Rolling sump

[ChadTheSpike]

Anyone have a tray in their stand that is on rollers or a drawer to roll their sump out from underneath the DT?

I am designing a new system and was thinking of ways to accomplish this... As always, maximum utilization with minimum space.

Any ideas on tube/cord routing, weight support (75 gallon tanks), equipment, or anything else that I might be missing?

Thanks!

[mscarpena]

It really should not be that difficult. I would make sure you get wheels with good bearings that can be greased. Also get solid wheels and not air filled ones. If one goes flat you will have a hell of a time replacing it. Also try to find stainless steel ones for no rust. Check out grainger we buy a lot of industrial things from there for my work.

[jmking33]

Ive seen people use heavy duty drawer slides on their sumps. Depending on what the slides are made of...im not sure how long they would last before they started corroding.

[Amp2020]

you're going to have a hard time designing a sump that can be pulled out like a drawer. First you have the extreme weight of the tank with water. Most drawer slides wont withstand the weight. Then after a spill or two, the wheels and tracks will rust in place. Even with out a spill, the salt spray and salty air are enough to corrode nearby metal parts. Next, you have to deal with all the powercords, probes, drain hose, return hose and any lights you may have over it. Everything would have to have lots of slack or be unplugged before the sump can even be moved. Even if you found a sliding track that could hold the weight. The track will still be mounted to the stand. I can just picture the display tank leaning forward as the sump is fully pulled out and everything is ready to tip over. My oppinion, too difficult, too dangerous, too much work.

Best bet is to make a stand that is comletely open underneath. The build something like a furniture dolly to fit the sump onto. Then make the front of the dolly to match the stand. So when the sump is pushed in, it sits flush with the rest of the stand and looks like its part of it. Having the wheels roll on the floor is going to be more reliable than a sliding track with bearings.

[MCary]

I have thought of this and wish I could work out the kinks.

First I would build the drawer, close to the bottom and put it in full extension drawer slides. Many full extension drawer slides are designed to handle 100 pounds. Then I would put roller bearings on the bottom of the drawer. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5328&filter=roller

Problems, first all the tubes and wires to the sump would need to be flexible, in sufficient length, and not have any catching or tangling.

second, the drawer slides and the roller bearings are metal.

I bagged the idea. Although, I do want a door on the side to exchange my CO2 canister. Any ideas?

[NanoReefWanabe]

I have thought of this and wish I could work out the kinks.

First I would build the drawer, close to the bottom and put it in full extension drawer slides. Many full extension drawer slides are designed to handle 100 pounds. Then I would put roller bearings on the bottom of the drawer. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5328&filter=roller

a 75gallon sump is going to weigh a fair bit more then 100lbs (closer to 5-600lbs, not including what ever equipment is in it)

i agree with amp, only way to safely and effectively accomplish this would be with solid fixed position resin casters, on a smooth flat and level floor...

funny that everyone sees the plumbing and wires as the problem with this...that would be my last concern, plumbing lines could have swivels or unions incorporated in them...and wires are pretty darn flexible...put them into one of those "enclosed flexy tracks" (dont mind the high tech talk there) you know the tracks that the put wires in on moving machinery etc...

after all i imagine the sump would only be rolling out far enough to service/ remove the sump (18-20") it not like he would be rolling it across the living room to the sliding glass doors to open a valve and drain it...(well i guess he could be thinking that too)

[clairendave]

I work for a Company that does Gate automation here in the UK.
we use a supplier called "rolling center" and i belive they are world wide.
they do a stainless steel range too. they do sliding door and gate stuff. they or your local gate automation supplier WILL be able to provide equipement to handle a lot more weight than your planning.
hope this helps Dave

[ChadTheSpike]

Thanks for the response guys.

I had thought about the drawer idea not working out (weight and corrosion of bearings eventually), an open bottom stand would have to be the way to do it. I bounded the problem by assuming the moving part would weigh 1000 pounds (conservatively high, I think). I am pretty sure that I could design a stand to be structurally sound without having the front/bottom rail.

The tubing/wire problem is actually simple, the use of a cable carrier would do the trick nicely.
http://www.activoasia.com/images/cable_chain.jpg
Sure the tubing and wires would have to be a little longer, but this is a simple solution that will work. I am pretty sure this is the same thing NanoReefWanabe is talking about.

lol to the roll across the living room and out the sliding glass door! no, I was thinking 24" or so (the sump will be 36" deep) for servicing and/or accessing a potential frag tank from above.

I wonder if there is some sort of a track that could fold down and cover carpet to make the smooth/flat/level surface. Thoughts?

[raw88gt]

what about straight casters, and have them ride in an aluminum channel? only thing that you would have to have the rails extended past the cabinet most likely, The other thing to possibly look into is the slide out truck bed mounts? theyre meant for outdoors so im not sure what they consist of i've seen em for sale never looked at one tho

[trb]

Bunch of good ideas! I used 3 sets of the heavy duty drawer slides on my tank sump, they should hold up about 300 lbs. I'm adding another 29 gal to the bottom so I will be reinforcing it by adding some more slides and rollers to the front part of the tray to help with it sliding out. Right now it works pretty well, but I only pull it out about 12" since the bottom tank is only that deep. I haven't had problems with the cords and plumbing, you just have to allow for the movement when securing them in the stand.

Some pics:

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu77/trbstang/Saltwatertank065.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu77/trbstang/IMG_4535.jpg

http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/uu77/trbstang/IMG_4663.jpg

[trb]

Here are some more pics of another local guy's sliding sump. I don't have any details on how he set it up, but he did say it was working well for the past several months.

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae90/DustonG/Reef/DSC00229.jpg

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae90/DustonG/Reef/DSC00215.jpg

[jmking33]

how about..instead of having sliders on the sump...have the wood/metal/plastic thats its sitting on slide. It will cut down on corrosion and you dont have to figure out someway to attach them to the sump. Kinda like how the keyboard drawer slides out from under the desk....the front folds down and then it slides out. Just some more ideas to help. I love the idea of the sump sliding out.

[NanoReefWanabe]

how about..instead of having sliders on the sump...have the wood/metal/plastic thats its sitting on slide. It will cut down on corrosion and you dont have to figure out someway to attach them to the sump. Kinda like how the keyboard drawer slides out from under the desk....the front folds down and then it slides out. Just some more ideas to help. I love the idea of the sump sliding out.

that is the idea, that with the exception of a truck bed slider, that wont work...as the weight of the sump will simply fold drawer sliders like a paper bag...cutting down on corrosion is tricky regardless of how it slides, as humid salty air will corrode all but stainless and even cheap stainless will fall victim to the air.

HOWEVER: there is an interesting idea in what you say...in that the OP has carpet and the best way to get the sump to slide out i on casters...now imagine if the front of the stand (the facad) was built strong enough to support the weight of the sump and equipment...then you could lay the front on the floor in front of the stand/fold it down so that the sump could roll out on to it...the only problem would be the carpet would depress and the sump could be a PITA to roll back in (kinda like how the bottom tray of your dishwasher works rolling out onto the door when it is folded down. i am sure there is a way it could be held flush with the rolling level of the sump tray though..

[trb]

Just get an electric winch and maybe some pulleys if needed to pull the sump back into place! I would use a solid base for the sump that slides out on top of the drop down drawer. That way it would be easier to pull/push it back into place.

[java]

mcmaster carr carriers flat (bottom mount) drawer slides that will slide 24" and carry 500lbs each. they are spendy tho

[dahenley]

In the SPS forum, there is a thread called a reef in the sky. He did this successfully. You might take a look