ATO and Sump build

Tanks, Filtration, & Lighting Discussion
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bluwtr
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Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
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ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:54 am

Okay, so I've finally gotten all of the pieces and parts and have built my sump and ATO. Due to work schedule I haven't fired it up yet, but hope to by the weekend. A fast rundown of what I've done. For my ATO I bought a food container made from acrylic from a place in GP. I got the DIY kit from online--it came with float switchs, wire, relay etc. I drew the idea for my sump using Google SketchUp. Of course I changed it several times due to needs, room and cost. I ordered the acrylic from a local glass shop. They cut it to the sizes I wanted, but I did run into a problem in that they didn't have a good square edge on all cuts. This is VERY important when solvent welding acrylic. I ordered the special "glue" from online as well. Due to the edge problems I ended up with my baffels too narrow. As such I had to add some small pieces to fill gaps. Because I had no way to cut the teeth for the one baffel I just improvised and used gutter gaurd. While it may not be the prettiest sump in the world I'm pretty proud of it--just hope the hell it works well (really sure it will).

I also have tried to clean up the massive amount of wiring under my tank and once the sump is up and running I will finish straightening up the wires.

Gerwin, thanks for all of the help and advice you've given. Couldn't have done it without you.

Wes

Here are the pics:

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bluwtr
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Posts: 637
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
Contact:
Contact bluwtr

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Fri Jan 14, 2011 1:01 am

And here are pics of the ATO build:

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And the electical with the sump and ATO:

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Redfish
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Posts: 983
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:49 am
My SetUp: AGA 150g 48x30x25, Reef Octopus Skimmer, Bio Pellet, Phosphate, Carbon reactor. Mostly a SPS coral tank with a few zoas a Green Polyp Toadstool, a Chalice or two and a couple of Scollys thrown in there. Top Off System and dosing pump system for Calcium and Alk.
Location: D'Iberville Mississippi

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by Redfish » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:37 am

I wish I had known you were doing this, I would have loved to come over and watched you solvent weld the acrylic. In the back left corner of the sump, I am guessing the hole in the top of the sump is for your drain pipe from the display tank, what is the one in the front right corner for? Nice job by the way.
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bluwtr
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Posts: 637
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
Contact:
Contact bluwtr

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:39 pm

Maybe we can work something out with Gerwin and every so often we can get a group together and demostrate something; such as solvent welding. Food for thought.

The large hole is for the intake (drain) from the overflow and the small hole is for the ATO line. You can see it inserted in the fourth pic under the ATO pics.

Thanks, I'm pretty proud of the way it turned out.

Wes
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FishVet
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Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:35 am
My SetUp: 29 gallon natural planted freshwater-extreme low-tech, small school of Black Phantom Tetra, (1) Anostomus

120 gallon reef-work in progress! Nothing alive in there yet...
Location: McHenry, MS

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by FishVet » Fri Jan 14, 2011 5:01 pm

You got a link for where you bought the DIY ATO kit?
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Gerwin
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Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by Gerwin » Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:31 pm

I appreciate the pics and showing whats up, on the site,
folks gotta get bored of my usual post and comments to fill time and space :thumbup:
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bluwtr
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Posts: 637
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
Contact:
Contact bluwtr

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:32 am

My pleasure. Thanks for having the site.

I fired up the system tonight and wow! That Reef Octo pump moves some water and the Reef Octo HOB overflow sucks some water! It sounds like a commercial toilet flushing--continueously!!! :lol: Good thing I put ball valves on both the inlet and return. I've got both sides tuned way down. I may try to make a Durso standpipe and see if that solves the flushing issue.

I've got tons of micro bubbles coming in due to the volume of water coming down the drain. That's causing some issues with the skimmer, but I think as I just tweek the system that will work itself out. Over the next day or so I will take some pics and some video and post them as well with the water running. I did make one mistake in my sizing of the system--my heater is too big to go in the sump so it has to stay in the DT. Oh well.

