Sump Baffels

[Spelter]

I am looking to build a sump from a 30 gallon tank. I just got a quote from Gaithersburg Glass: piece of annealed glass measuring 17 3/4" x 7" x 1/4" with polished edges is approximately $26.00, for six pieces will be approximately $156.00. I was really wanting glass but seems like I can get 1/4 acrylic at HD for like 30 bucks. Any suggestions on where to buy cheap glass?

[Ryan S]

I went with acrylic at HD myself. Cheap and easy to install.

[Spelter]

I went with acrylic at HD myself. Cheap and easy to install.

 

Any bowing issues?

[Origami]

I used 1/4" acrylic in my old sump, too. If the water on both sides of a baffle is nearly the same height, there's little pressure on the baffle and, thus, no bowing.

 

If you really want to use glass. Cut it yourself. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy. Just use some wet-or-dry sandpaper to soften the edges so they don't cut you. No need to have them rounded and polished.

[nbgen12]

I got 4 pieces of glass cut at lowes in sterling about month ago and it was nowhere close to that price. Mine is a 29g with 4 pieces of glass(1to separate first 2 chambers, 3 for the bubble trap between chamber 2 and the return)

 

I would also like to add the glass was cut extremely smooth and i couldnt have been happier.

 

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[nbgen12]

I dont have the receipt but i dont think it was even over 60 bucks.

 

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[Ryan S]

Any bowing issues?

 

Not at all. Mine went into a 20g long sump. The silicone looks messy (I have no clue how folks make their baffles look so clean with the silicone.) Here is a photo:

 

[Spelter]

I will give Home Depot a shot when I stop by to get PVC. How much space did you allow for glue between the baffle and the tank? i.e. My tank is 18" wide and I was thinking of going with a 17 3/4" wide baffle.

[Ryan S]

I left a 1/4".

[extreme_tooth_decay]

The glass they sell at Lowes is very thin, too thin for my liking.

 

I've used the 1/4" acrylic from Lowes and been happy. No bowing.

Edited July 19, 2012 by extreme_tooth_decay

[nbgen12]

Its not real thick but for a tank under 40 gallons its more than enough. For a big sump like 55+ i would steer clear though.

 

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Edited July 19, 2012 by nbgen12

[treesprite]

What do you think the $1 per gallon Petco sales are for? I bought 2 10g tanks figuring I could experiment first then take apart and use the glass to re-design my sump.

[nbgen12]

What do you think the $1 per gallon Petco sales are for? I bought 2 10g tanks figuring I could experiment first then take apart and use the glass to re-design my sump.

 

 

...not going to beat that price for sump glass lol

 

 

[flooddc]

I am looking to build a sump from a 30 gallon tank. I just got a quote from Gaithersburg Glass: piece of annealed glass measuring 17 3/4" x 7" x 1/4" with polished edges is approximately $26.00, for six pieces will be approximately $156.00. I was really wanting glass but seems like I can get 1/4 acrylic at HD for like 30 bucks. Any suggestions on where to buy cheap glass?

 

Lowes:

Get 2 pieces of 18X24 and have them cut into 6 pieces. Should cost less the $20 total. I used the same glass for my 70 gal refugium/sump.

[hypertech]

I've always used 1/4 acrylic too with no problems. Note that I've always used a 12" wide sump too so if you have something wider you might need thicker or glass. Why do you need 6 pieces? That's a lot of compartments and you'll lose a lot of space just to baffling. My sump has one.

[ArtFully Acrylic (Adam B)]

I agree that the glass or acrylic from Lowes will be just fine for you. Though the glass is certainly not 1/4" thick there with the low pressure from equal water heights it will be just fine. If however, there will be a chamber with a differential in water height of several inches on each side you would probably want thicker. In reality, if that were the case, you could just sandwich together two pieces of glass from Lowes for that baffle to strengthen it.

 

In your original quoted numbers it was primarily all of the edge polishing that really jacked the pricing up for you. You will be fine with the unpolished glass...just wear gloves and be more careful when installing and do some of the recommended sanding on the exposes edge to knock out the edge sharpness some and you should be all good.

[Spelter]

I just got the acrylic from home depot for 18 bucks for an 18"x24"x 1/4" sheet. Also got the 100% silicone like the GE1. They wouldnt cut it, so I will have to score it and break my self. I will start the build thread today.

[ArtFully Acrylic (Adam B)]

Yeah, home depot won't cut acrylic/glass whereas Lowes generally will. when you score make sure you score MANY times before trying to snap. When you try to snap make sure you have the sheet secured well on a good straight edge and if possible a subsequent straight edge under the hands you are using to attempt the snap with may make things a bit easier/reliable.

 

Obviously, if you had a jig saw or circular saw that would be the best route...1/4" acrylic isn't really all that easy to snap clean .

[treesprite]

I had as hard a time cutting acrylic as I have cutting 1/4" glass. In fact, I ended up with about 6 stitches from trying to cut acrylic, yet have never drawn a drop of blood cutting glass.

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

I got 3/8" glass cut at a1 glass in Manassas. Four pieces for a 75 gallon sump cost me 45 bucks with the top edge smoothed. I always try and use glass in a glass sump.