Should I?

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DMasker

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 6, 2010
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Arizona
I may be acquiring a 125 USG tank within the next week. (No Stand so I would build my own) I am on a strict budget and was wondering if it would be cheapest to make my own sump out of a couple of trash cans. I was also wondering if I should drill the tank and put bulkheads in, or buy and or make my own overflow system.

With an overflow I would only be afraid of my siphon losing suction if the power ever went out, which doesn't happen to often, but if I am not home that could cause a problem. or could a battery back up for just the pump suffice? (I've never lost power for more then 3-4 hours and in 10 years i've lost it for more then that just once)

My fear in drilling is accidentally cracking the tank. If I did that I cannot imagine the severity of swear words or quantity of them, if I could utter words to begin with. But, if it worked I wouldn't have to worry about the house flooding by accident.

So if a DIY sump/wet/dry filter would be cost effective which would you do or recommend I do? I have no experience with drilling glass which is why I am hesitant to do so.
 
as ive just said in the another post id recomend an FX5 no worry about syphon or flooding when the power goes out.

over here you can pick up a used one for £80 bucks approx, cheaper than a decent return pump. again just my opinion.
 
Overflow a sump? over flow a tank? only if you have a big problem. My drilled tank its not possible to overflow a sump, if you don't put more water in the system then the system can handle it wont overflow. When the tank is off, and the sump has water in it, thats all the water it will ever have.

As far as the tank overflowing, you will only have this problem if the overflow clogs, and if you drill two overflows you are likely not to have that problem. If your FX drain/siphon clogs then you can have a burned out motor.
 
Im not worried about the sump overflowing. My thought is if the power goes out and the overflow goes till it loses suction, it stops dumping water in the sump, which is fine. Unless I am not home and when the power comes back on so does the pump and then it pumps water into the tank without the overflow returning water. It would also burn the pump out once it drained the sump. Which is why I think drilling the tank would be safer in that aspect, but I don't want to crack the glass because I have no experience drilling glass.
 
Which is why I think drilling the tank would be safer in that aspect, but I don't want to crack the glass because I have no experience drilling glass.

Go to http://www.glass-holes.com/
Great video on doing this without breaking the tank.
 
I made the pvc DIY overflow that's in the sticky. i turn it on and off all the time to clean the tank I have never had a problem with it restarting.
 
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