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View Full Version : Can I make a sump from a Rubbermaid tote?


SKNNYPGGY
03/20/2009, 01:06 PM
I have a 90 bowfrontgallon tank, and absolutely need to upgrade the dinosaur TIDEPOOL II I have. My skimmer is on the outside of it and i have experienced disasters in the past.
The tote has to go under my cabinent,because i have no room elsewhere? Will these tubs be good long term?
I am seriously going to do it this weekend, but I am concerned with them cracking. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

THE ROOK
03/20/2009, 01:14 PM
Unless it the Brute version is may leach chemicals & will possibly fail. It's much safer/easier to find a used fish tank (20-30 gallon) that will fit under your stand. Craigslist is great for finding them.

Otherwise the local chain pet store usually sells new ones pretty reasonably.

SKNNYPGGY
03/20/2009, 03:21 PM
I use a 30 gallon rubber maid trash can that I mix salt water in. I also use a heater and a pump to mix salt water and i have never had a problem with chemicals leaching. Fish are healthy, i Have tested the water before putting into the tank with no problems.

I have been using the trash can for 2 years for water changes. i have left water in the trash can for up to a month, once even longer! So i am not worried in that aspect. Has Anyone done this? Advise?

lewismw
03/20/2009, 04:15 PM
I have used a 30 gal rubermaid tub from lowes for 3 years under my 125. I have seen 2 of them "spring leaks" from the sides being compressed when i closed the cabinet doors. If you let the tub bow out naturally it should work fine. I have always had on my list to upgrade to a custom acrylic or other tank because i do have the fear this one will eventually fail too. whatever. :)

tatkinson
03/21/2009, 07:54 AM
+1 on the go for it, I use them but what I did was double them up so that it's stronger and if the inner one springs a leak it's contained by the outer.

CaptainCoral
03/21/2009, 09:45 AM
I've been using the Sterilite brand for years, 39 gallon totes. I cut out the top of the lid and zip tie the remaining frame to the bin for added strength. As evidence of their strength when full, I also use them for refugiums.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/CaptainCoral/old180fullshot.jpg

rytrearc
03/21/2009, 09:51 AM
I've used a rubbermaid container for my refugium/ remote deep sand bed for about a year now with no problems.

SKNNYPGGY
03/21/2009, 09:59 AM
WOW EVERYONE!

I am even more inspired to do it now!

I gues i have trips to walmart and lowes to go to today.

THE ROOK
03/21/2009, 11:31 AM
Those sterilite containers leach chemicals into your system. I used one for an ato reservoir for awhile until I checked with a tds meter & the water climbed to over 40ppm from being in the container.

I switched to the Brute can & readings now stay @ 0ppm.

CaptainCoral
03/21/2009, 02:41 PM
The system.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/CaptainCoral/DSC00167ag.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/CaptainCoral/DSC00334a.jpg

THE ROOK
03/21/2009, 02:53 PM
Captain - That is a beautiful tank but what I said it absolutely true. I tested that myself, not just bs from the web. I have 4 of those Sterilite totes but will never use one for water storage again.

I won't dispute that you have a great tank, though. There are many ways to accompish the same goal in this hobby. Good luck.

SKNNYPGGY
03/21/2009, 03:01 PM
Your tanks looks awesome. Your set up looks fantastic!

Rook- What is a BRUTE can?

SKNNYPGGY
03/21/2009, 03:04 PM
Never mind, i Googled Brute can.

THE ROOK
03/21/2009, 04:35 PM
They sell the gray Brute containers/trash cans @ Home Depot. I bought a 20 gallon for $20.00

Saltysteele
03/21/2009, 10:07 PM
why are the brute okay, but not the other rubbermaid products?

just curious, as rubbermaid also makes brute

THE ROOK
03/22/2009, 06:31 AM
The Brute cans that are gray, yellow or red are NSF approved. This means they are food service safe & will not leach any chemicals into food that's stored within them.

Litefoot Sr
03/22/2009, 10:05 PM
I built my first DIY sump from a rubbermaid container 19 years ago. I'm still using them without a problem. The only problem I ever had was from leaking at a bulkhead fitting that I installed. I stopped cutting holes in the sides and that never happened again. I've used external pumps by plumbing up and over the sidewall and then down to the bottom with a 90 degree fitting. Now I use an internal pump, so again no holes in the container. Three different tanks in 19 years is pretty convincing.

