PART DEUX!!! - Epic Overhaul (3D Backgrounds/300g, 250g, 120g tanks)

[JK47]

SO back to being stuck on the filtration. Here is my current plan, please poke holes/give advice where you see fit.

Drill the back of the tank in the top right corner (the BG convers this area)
Two 1.5" bulkhead with 90 degree elbows pointed down (external durso's).
One 1' bulkhead fitting to a 90 degree elbow pointed up as an over flow that will make sure the water level never rises above a determined height.
Plumb the two 1.5" overflows into a 2" gate valve to adjust the flow and silent the overflow.
The 2" line will always be sumberged so it should be silent.


^ am am drilling this tomorrow and getting ready for the background install. I HAVE to have this tank running this week.

 

[fishman09]

sounds clean and simple. similar to how my overflows work and they work great for me. how much water will drain when the pumps off or power outage?

 

[JK47]

sounds clean and simple. similar to how my overflows work and they work great for me. how much water will drain when the pumps off or power outage?

I calculated that today. The inner dimmensions of the tank are 71"x35" (1/2" thick acrylic). The inner diameter of the bulkhead fitting is 1.5". That totals 16.16 gallons when the pump shuts off if I mount the upturned elbow at the to of the 1.5" bulkhead height. My sump will handle that no problem.

 

[fishman09]

will the down turned elbows continue to siphon with the pump off? or does when the upturned elbow stop flowing does that break the siphon?

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[JK47]

will the down turned elbows continue to siphon with the pump off? or does when the upturned elbow stop flowing does that break the siphon?

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If you drill the ides of the elbow it will break the syphon. I also run air lines down the back of the PVC to pull down air which also breaks the syphon. Between the two I am not concerned about drianing down below the lowest part of the bulkhead fitting.

 

[Dan F]

SO back to being stuck on the filtration. Here is my current plan, please poke holes/give advice where you see fit.

Drill the back of the tank in the top right corner (the BG convers this area)
Two 1.5" bulkhead with 90 degree elbows pointed down (external durso's).
One 1' bulkhead fitting to a 90 degree elbow pointed up as an over flow that will make sure the water level never rises above a determined height.
Plumb the two 1.5" overflows into a 2" gate valve to adjust the flow and silent the overflow.
The 2" line will always be sumberged so it should be silent.


^ am am drilling this tomorrow and getting ready for the background install. I HAVE to have this tank running this week.

I think it sounds like a good plan, but if you are going to run a restricted syphon Herbie type of drain I would ditch the 2" pipe and run all 1.5". A full syphon drain flows a boatload of water and I suspect that you would end up with a 1.5" line mostly closed. A 2" valve would just be that much harder to fine-tune, in my opinion. How many GPH are you planning on running? If it is crazy high the 2" might be necessary...

 

[Dan F]

Just read your last post and then reread your other posts - I see you are doing an external durso, not a Herbie type system. Disregard my previous post, it sounds like you have it just right.

 

[JK47]

I think it sounds like a good plan, but if you are going to run a restricted syphon Herbie type of drain I would ditch the 2" pipe and run all 1.5". A full syphon drain flows a boatload of water and I suspect that you would end up with a 1.5" line mostly closed. A 2" valve would just be that much harder to fine-tune, in my opinion. How many GPH are you planning on running? If it is crazy high the 2" might be necessary...

Just read your last post and then reread your other posts - I see you are doing an external durso, not a Herbie type system. Disregard my previous post, it sounds like you have it just right.

Actually I am looking to do a hybrid of a herbie so your correct either way. I want to consolidate both 1.5" lines into one 2" gate valve and a single 2" pipe into the filter sock. I assumed I would need to step up to 2" since I am combining the two 1.5" lines into it. I am targeting no more than 2,000 GPH in the tank max. I will also be running an FX5 and this is only for a pair of festae. They will have large amounts of fry so I don't want to overfilter it or all I will do is kill fry but in turn will need an adjustable system because the bioload will increase at times.

The part I am stuck at is how to get the water out of the tank. The external durso is just a plan on how to get water to the gate vlave from the sump. Does that make sense?

 

[aclockworkorange]

Justin, with that setup I would go two 2" drains like mine, one downturned elbow and one up. I don't think you want a durso on it because that sort of defeats the purpose of a herbie. Just run two 90s on the outside of the tank? Valve the downturned elbow drain. The emergency drain will need to be have to top of the elbow above the entire water line of the tank.


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[JK47]

Justin, with that setup I would go two 2" drains like mine, one downturned elbow and one up. I don't think you want a durso on it because that sort of defeats the purpose of a herbie. Just run two 90s on the outside of the tank? Valve the downturned elbow drain. The emergency drain will need to be have to top of the elbow above the entire water line of the tank.


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I understand the concept for the down turned and up turned elbows. If I do that (two 2") and go full syphon instead of the durso style, will drilling two holes on the down turned elbow on the inside of the tank break the syphon if the pump shuts off?

I absolutly love your 225 gallon and is the reason I am trying this design BTW. Seriously I think it's awesome bro.