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Post by jgentry on Oct 2, 2013 14:53:23 GMT -6
Most are made for 48" tanks. Have one that could hold 3 125g though.
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Post by davidtcb1 on Oct 2, 2013 16:07:15 GMT -6
That might be what I need!
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Post by mruble on Oct 3, 2013 6:57:05 GMT -6
I have a couple of things for you J.D. 1. Pipe supports - Since you are having metal racks made, make sure there is a way to install pipe supports. Piping that is full of water will put a lot of weight on the bulkhead/aquarium glass. 2. Supply valves - You may want supply valves for every tank so you can control flow. You will also want a bypass line to keep back pressure on the pump at a minimum. Here is a link to my photobucket. This is the fish room I am working on over here in Awendaw, SC. s620.photobucket.com/user/SandMFRC/library/ |
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Post by jgentry on Oct 4, 2013 7:20:11 GMT -6
Looking good Mark. What are you using for your central filtration?
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Post by davidtcb1 on Oct 4, 2013 10:54:32 GMT -6
JD:
What happens to the water "sitting" in the PVC of the "50% fast drain" lines? Wouldn't this water just kinda be motion less until the valve is opened? This an issue for you with potential water quality issues etc?
Also don't forget to vent both sets of drains!
Looks cool Mark!
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Post by mruble on Oct 4, 2013 11:25:45 GMT -6
I have a 4' acrylic sump that was made by Glass Cages. The sump has chambers for filter material and bio-balls. This is the sump that has always ran on my 240 gl tank. A friend of mine just brought out a custom sump that I had Glass Cages build. It is a 3' acrylic that has five chambers for filter material. It is drilled on the side panel for bulkhead fittings. I had Glass cages put a doubler plate on the sump to help support the bulkhead fittings. Also had them make me a template to go on my 4' sump to match up to the 3' sump bulkheads. I will glue that to the side of the 4' sump and drill the sump. The two sumps will be "piggy-backed" and installed underneath my 240 gl tank. I have a 275 gl IBC tote for water changes. If I don't have enough filtration capacity, I will add bio-balls to the tote and incorporate into the recirculation system. I believe that I should be good with the amount of filtration material and bio-balls in the two sumps - any input would be appreciated. The main thing I am worried about is overflowing the sumps in the event of a power failure.
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Post by jgentry on Oct 4, 2013 12:14:51 GMT -6
Not sure about the water setting in the drain pvc. It will have to have a shut off valve for each layer of tanks so I may just add one for every tank.
Mark, I would think you may want a little more biological filtration. I was planning on using a large plastic water trough so that I had more holding capacity if the power goes out. I was going to build about a 6ft cylinder out of something and stuff it with bioballs and have it setting in the sump. I'll have to use a separate pump to pump water up to it though. I was going to section off the trough with foam sheets for extra filtration.
Probably doesn't make much sense reading it but it does in my head at least, lol.
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Post by jon carman on Oct 5, 2013 9:55:19 GMT -6
Go metal racks for sure. Go automated for sure. Even if you do a central system, if you set it up correctly, you can automate the whole system. You would just need a carbon filter to remove the chlorine, or an auto doser to add stress coat. You could do it so you only have to vacuum the tanks like maybe once a year.
I have yet yo vacuum any tanks(except a few pleco tanks) and have not cleaned my poret filters(except pleco tanks) since I set it up. On a side note, I cleaned the pleco filter last week and lost a few nice plecos. So I will not be touching any more. My water changes regularly enough to dilute the nitrates and keep filters fairly clean.
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Post by jon carman on Oct 5, 2013 9:55:48 GMT -6
My system can be used on one tank, many, or a central system.
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Post by jon carman on Oct 5, 2013 9:57:32 GMT -6
Mark, your sump should be fine, dependent on water turnover.
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Post by davidtcb1 on Oct 5, 2013 10:32:42 GMT -6
You should be fine with that cylinder design for bio balls etc. A lot of pet stores like Petsmart use large columns like that as fluidized bed filters. A second pump and a drip tray would do the trick. You could make it out of 6 or 12 inch PVC.
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Post by spacebug on Oct 12, 2013 15:30:21 GMT -6
Are you looking for something like this?
This guy has a whole series of diy videos including another on a central filtration system. |
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Post by davidtcb1 on Oct 13, 2013 13:49:01 GMT -6
Good video.
24 gallons a day seems like a lot and would definitely get expensive. That's 720 gallons a month for one tank, unless I'm looking at it wrong and he's talking about that much for his entire system. Then I could understand it. lol.
I'd definitely have to have my "emergency drain" plumbed to a floor drain or outside, etc. Having a rubbermaid tub filling up daily like he's talking about would make me a nervous wreck and I can tell he didn't like the idea either.
Need to check out his other videos soon.
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Post by spacebug on Oct 13, 2013 17:51:55 GMT -6
Yeah, I've been watching his videos and dreaming of my own fish room someday. He shows you how to do an overflow system so you don't have to drill your tanks in one video. In another, he does a multiple tank rack that he plumbs all together for one sump. You could easily take out the sump and have it work as a water changing system for the whole rack as well...I think...
I thought the same as you, too, about 24 gallons a day...seemed excessive, but I guess it depends on the size of your tank.
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Post by davidtcb1 on Oct 13, 2013 21:48:41 GMT -6
Agreed, hard to tell the size of that tank but it looks like maybe 60-80 gallons? I'd be happy with a gallon a day for that size.
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Aug 14, 2013 6:59:33 GMT -6
Aug 14, 2013 6:59:33 GMT -6