SKNNYPGGY
03/23/2009, 06:46 AM
ok, so the rubber maid thing didng go as planned, because I am waiting for an external pump to come in and we had to go to the drawing board. Now, what kind of filtration do you guys have? I currently have a protien skimmer UV sterilizer, and i removed the bio wheel on my tide pool but had to replace with some bioballs.

natereinhold1
03/23/2009, 07:11 AM
something else to look at is toughstuff tubs, they are agriculture products but claim to be chemicaly neutral, they also use them for food storage. i have been using one for quite a while now and they're, well...tough. I am calling their offices just to make sure that they won't leech anything, and what i'ts made from and i'll post it here, i have not noticed any negative effects of using it, considering that they're used for food storage. They come in many different sizes and are readily availble at farm stores.

THE ROOK
03/23/2009, 08:45 AM
120lbs of live rock, decent skimmer & some cheato in the fuge. That's my choice for filtration.

I just recently purchased a Bulk Reef dual media filter setup for GFO & carbon use.

natereinhold1
03/24/2009, 07:02 AM
I called them but all the lady could tell me was that all of the tough stuff, ranging from the food storage to the stock tanks are made from the same material, and that the materials are chemicaly inert.

carlso63
03/24/2009, 07:34 AM
Been using totes for sumps since the 1990's...

Here is my latest project:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc244/carlso63/TankPicsMarch6011.jpg

A 54g Rubbermaid Brute plumbed with an 18g Sterilite... it replaced a 54g with an 18g inside if it (acted like a baffle compartment for the skimmer)

Made the switch because I wanted to gain some water volume and needed more space for my "double body"skimmer mod:

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc244/carlso63/TankPicsMarch14009.jpg

Here is the new sump in action:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc244/carlso63/TankPicsMarch16003.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc244/carlso63/TankPicsMarch16001.jpg

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc244/carlso63/TankPicsMarch19002.jpg

BTW in all this time I have never had one "fail" or leak... like everything else you just need to be careful and not beat the crap out of them or toss them around, etc...

tbar
03/24/2009, 04:28 PM
Never seen a double body skimmer mod before. Neat concept, is the pump bigger then the original that came with one of them or that the manufacture suggest using? Is that a tee connector inside the skimmer body or elbow, what's that all about? One other question having them adjusted differently (one for wet and one for dry skimmate would seem like something you would want to do, yes?

carlso63
03/24/2009, 09:36 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14683284#post14683284 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbar
Never seen a double body skimmer mod before. Neat concept, is the pump bigger then the original that came with one of them or that the manufacture suggest using? Is that a tee connector inside the skimmer body or elbow, what's that all about? One other question having them adjusted differently (one for wet and one for dry skimmate would seem like something you would want to do, yes?


It is the stock pump modded for greater output.

The 'tee' inside the skimmer itself comes that way from the mfg. I guess it is just a way to control the flow / turbulence inside the body

The 'tee' ('Y', actually) that splits the pump output into the 2 bodies I made that myself out of PVC parts and the stock retaining rings

I am tinkering with running one wetter than the other. You can see one standpipe is set higher than the other. You are the first to notice that - good eye!

BTW here is a link for the original skimmer thread:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1284642&perpage=25&pagenumber=29

The Double NW200 (as I call it) is on the last couple of pages

mattgreene22
06/25/2012, 03:23 PM
So many brute uses in this old thread....thought is pot the question here. What kind of bulkhead fittings are you using that have worked so well in these applications? I want to plumb a couple 18g brute rites together for Ro storage and saltwater mixing.

A_CoupleClowns
07/01/2012, 09:02 PM
So many brute uses in this old thread....thought is pot the question here. What kind of bulkhead fittings are you using that have worked so well in these applications? I want to plumb a couple 18g brute rites together for Ro storage and saltwater mixing.et


Why not just get one larger brute and be done with it? Space issues?

biecacka
07/01/2012, 09:09 PM
I use a "heavy duty" brute container for my sump. I bought 2 from HD for 10$ each an drilled them to combine them
Corey