly connections disappear!

[Silver_Stang]

impur, I was going to use a standard 1800 outdoor electrical box with a cover plate, but home depot wanted like 15 bucks, so I being a broke collage student decided to build my own at work.

[dymaxiun]

Nice work.... How are those float switches workign out for you... i have 2 that i'll be using here soon....

[impur]

Originally posted by Silver_Stang
impur, I was going to use a standard 1800 outdoor electrical box with a cover plate, but home depot wanted like 15 bucks, so I being a broke collage student decided to build my own at work.

I hear ya there. It looks better than those outdoor boxes anyways!! What kinda lighting do you have on there?