Will make updates as things progress
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Redfish
Discus Member
Posts: 983
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:49 am
My SetUp: AGA 150g 48x30x25, Reef Octopus Skimmer, Bio Pellet, Phosphate, Carbon reactor. Mostly a SPS coral tank with a few zoas a Green Polyp Toadstool, a Chalice or two and a couple of Scollys thrown in there. Top Off System and dosing pump system for Calcium and Alk.
Location: D'Iberville Mississippi

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by Redfish » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:45 pm

Put the heater up for sale in for sale section and get what you need, someone will need a heater. Can't wait for the pics.
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Gz28
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Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by Gz28 » Sat Jan 15, 2011 10:12 pm

Everything looks really nice. glad to see some diy stuff on here. and i dont blame you for being proud! :-)
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bluwtr
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Posts: 637
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
Contact:
Contact bluwtr

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Sun Jan 16, 2011 12:06 am

Thanks for the compliments.

It is a royal PITA setting the flows to balance incoming with outgoing. Since I was limited with sump size I've had to dial back the flows. Too much incoming and the sump acts like it wants to overflow. Too much on the return and the pump runs out of water and literally "whites out" the tank with microbubbles. It is a very fine line for adjustments.

Gerwin will appreciate this coming from me :shock: LOL!, but I had it set and running last night. I really didn't like the amount of flow though, so today when I got home from Lowe's I started trying to adjust it :oops: . I fought with it for about 2 hours. I really want the highest amount of flow, but if I open the pump valve too high, the pump chamber runs out of water so then I open the drain wide open--it starts sucking air and puts more bubbles in the sump and I feel like it wants to overflow (shouldn't though). I'm sure I will keep messing with it and finally get it adjusted.

As a side note on the overflow. Gerwin and I had discussed raising the box up to minimize the tank profile. I did and had it at a perfect skimming level--thin sheet of water flowing over--perfect. Well, I had a thought about the hight and flow, so I removed the spacer I had made. Huge difference--the box filled with water more and I could defo increase the flow rate, however I lost the skimming effect. Again, so it goes.

I will try and get pics and video up by Monday.

Wes
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Gerwin
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Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by Gerwin » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:07 am

maybe this needs to be a eyes on thing for me to see what is up...
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bluwtr
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Posts: 637
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
Contact:
Contact bluwtr

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Tue Jan 18, 2011 12:57 am

Okay everyone. I finally was able to take and then upload some video. Sorry for the delay, but the first ones I shot came out half-assed. Oh well; I'm a biologist, not a videographer! :D Below are four links to video I shot. The title of each tells what they are. Gerwin, I want you to see what I've got before I open the valves up all of the way and show you what I was talking about.

Please feel free to post comments here or on YouTube.

Thanks,

Wes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqOgE4T4 ... er&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Be7P_UtRSo
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User avatar
bluwtr
Discus Member
Posts: 637
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:12 pm
My SetUp: 55g, 70#'s lr, 40#'s ls, 10 DIY acrylic sump, in sump skimmer, 1 Jebao wp20 and 2 Koralia 1050 controlled by a Smart Wave, DIY LED's--12 RB, 10 UV's and 8 CW.
Location: Gautier
Contact:
Contact bluwtr

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by bluwtr » Tue Jan 18, 2011 12:58 am

And two more links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT1s-abR ... er&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqFjaG7f ... er&list=UL
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FishVet
Swordtail Member
Posts: 35
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:35 am
My SetUp: 29 gallon natural planted freshwater-extreme low-tech, small school of Black Phantom Tetra, (1) Anostomus

120 gallon reef-work in progress! Nothing alive in there yet...
Location: McHenry, MS

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by FishVet » Tue Jan 18, 2011 4:17 pm

bluwtr, I'm going to commandeer your thread instead of starting a new one for this simple question. Where do I get a float switch that will kick on when the water in the sump is low and off when it's high? I have an old powerhead and a 10-gallon tank to set up a top-off. The switches at Lowes and Home Depot, etc. are backwards...they're designed to go with the pump in the tank you're trying to keep empty :(
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Sandy
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My SetUp: 180gal saltwater reef, 6-80watt T5 lights, 2 powerheads in tank, 2 return pumps in a 40gal sump, uv sterilizer, gfo and carbon reactor.

Re: ATO and Sump build

Post by Sandy » Tue Jan 18, 2011 9:55 pm

FishVet wrote:bluwtr, I'm going to commandeer your thread instead of starting a new one for this simple question. Where do I get a float switch that will kick on when the water in the sump is low and off when it's high? I have an old powerhead and a 10-gallon tank to set up a top-off. The switches at Lowes and Home Depot, etc. are backwards...they're designed to go with the pump in the tank you're trying to keep empty :(
Gerwin has what you are looking for!
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