burnsy

I drilled my tank myself and it turned out good. I got a dimond tipped hole saw off ebay for around $10. I watched alot of videos on youtube first then bit the bullet and gave it a go. The most important thing is to make sure your glass isnt tempered. If it is it cant be drilled and will shatter if you try. There are good videos on youtube about how to cheak if its tempered. I used my iphone and a pair of polarised glasses.

I would recomend drilling the back as theres not quite so much stress as the bottem but it really depends on how you want to run your drains. You need to consider if you want to use a weir/overflow or not and if you do will it be a corner style or rear overflow box style. Corner overflows usually run a stand pipe sutup with the bottem drilled. Im using a overflow box on the rear panel so have drilled the back.

Another thing to consider is noise. Sumps can be quite loud of not done properly. so if its in a bedroom or lounge it will get very annoying. The best way around the noise issue is to use a 'beanAnimal' style overflow setup. Im using this type of drain system on my 6 footer and its super silent.

As for the sump itself, I wouldnt buy a new tank for this as it wil probably be hidden anyway. I picked up a seconed hand 3 footer for $50 and its mint.

If you want to do a sump properly it will be quite expencive. By the time you add up the pump, plumbing, glass for baffles, media and sump Itself im probably up around the $600 mark

cheak out my post in the journal section if you wanna see some pics

Cheers

Rich

So here's another update with some pics of progress from the last few weeks.

Ive been doing an hour here and there when I can and am making steady progress.

I had the system running for a few days with no problems at all.

I drained the tank via the auto syphon so I could work on the stand. The tank drained to about an inch from the bottem. I could walk around the garden with the other end of the hose watering plants as it drained.

Last weekend I cut the panels to enclose the stand and also cut out the door holes then screwed them into place.

Today after work I started to fit all the flashing/skirting to the outside. Im pleased with how its looking and it also covers up my rough cuts on the panels.

Heres the pics

The pump compact 5000+, check valve and syphon drain tap

 IMG_1007 (large).JPG   83.2KB   1 downloads

The jets running as the tank filled

 IMG_1012 (large).JPG   84.52KB   0 downloads

System full and running (2300L/Hr)

 IMG_1013 (large).JPG   90.75KB   0 downloads

The panels covering the frame work

 IMG_1025 (large).JPG   98.94KB   0 downloads

Door on the end after all flashing/skirting fitted

 IMG_1027 (large).JPG   82.9KB   0 downloads

Sorry the pics are sideways but I cant get them to work vertically for some reason.

Cheers

Rich

This is the sentence it wont let me post. (Ive spaced it on different lines and it works but wont work as one sentence)

Pretty weird. nothing too shady in there.

Then I will

order and

build the LED

lighting system

(cant wait for this step)  .

Cheers

Rich

So here I am with another update.

Over the last few weeks Ive been doing a few hours here and there. I had to re-mock up some of the plumbing as it wasn't quite going to work.  

I wasn't able to use the pvc gate valve I got online as I couldn't find anything to adapt sch80(black pvc) to standard white stuff. I just got a threaded brass one for now and its working a treat. This will be fine until I change to marine in the future.

I glued it all together and only had one stuff up (cost me 2 90 deg bends, but ahwell could have been worse).

I hooked up the pump and test ran it today. I had a leak straight away so had to dismantle all threaded joints and use thread sealant. Now no more leaks.

So far Ive had it running about 3 hours and all is well. 

I Cant say enough how impressed I am with my overflow setup. The BeanAnimal style really does what they say it does.

Ive calculated it to be running at 2300L per hour and TOTALY silent. No slurping, gargaling or running water sound at all, Just the faint hum of the pump.

The overflow seams to be working very well also. No leaks and it is taking only a very fine layer of water from the surface. There is no sound at all from the water falling into the box.

The auto syphon setup also works great. Just hook up a garden hose with standard fittings and it will drain with the opening of 1 valve. Once drained down to the correct level turn off the valve then plug the other end into the tap outside and turn it on. Open the valve under the tank and fill until the water level in the tank just starts to overflow into the weir. Simple so my wife will do it more often when Im away  .

Il get some glass cut for the sump next and glue in the baffles.

Thanks for reading

Rich