Acrylics Project - 70g FW Sump

This is one of the bigger projects I've taken on.  This is a sump for a large FW planted tank.  It will be 18" x 18" x 47.5".  It will have an intake section on either end and the return pump section in the middle.  Each intake section will have 3 filter socks, then a 100 micron Poret foam section, followed by a large bio-media section.  It has bulkheads on the front near the bottom of the on either side for heaters, a bulkhead on the back for draining during a continuous water change, and a series of small bulkheads on the top euro for dosing plant nutrients and RO/DI (used for a continuous water change), as well as a return pump bulkhead.
The filter socks and bio-media will have drip trays.
I have the pieces all rough-cut.  Next step is squaring everything, and there's quite a few that need squaring - 2 ends and 6 baffles.
The large pieces are the front and back panels.  The next largest is the end panels.  The other piece is the pressure baffle between the Poret foam and bio-media chamber.  All are 3/8"



Below are the top and bottom panels, as well as the piece that will be cut up for the rest of the non-pressure baffles. These are 1/4"



Not shown is the material for the drip trays and brackets to hold them. Those will be made out of whatever 3/8" scrap I have to cut up and make look nice /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif

 

No pics, maybe later tonight, but just an update

It took a while last night, but I got all the baffles squared and edge prepped, then ran everything through the router so that the ends and baffles are all dimensionally equal, then ran the ends and front/back through for the same reason. Everything is almost ready to bond! The only thing I have to do is finalize and double-check all the hole placement. I learned along the way that it is much smarter to drill and route the holes before bonding panels together. First, in case something gets screwed up, you only have to re-do one panel vs the whole tank. Second, it's a lot easier to do this without having to manhandle the whole tank in the process.

Anyways, that will happen this weekend and I'll start bonding!

 

Ooooh...

 

Bonded the ends and all the baffles onto the back







the hole on the back is going on the front. next step is to cut all the front holes and bond that piece on.

 

Holes for bulkheads routed



Started with the end panel



I let that sit for about 4 hours or so (more like 6) because I had to go buy a dehumidifier. First it's too cold, now it's too humid. Pretty soon it'll be time to install A/C in the garage. The wife is going to love that idea.

 

Bonded it all last night and let sit for the day. Next step: make the eurobrace

 

Got the top euro done last night





And put on this evening!



This one may be at Spring Fest, without the bottom on though, and the paper will still be on it.

 

Got the rack holders cut and routed tonight, and half of them installed. Waiting until after the kids go to bed to flip the tank and install the rest...pics in a few

 

rack holders

Tank on end

hard to see them in this pic

better here

The 2 closest bars hold one side of the lower tray for the bio media, the upper one holds the drip tray, and the top one routes the water over the baffle and into the tray vs just bypassing the drip tray. Below that is the stop-bar for the Poret foam, and attached to the inside of the end panel is the bar for the filter sock holder bracket (which I have on paper, but not made yet)
Next I wait another hour and flip the tank and put the other half on.  Then the bottom goes on this weekend as soon as MJB can make it over

 

Filpped this morning and bonded in the rest of the bars. Turned out OK for flush bonding. Lots of bubbles on a few of them, but not much else I could have done besides bond then on before installing the baffles, which presented a different set of difficulties. I'm going to reinforce the bars at the bottom of the bio tray with another bar attached to the front and back panels as those bars will have a lot of weight on them. They're probably OK as is but it's a lot easier to put them on now instead of later if there's a problem.