First topic message reminder :

So far I have the 240g acrylic tank. I hit some numbers issues with building a stand that would be able to house a sump large enough for this tank. So thinking about it I have 9' x 4' x chop to ceiling height pallet racks! So the tank will go on the rack in the middle so I can stand on the rack to do my maintenance (I'm short). The sump will be on the floor under the tank and use the majority of the 9'x 4' floor space, I think I'm going 18" high. Well I thought about building it with ply wood and fiberglassing and resining and gel coating it Too pricey! So I thought pond liner! I will build my box with plywood and line it with that. So I have a 12' x 12' sheet of fish safe pond liner on its way along with a 1200gph little giant to run this whole contraption.

This sump is going to run on the same concept as salt refugiums, heavily planted.

More to come later......

Looks good!!

Cant wait to see it done.

NICE

I got sick so not much got done today as far as building it. I did get my Styrofoam cut for the inside, it took 2 full sheets. Boiling my 3rd pot of dirt now, the math says I will need 3 large bags for a 1" cover for the bottom of the sump. I'm going to cap that with sand ..... at this rate I'm thinking 1/2-1/4".... any more and I will never get it all washed

still wierd for me that you have to clean dirt lol hope you feel better i wanna see this project running

Not really cleaning just sterilizing and water logging it. I don't want any germs/bugs or floaters
For the substrate in the sump I'm basically just replicating what I did in my 75g, the plants love it so it must work.
I modified the dirt idea from some low tech plant technique I read somewhere, but they say to let it sit in water for about a month with an airstone to get any oils out and whatnot. But heat speeds up any process so I boil it and it seems to work like a charm.

It now has 4 sides (pics later) And I have found something to glue this pond liner I got, 5200 marine adhesive. So making the box for the pump just got a whole lot simpler. I also got a bag of lava rock to put in my water coming into the sump box, it will disperse the water and give the bacteria somewhere else to grow. I also got about 50lbs of funky shaped rocks to help augment the rocks I already have.

Ok here is the box for the pump.
I did a reinforcing strip of 2x4's around the outside of the box to help keep the top together. So far I have used about 100 screw's and a bottle and a half of heavy duty waterproof wood glue. If you plan on replicating this screw and glue the dickens out of it!

WATCHOUT!!!!!!!!!! way to go fern!!!!!!
u should start a aquarium making TV show!!!!! id watch it!!! lol
LOOKS GREAT!!!

Its coming along slowly but surely. My dad has been helping but its hard for him to come over often due to my moms chemo and radiation treatments.....

LAME!!! sorry to here bout that!!! i wish here the best of luck!!!
My wife is a surviver of lukeemia!!( idk if i spelled rite) lol and that road is REALLY rough!!





how long u think till the tank is done??? hahaha cant wait to see it complete:)

idk when it will be done soon I hope I just got 2 coats of urethane on the sump last night. I will be working on lining the inside with foam sheeting today.


She is doing as good as can be expected... I think the worst part for her is that her hair is falling out, she is freaking over that. Me and my dad both offered to shave our heads to make her feel better about it......