sump/ fuge ideas your input needed

[NYPDFrogman]

hey all, Inkblue (Don) is looking to design a sump/fuge to go under his 26 gal bow tank. I'm going to make it out of acrylic for him. I really havent built anything this small. here is a quick idea I just scketched out.
I've taken in consideration overflow from the main tank, and the possibilty of return overflow from sump.
we are limited in size 15LX16TX8W

the picture shows the hieght at 15 but should read 16"

I have no ego so suggestions will be appreciated

 

[marrone]

My old sump/refug was similar and when I made my new one I made the return area, where the pump is, larger and cut down on the refug area. I did this because I was adding water almost everyday and by increasing the return area it gave me a couple of more days between adding water.

 

[inkblue]

26 bowfront dimensions are: 24L x 15W x 21H

 

[jackson6745]

Frank I agree with marrone. make the return are as large as possible.....maybe you can make the sump longer?

 

[NYPDFrogman]

Don do you think we can make the whole tank say 18" log rather than 15"?

another issue I have... if the return sump is too large and for some reason the overflow stops working ie. clog, loss of siphon I dont want the pump to overflow the tank

 

[inkblue]

18 inches is ok coz the entire length (area inside the stand) is about 21 inches... but the door width is narrower, so maybe 17 inches to be safe... :happysad: am just worried I might not be abLe to get it insidE the stand

 

[jackson6745]

another issue I have... if the return sump is too large and for some reason the overflow stops working ie. clog, loss of siphon I dont want the pump to overflow the tank

If his tank is RR I wouldn't worry about a clog so much. If its a HOB overflow then its a serious concern because they usually break siphon every now and then.
Unless you keep the small return area and Don uses an autotop off system?

 

[NYPDFrogman]

tank is not drilled he asked me about making an external overflow box but I'm not set up to bend acrylic.

 

[marrone]

I hear what your saying about over flowing the tank this is why it's probably better to drill the tank and have over-flows which would solve most of that problem.

FWIW I have over flow-boxes on my tanks, one since 1987, and then never lose the siphon completely causing the tank to over over flow and resulting in a flood.

 

[inkblue]

I don't know if these boW tanks can be driLLed... ...it's made by All-Glass...

 

[Deanos]

The AGA 26g bowfront I had couldn't be drilled through the bottom...it was tempered.