# Opinions please Fluval Vicenza 180 litre Sump conversion



## DamFish (Feb 9, 2012)

I originally change this aquarium to an under tank Sump from the original canister filter. The sump has worked well for two years but salt creep and the extremely tight fit has caused headaches over the past year. There is only a 1/4" clearance side to side and it is impossible to get the skimmer out to repair. The sump will be drained and left in place until I convince the 'power that be' that we need a bigger tank.

I am currently in the process of moving the sump to the basement and increasing it to 100 gallon. Your opinions are required in what to do with the current return and overflow. WITHOUT SHUTTING IT ALL DOWN OR GETTING A NEW BIGGER TANK, please. 

I have considered using both tubes as an overflow drain and increasing the circulation by making a new return over the back of the tank in the far corner. Far corner is a dead zone for circulation as the return and overflow are about 2" apart. I have also considered capping them bot and doing an HOB overflow and new over the back return or the HOB overflow and use these tubes as my return.

I am also looking for a supplier of the Loc-Line that is on the return. It is bigger than the standard 3/4" and appears to be 1"

Hope someone has a great idea


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

If you are a handy DIY-er

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=399986

Unfortunately it will involve a teardown.

I don't like their bulkheads as the fittings they supply to the dryside are too restrictive for proper draining to a basement sump. Directly under the aquarium in the cabinet is fine. I'm not sure what size bulkhead they use to replace it with but to do so will require...a teardown . I don't like HOB overflows, especially draining to the basement...seen and heard too many problems.

If you are going to do it, do it right 

LocLine only comes is 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4" diameters. IIRC MOPS sells them.


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## rickcasa (Dec 7, 2011)

Here's what I did with my Vicenza 90g corner and it's been working flawlessly for the past 6 months.

I built an acrylic overflow box (it's easy, anyone with tools can do this) and drilled 1 hole on the bottom for the drain. I used the existing return pipe, and this drains to the sump. I assembled a durso standpipe inside the box and it's completely silent. In the first week there was a faint hissing, but silenced over time.

Now as for the existing drain pipe, I left it hooked up to the canister filter but removed the sponges and effectively converting it to a carbon and gfo reactor draining back to the sump.

The tank was left intact! I just needed to drain 6" of the water to silicone the overflow box to the tank.


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## DamFish (Feb 9, 2012)

Great link. I wish I had seen this when I built mine. My company does exactly that kind of metal work although I would hate to see that metal with the salt creep. Definitely a job for stainless but at least I would be able to get my skimmer out if I had taken the entire area.
Doing it "that" right is not an option. And I am also afraid of the hang on overflow.
I will be taking the top of the return pipe off today and head to Lowes after looking at the link to see if I can find a pipe with the correct ID to fit it. Will give me more options. I am seeing a custom overflow box that I can drop onto the existing pipes.


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## DamFish (Feb 9, 2012)

rickcasa said:


> Here's what I did with my Vicenza 90g corner and it's been working flawlessly for the past 6 months.
> 
> I built an acrylic overflow box (it's easy, anyone with tools can do this) and drilled 1 hole on the bottom for the drain. I used the existing return pipe, and this drains to the sump. I assembled a durso standpipe inside the box and it's completely silent. In the first week there was a faint hissing, but silenced over time.
> 
> ...


That is almost exactly what I was just thinking and typing as you responded.
Any chance you can supply a couple of pictures??


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## rickcasa (Dec 7, 2011)

DamFish said:


> That is almost exactly what I was just thinking and typing as you responded.
> Any chance you can supply a couple of pictures??


Yeah, no probs. On my way back from Ottawa now.


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