We all wanna build monster tanks, some of us have, some of us are still dreaming. There's a TON of discussion on ways to build big ol' tubs with window that hold water, and there's a TON of discussion on various ways to heat and filter the thing... But one of the big problems with having a monster tank is the monster energy bills.
So
I've designed about 15 ways I could build my monster one day, but that's the easy part. I want to build it with enough forethought that it doesn't require any more energy than my current raft of tanks.
One thing I've been thinking a lot of the last few days is the problem of pumps and their energy consumption when they have to fight 5-10 feet of head. Typical vane pumps are designed to deal with quite a bit of variation in head, so that they can be used in versatile applications. This means that at any given head value, they waste a lot of energy because they haven't be specifically optimized for that head value. An example would be a Quietone 5000, that pumps 2300gph at 0 head, drawing 145 watts. Compare that to a koralia magnum 6 powerhead that's designed specifically to pump at 0 head, that pumps 2200gph and draws **10** watts. That means the koralia is 15 times more efficient (give or take) than the quiet one. Not to mention a lot quieter (go figure).
Another problem with below-tank filtration is that you basically waste all the energy of the water falling from the overflow level to the sump level. That energy turns into noise and heat in the sump, and your pump has to add energy back into the system to force the water back up to tank level. Canisters are better with this, as some of the descending water energy is used to assist the pump, so most of the pump's job is just fighting the water drag in the plumbing, and forcing the water through the media.
WTF am I going? Well, as much as it sucks to give up tank space for filtration, imagine dividing off 10% of your tank, with a generous overflow at the top, and cutouts at the bottom to closely shroud a few powerheads. You could push the water out the bottom of your filter section and as a result, more would flow in the top. You then get a high turnover filter without the massive power bills. Drop a few airstones in the bottom and you have some aeration of your media. In a power outage the BB should not die, as it's still exposed to tank ammonia, just with less circulation. Another benefit would be that you'd avoid the heat loss from the plumbing and evaporation in a wet/dry. The only real limitation I see with this design is the lack of pressure to push your dirty water through your media. This would mean you'd have to be pretty careful about how you chose your media, but it's not beyond the realm of solvable.
I'm thinking of designing this into my 1000+ build that I will get to one day, and I'm curious about what some of the other DIY gurus here think.
Also open for discussion would be good ways to insulate the water surface without inhibiting gas exchange, etc.
So
I've designed about 15 ways I could build my monster one day, but that's the easy part. I want to build it with enough forethought that it doesn't require any more energy than my current raft of tanks.
One thing I've been thinking a lot of the last few days is the problem of pumps and their energy consumption when they have to fight 5-10 feet of head. Typical vane pumps are designed to deal with quite a bit of variation in head, so that they can be used in versatile applications. This means that at any given head value, they waste a lot of energy because they haven't be specifically optimized for that head value. An example would be a Quietone 5000, that pumps 2300gph at 0 head, drawing 145 watts. Compare that to a koralia magnum 6 powerhead that's designed specifically to pump at 0 head, that pumps 2200gph and draws **10** watts. That means the koralia is 15 times more efficient (give or take) than the quiet one. Not to mention a lot quieter (go figure).
Another problem with below-tank filtration is that you basically waste all the energy of the water falling from the overflow level to the sump level. That energy turns into noise and heat in the sump, and your pump has to add energy back into the system to force the water back up to tank level. Canisters are better with this, as some of the descending water energy is used to assist the pump, so most of the pump's job is just fighting the water drag in the plumbing, and forcing the water through the media.
WTF am I going? Well, as much as it sucks to give up tank space for filtration, imagine dividing off 10% of your tank, with a generous overflow at the top, and cutouts at the bottom to closely shroud a few powerheads. You could push the water out the bottom of your filter section and as a result, more would flow in the top. You then get a high turnover filter without the massive power bills. Drop a few airstones in the bottom and you have some aeration of your media. In a power outage the BB should not die, as it's still exposed to tank ammonia, just with less circulation. Another benefit would be that you'd avoid the heat loss from the plumbing and evaporation in a wet/dry. The only real limitation I see with this design is the lack of pressure to push your dirty water through your media. This would mean you'd have to be pretty careful about how you chose your media, but it's not beyond the realm of solvable.
I'm thinking of designing this into my 1000+ build that I will get to one day, and I'm curious about what some of the other DIY gurus here think.
Also open for discussion would be good ways to insulate the water surface without inhibiting gas exchange, etc.