tall sump??

[norgebyblood]

ive been looking into building my own sump and ive run into an issue. is it ok to have a tall sump that is 10-20g but is only like 6-10 inches wide? because where the tank at school is placed there is little room for a really good sump besides the floor. i wanted to use one of the diy sump threads i found on here, i just cant remember the name. but it involved lee's observation things and such and i really like the set-up because i already have almost all the materials. also, could i keep shrimp and crabs in the sump so i wouldnt need another tank for his food? annnnd one more thing. i keep hearing that skimmers are all about oxygenation. what about air stones? like the super long ones? would it help if i put one of those in the sump? oh, and also, how do you octo-proof the intake in the overflow box but still make it able to filter out the octo gunk? oi vei, this is going to be a long weekend....

 

[superwaterguy52]

Well, I'm not sure about the 'tall sump' issue, but as for the protein skimmer, Well you just can't substitute it. It's not only for oxygenation, but it also makes waves, which make the environment more natural for the octopus. It also does something to get rid of waste and stuff.

 

[norgebyblood]

so i decided against a tall sump and im just gonna make a platform/table for the one i making. ive been working on it all day and im gonna finish it tmw, hopfully that will include the table. i have a really strong 20 "heavy duty" rubbermaid im using instead of a tank, do u think it will be ok?

here's the diy sump page im using:
http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/13/353/

it mentions the first part being a skimmer, its not a protein skimmer is it?
if not, im also going to build this tmw:
http://ozreef.org/diy_plans/protein_skimmers/tupperware_skimmer.html

what do u guys think?? we have all a filter and stuff now, but i want something more effiencient and better suited to an octo tank.

one other thing, we built a wood/screen top and my teacher made a cut for the filter. once i build the sump the filter is going in the sump. how do i octo-proof the open spaces where there are no plumbing parts. im going to put all the plumbing in the same spot, but there's going to be spaces where it is open. window screening???. and if you can answer any questions from my first post (except for the tall part) it would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

 

[Illithid]

I like both of the threads you posted for DIY equipment. Leaks are the only thing to watch out for in DIY stuff if you have a good design.

I think a tall sump would be fine. It is just about water volume going over filter material-wide or tall doesn't matter. I don't bother with the wave thing -it may be very beneficial- I just haven't had one or seen the benefit yet.

I am all about getting rid of the waste fast and in large volumes. Bioballs are cheap on ebay - I bought 30 gallons of 'em. I actually enjoy building a better system with DIY parts, but you can go to ebay for stuff too and save big time.

You can use the sump as a holding tank for food if you have a spot that they won't get swirled up too much and won't get sucked into the filter or filter grateing. Most people do this with a refugium as a seperate sump in the sump. You can have the water from the skimmer flow into the refugium that is placed on top of the sump, and overflow into the main sump if you have a tall area you can use.

 

[joefish84]

just use tons of pvc glue and silicone and leaking wont be a problem... all my stuff is diy and most of my skimmers and all work better than the ones you pay lots of money for

 

[norgebyblood]

hahahaha yea, this is quite a task! oh, and im using a tank instead of hassleing with building a box just to put stuff in. oh, and whats the difference between "aquarium 100% silicone" and just "100% silicone?" cause ive got loads of the regulat stuff and the aqua silicone tubes are really annoying cause they keep ripping in small spots and my hands end up covered in glue

 

[Illithid]

...really annoying cause they keep ripping in small spots and my hands end up covered in glue

I love the smell of silicone in the morning. NOT!

I always used the All Glass Aquarium brand in the caulk tubes that use the gun and they worked great. Use a wet sponge to smooth the caulk into all the cracks and give it a good smooth seal-look- just like a bathtub. Just watch the regular stuff that it doesn't have mildew stopping agents (cyanide).

 

[norgebyblood]

righty-o then! yes, it smells sooo bad. especially with the smel of pvc cement mixed in. yesterday when i was cutting the pieces i ended up covered in pvc dust, it was interesting for sure. apparently it does snow in florida, just made of pvc instead of water.d'oh! i should be taking pictures of this! hey, then i can make my own diy sump article since mine is a mix of two and very hard to follow just by mashing the two pages together... woooot! so i called the lfs and the guy there doesnt know where the octo i ordered is or when it is coming, super...... i hate that lfs, but i have to use it cause the school is paying for the octo and thats the one my teache wants to use since we get a free one. we had gotten an octo there before but it died because some kid had messed with the chemicals the day before when his class was doing a lab..... ugh.... i hate having my projects around other kids, hope its more contained and supervised in college....