Attaching a sump to a 5g?

[STiTCH87]

Just rolling a few ideas around in my head, but how can I attach a sump to a 5g without drilling it? I have seen HOB overflows but they are super noisy and fairly clunky. I was thinking of buying an aquaclear 20 and connecting a hose to it that is in my 5g to suck water out, and have the AC20 pour the water into a sump. Then have another AC20 with a hose attachment in the sump and the filter in the 5g so that the water pours into the 5g from the sump.

Does that make any sense to you guys? Would it work or will a gravity siphon start from the 5g being higher than the sump?

I just don't want any floods. But I don't want to drill anything either and I don't want a HOB overflow.

If the idea won't work then i'll just get a HOB refugium probably.

 

[smallearssuck]

This sounds like a recipe for disaster. as you would have to match the AC's rate of flow precisely and if they're not your in trouble. Not to mention, I cant imagine the AC20 being able to pull the water up any distance higher than a rim of a tank. And if you COULD, you would now have to attempt to match the rate of flow taking into consideration the head loss of the bottom pump.... yikes.

 

[stingythingy45]

Drill it.
Two AC20 don't sound too good.

 

[JayM]

5g's are too thin to drill, and may be tempered. HOB fuge

 

[STiTCH87]

+1 on what JayM said. It's only a 5g and as he said it is thin as all can be and thus why I cannot drill it. Looks like a HOB fuge may be my best bet. Anyone know of any good ones? My tank is 10x10x12 so it can't be wider than my tank. It also can't be taller for obvious operational fitment reasons. As far as depth that doesn't matter really.

 

[jarrodsanborn]

Eshops nano overflow. Tiny, small, works great. I love mine.

 

[Spaceman]

Make one its small and acrylic is fun!!!

 

[MisFit]

It is possible to drill a 5 if its not tempered, just go real real slow with almost no pressure.

 

[Pat02026]

It is possible to drill a 5 if its not tempered, just go real real slow with almost no pressure.

True story, I just drilled an aqueon 5 gal for my above tank fuge. Slow, lots of water to keep it cool, and let the drill's weight do the work; but drilling is out of the question with that running tank!! It looks good, are you having a hard time keeping it stable or you just looking for the fuge benefit? Can you fit a larger ac hob and just use that with some macro? How about modifying an aquaclear, make it a bit deeper/wider for more volume....

 

[stingythingy45]

It is possible to drill a 5 if its not tempered, just go real real slow with almost no pressure.

I've done a 10 and a 20l with a dremil.No problem on thin glass tanks.

 

[STiTCH87]

The tank is actually running extremely stable. FAR more than expected even, but I just want to add more water volume just for the added benefit. I may build a custom acrylic refugium.

You know how the CPR aqua fuge has the pump that sits in your tank? Is there any way I could build that same fuge myself, but in a way where I could have the pump in the fuge sucking water from the tank?

 

[Spaceman]

Awesome Question

Weird Question... I would say no but same concept right just remove bubble plate idea and air injection and u got your fuge idea???

 

[MikeG]

True story, I just drilled an aqueon 5 gal for my above tank fuge. Slow, lots of water to keep it cool, and let the drill's weight do the work;

It wouldn't be the drilling I would be worried about on thin glass, it is the chance of the glass breaking from stress or vibration over time or the accidental bump. I know I wouldn't trust myself around that tank...

 

[Pat02026]

Mike, very true; There's absolutely no pressure (90* elbow + ~8" of hose) off the bulkhead, plus its tucked in the corner behind the display so nobody can go near it. that is a very good point though, doubt it would take much to have it go bad in a hurry.

 

[STiTCH87]

VERY funny that you posted that skimmer Spaceman because I used to own that same one and that's where I got my idea from!!! Lol.

I wonder if it'd work... That'd be quite a cool DIY for sure and i'm sure it would open up a few other members to the idea. Hell if I built it well enough maybe I could make more and sell them. Hmm...

I wanna build one where the intake has a surface skimmer too because the main reason I wanted a fuge was to have my water surface skimmed because I get alot of chemical film on the water of my tank then one thought led to another to another and here we are.

Anyone else care to have input into my HOBc(or hang on side, really) refugium idea with the pump in the fuge?

How thick of acrylic would I need? And would Weld-On acrylic weld work good enough to seal the whole thing?



I'm gonna draw up my idea over the weekend and post it to see what you guys think. I'm pretty sure I have a great plan in my head for sure though!!!

Basically I will have a 10Lx8Wx14H (maybe 15H depending) acrylic box that will have an intake tube (or pipe) in the tank coming out and attached to a small weak pump I have lying around that will sit in a small chamber of the fuge. That comparment will fill with water and overflow into the section that will have sand and rubble rock and chaeto, and then that area will overflow into the third section which will drain by gravity back into the tank from a open plate design like what is used on all HOB power filters.

 

[STiTCH87]

Drew up what I have pictured:

And yes, it says CHEETOS! on purpose, lol. It's almost midnight and i'm super tired and needed to amuse myself so i'd finish the drawing. Hah.

 

[smallearssuck]

Pardon my ignorance but besides probably being to large to hang off a tank....how is this any different than a normal hang on back fuge?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[HuuTa]

the pump is inside the fuge instead of being inside the tank

 

[STiTCH87]

Also, the other difference is the size of it. It'd be custom tailored to be the same size as my 5g in most dimensions, nearly doubling water volume.
And it's not going to actually "hang" off of my tank. My tank is on a dresser and this fuge is going to sit right beside it, plumbed into it. No actual "hanging" involved.

More of a SOS (sit on side) fuge I guess. Thought I had already mentioned that but I guess not.


So, any opinions on if this will work?