300 gallon setup/sump build

[jaws7777]

I adopted my set up, but it's covered with real cheap plastic panes basically. I cut them as needed to fit stuff.

Did they warp over time.

Also for your sump maybe try picking up a sheet of plexi and cutting it to size so that it fits over the open portion of your sump to retain the heat. What lids did you get for the top of your tank as well?

Chris built the lids out of spare acrylic.

Planning on adding any other fish?

Yes but reluctantly lol. The family wants a black aro the plan was to add a couple more polys and call it a day. Im enjoying the emptyness to it amd not seeing fish in every square in of the tank.

Looks amazing Frank! Nice work.

Thx rob

Looking sweet, jaws! Love the entire look...background, sand, fish, etc.

I use twin wall polycarbonate sheets and cut them to size to fit to cover the tops of my sumps and my 600 gallon fiberglass FRT tank.

Thx man. Where did you get the polycarbonate from HD/lowes ? Does it warp ?

 

[soupa2]

If possible I would not use acrylic as top since it will warp.

 

[Woefulrelic]

The ones I use in the sump haven't warped, but they are oversized so they don't droop like a top would, I have two plastic tops that do that because they have a lot less material to sit on.

 

[DN328]

Time for a beer Jaws and a sigh of "relieve" all is well ;-)

If you have a plastic place like "TAPS" near you that place is great. They have a lot of various acrylics - including polycarbonate. What I find is if acrylic isn't "cemented/glued" (like within a sump) eventually the lids start to warp. The guys at the TAP store also confirmed that. But polycarbonate is known to resist more than other "acrylics" they said.

My sump came with lids, and every few weeks I flip the lid as it starts to bend in a uniform shape - it straightens back out LOL. Not a big deal as I prefer to have a cover to help evaporation too.

If you ever decide to make a lid that doesn't need to be transparent/translucent (for example lids for your two overflows) I would suggest using marine board. That comes in all sorts of colors (not that you'd want anything other than black) works like wood - BUT will never warp and looks sharp, IMO. Oh, you just cannot glue it like wood (but you wouldn't need too). I use this for my overflow lid to help with evaporation. Just some finishes touches to consider down the road that helps evaporation as well.

 

[jaws7777]

Thx for the suggestions you guys are great man.

Problems solved for under 20 bucks. I had ace hardware cut out strips of glass and used adhesive hangers as handles. I oversized the measuerments so i can easily slide them on and off when doing maintenance and changing the socks and it will allow me to increase or decrease the space i want to allot for the floating plants.



Ive been trying to figure out how to incorporate purigen with out having to put an ac110 on the sump. Im not sure its going to work well but atleast i'll be able to tell in a few weeks. If its brown good if not back to the drawing board lol.

Hung some bags in the front two sock holders with a clamp. When i need to change the socks just release the clamp let the bag fall into it and replace.





jvc66 the lids are cool. With my other tank i had to duct tape the glass lids down and run strips of plexiglass along any openings to stop the polys from jumping. With the lids chris built i can use the feeding port or just toss the food in between the gaps of the lids plus they weight between 14 and 15 lbs so at the their current size wont be moving them any time soon lol


Oh yeah the pic above the tank is me popping the question to my wife ain the endzone at the giant/cowboy game lol

Def Leppard Hysteria im definitely going to use the polycarb on my 30 gal sump will be a sinch to work with

 

[jvc66]

Thx for the suggestions you guys are great man.

Problems solved for under 20 bucks. I had ace hardware cut out strips of glass and used adhesive hangers as handles. I oversized the measuerments so i can easily slide them on and off when doing maintenance and changing the socks and it will allow me to increase or decrease the space i want to allot for the floating plants.

View attachment 1234414 View attachment 1234415

Ive been trying to figure out how to incorporate purigen with out having to put an ac110 on the sump. Im not sure its going to work well but atleast i'll be able to tell in a few weeks. If its brown good if not back to the drawing board lol.

Hung some bags in the front two sock holders with a clamp. When i need to change the socks just release the clamp let the bag fall into it and replace.

View attachment 1234416
View attachment 1234417


jvc66 the lids are cool. With my other tank i had to duct tape the glass lids down and run strips of plexiglass along any openings to stop the polys from jumping. With the lids chris built i can use the feeding port or just toss the food in between the gaps of the lids plus they weight between 14 and 15 lbs so at the their current size wont be moving them any time soon lol

View attachment 1234418 View attachment 1234419 View attachment 1234420
Oh yeah the pic above the tank is me popping the question to my wife ain the endzone at the giant/cowboy game lol

Def Leppard Hysteria im definitely going to use the polycarb on my 30 gal sump will be a sinch to work with

Thats a pretty smart idea going to ace for glass. probably the best idea to keep in the moisture and humidty to help out your heaters. Damn those lids are heavy! I was looking at doing the polycarbonate lids so I get the top completly flush.

Also smart man popping the question at the giant/cowboy game. Hopefully big blue pulled a win out for ya

 

[jaws7777]

Thats a pretty smart idea going to ace for glass. probably the best idea to keep in the moisture and humidty to help out your heaters. Damn those lids are heavy! I was looking at doing the polycarbonate lids so I get the top completly flush.

Also smart man popping the question at the giant/cowboy game. Hopefully big blue pulled a win out for ya

Heck no cowboy fan all the way !!! Witten from romo late in the 4th to set up a field goal.

 

[Woefulrelic]

I always thought of us as friends, now I come to find you're a dallas fan. I don't know anything anymore.

 

[jvc66]

I always thought of us as friends, now I come to find you're a dallas fan. I don't know anything anymore.

was just thinking the same thing. How do I know hes not going to sabatoge my build now?

 

[jaws7777]

I always thought of us as friends, now I come to find you're a dallas fan. I don't know anything anymore.

was just thinking the same thing. How do I know hes not going to sabatoge my build now?

Haha come on guys we just lost a heartbreaker. My wife is the huge Giants fan actually was hysterical when I proposed to her a bunch of giant fans in the seats we're cursing me out and telling her to say no at the same time a bunch of cowboy fans that had field passes started cursing out the group of Giants fans I think they were even throwing beers at each other