DIY Sump question

Can you combine Acrylic and glass to make a sump? I tried to take a side panel out of a 10g tank and replace it with acrylic but getting that glass out takes an act of God. So instead of waisting the acrylic I thought about buying more glass to create a sump that is a combination of glass and acrylic for the side walls. Will this work?:-/

 

Hmm, Can I have some more info on what size sump you are trying to make and also what is the size of your main tank? Its best to not mix glass and acrylic as there always tends to be problems. Give us some info on your system and we will do our best to help.

 

Make the outside the same material, the baffles can be different.

 

Well I am very new to the hobby. I bought a 40g cube Oceanic reef ready tank. I was going to use a 10g sump but it doesn't give me the room to have a fuge and the mechanical stuff as well. I want to (don't know if I am saying this correct) LR, Corals, and some display fish like clowns, tang, and gobies/blennies. Not sure what other type of "display" fish would be acdeptable to the system.

 

Sorry, forgot to say that the tank is 24'' wide by 18'' long. The stand needs to be of similar size, I am going to build it. So I would like to get as big of a sump in there as possible to prevent problems.

 

Good size tank to start with.

I would not mix glass & acrylic.

You could do a 20g long sump/fuge combo or use 2x 10g tanks. If I had the space with your tank, personally I would have a 20g(long) fuge with a 10g sump. Just have the fuge tank a little higher up than the sump so water will fall dwn into the sump though your bulkhead.

 

hmm..a 20g long won't fit under the tank. Maybe 2x 10g.

 

Also people will say that a 40 cube is too small for a tang. Usually need a MINIMUM of 48 inches of swim space. Don't go by me though. My tank is empty in the garage still while I gather equipment.

 

I talked to the reef guy at my LPS, who seemed very knowledgeable (not a teen attendant), and he said a tang, if bought small, would be good for about 2 years and then I would need to trade him. You think that rational is a good one?

 

I don't know how long they take to reach size. But yes, if small a tank would be suitable in a 40g, IMO.

I drew up a sketch & with the footprint of your tank I could only get 1, 10g tank to fit under the stand, w/o exceeding the foot print.