Cutting / Modifying exist acrylic sump to accept roller mat.

[wrgoff]

I need to modify my Synergy Reef Sump, it is made out of 1/4 acrylic. Basically cutting out the 7 inch filter sock section, and the crash box. It is installed right now, and I don't want to drain it completely and remove it. I am thinking about drilling 4 holes one on each corner and using a jigsaw to cut out the 7 inch filter socks. And then using a dremel or sawzall or a hole saw to cut the crash box.

Any advice?

 

[tzabor10]

Why not a separate sump with filter that drains into the other sump?

 

[BeanAnimal]

I need to modify my Synergy Reef Sump, it is made out of 1/4 acrylic. Basically cutting out the 7 inch filter sock section, and the crash box. It is installed right now, and I don't want to drain it completely and remove it. I am thinking about drilling 4 holes one on each corner and using a jigsaw to cut out the 7 inch filter socks. And then using a dremel or sawzall or a hole saw to cut the crash box.

Any advice?

You will have plastic particles everywhere and likely have trouble getting them out of the system for the foreseeable future.

I don't know what a "crash box" is but assume that to mean the area where the tank drains into the sump.

You can certainly use a jigsaw, but beware if it gets "grabby" you can crack the thin acrylic. A router our dremel would be best.

I would (without question) take the sump out of the system to do this work.

 

[wrgoff]

Why not a separate sump with filter that drains into the other sump?

Don't actually have the room to add another sump. The sump that is in there now is 5 feet long.

 

[KrisReef]

I have cut holes like you are describing a few times. Agree that you need to use a fine tooth blade and move slowly to avoid cracking acrylic, but 1/4" isn't that thin, ime for this operation.

Also agree that you will have plastic everywhere, so if you can drain the sump, cut and then wet/dry vac the area you may get 99% or more of the plastic shavings.

I sometimes uses a wood hole saw to cut acrylic, a 1" bit would make nice rounded corners. Make a template to guide the cuts, points for the corner drilling and lines to guide the edges. I have used painters tape for this purpose, you can write on it or use the edge as a guide. I have a small hand held skill saw that I use for the straight cuts,, cut as close to corners as I can and finish the edges with a hand saw if I can't access the corners. I have a plastic hand saw.

If you put a plastic bag in the sump, tape the edges to the inside walls during the cutting can also catch a lot of chips, but they will fly into the next box, the stand, etc so if you can make a plastic bag curtain to shield those areas you might keep the dirty area a lot smaller than an uncurtained sump.

And Sand all the edges to remove them or else you will be cutting yourself when you work in the sump. The sanded edges also prevent breakage down the road. Go slow and steady while cutting, to fast will go rough while too slow will start to melt the plastic. Both wrong speeds can cause the motor to stall on my tiny battery tools.

It's easy to do well, good luck and don't stress and you will be glad once the clean up is finished.

 

[wrgoff]

I have cut holes like you are describing a few times. Agree that you need to use a fine tooth blade and move slowly to avoid cracking acrylic, but 1/4" isn't that thin, ime for this operation.

Also agree that you will have plastic everywhere, so if you can drain the sump, cut and then wet/dry vac the area you may get 99% or more of the plastic shavings.

I sometimes uses a wood hole saw to cut acrylic, a 1" bit would make nice rounded corners. Make a template to guide the cuts, points for the corner drilling and lines to guide the edges. I have used painters tape for this purpose, you can write on it or use the edge as a guide. I have a small hand held skill saw that I use for the straight cuts,, cut as close to corners as I can and finish the edges with a hand saw if I can't access the corners. I have a plastic hand saw.

If you put a plastic bag in the sump, tape the edges to the inside walls during the cutting can also catch a lot of chips, but they will fly into the next box, the stand, etc so if you can make a plastic bag curtain to shield those areas you might keep the dirty area a lot smaller than an uncurtained sump.

And Sand all the edges to remove them or else you will be cutting yourself when you work in the sump. The sanded edges also prevent breakage down the road. Go slow and steady while cutting, to fast will go rough while too slow will start to melt the plastic. Both wrong speeds can cause the motor to stall on my tiny battery tools.

It's easy to do well, good luck and don't stress and you will be glad once the clean up is finished.

I do have a python to help syphon out all the water and plastic from the two sections (crash box & filter sock). I also have a very powerful shop vac (6.5 hp), that I could also use. I like the plastic bag trick. I did modify my tank (which is also acrylic) adding a synergy reef v3 shadow overflow buy cutting two 63mm holes for it, and also cut 2, 1 inch holes for the returns. I used tape, and a box on the inside to catch the plastic. I did all that without draining the tank.