Thanks for the reply, Ive been watching you tube videos and really liking the matala so glad you are also suggesting it. I looked on craigslist yesterday and nothing in my area. But yes you would think they would be easy to come by, going to ask around. What do you guys think of this media on Ebay supposed to be better then K1, probably going to order 2 to have 4 cubic feet for 1 barrel, http://www.ebay.com/itm/252092220524?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
Looking to do a 55 gallon drum with a sump set up for my 320
- Thread starter Niners4952
- Start date
I recommend the postmaster ap100 air pump makes my bio reactors violently boil! Just make sure to get extra diaphragm kits because they blow from time to time
That ray in your avatar is amazing, what kind is it. I have a motoro for my new tank
I filter from the bottom to the top so the pads are on the bottom.
The drums sit on blocks so this valve drains All of the collected crap out. Put a hose over the drain and put water outside in the garden.
Pump sits low elevated a few inches I case of standing water. Pushes up through the bottom of the barrel and falls back into the pond.
I have others similarly configured. Really simple and cheap.
The drums sit on blocks so this valve drains All of the collected crap out. Put a hose over the drain and put water outside in the garden.
Pump sits low elevated a few inches I case of standing water. Pushes up through the bottom of the barrel and falls back into the pond.
I have others similarly configured. Really simple and cheap.
Love the price tag on the valve, never take the bar codes off...
I use (or technically have built but yet to use, so can't comment on efficiency) 3 of the 55 barrels, 1 is a k1 reactor, one is filled with bioballs and scrubbies, these two are not linked together but are both linked to the third one which is the equipment chamber. Over the first 2 I cut out the lids and put totes sitting on top for filter floss, mechanical pre-filter for water draining over top my bioballs and into the k1 chamber (because my filter goes top down, opposite to above pics). They are linked by 3" pvc pipe and uniseals. Josh's idea is great too, more than one way to skin a cat, the valve assembly likely makes things really easy. You can do a lot, all depends what your budget is.
I use (or technically have built but yet to use, so can't comment on efficiency) 3 of the 55 barrels, 1 is a k1 reactor, one is filled with bioballs and scrubbies, these two are not linked together but are both linked to the third one which is the equipment chamber. Over the first 2 I cut out the lids and put totes sitting on top for filter floss, mechanical pre-filter for water draining over top my bioballs and into the k1 chamber (because my filter goes top down, opposite to above pics). They are linked by 3" pvc pipe and uniseals. Josh's idea is great too, more than one way to skin a cat, the valve assembly likely makes things really easy. You can do a lot, all depends what your budget is.
A lot of guys filter from the top down and use gravity through the media like Dave. This puts less stress on the pump. Either way works. If I built these systems again I would probably go that route. If you filter up through the media, Against gravity think about adding a check valve in case of loss off power.
The avatar is a male "big spot" black diamond about 14" hopefully he figures what his claspers are about sometime soon
The avatar is a male "big spot" black diamond about 14" hopefully he figures what his claspers are about sometime soon
If you're keeping rays k1 or equivalent is the way to Go. I use kaldnes brand but im sure the generics work just fine
I'm leaning towards running a 3 barrel system with matala in the first probably going down then back up into the second barrel with k1 then into the third which will have the pump and heaters and store feeder fish. Sounds pretty simple what do you guys think. My only other question is about draining. I'm going to run a drip system. I have a drain line right under my tank I was going to put a 2" bulkhead in the third barrel where I want the water level to be and connect it to the house drain
So my k1 chamber is connect with the 3" pipe so it drops down into the equipment chamber, the one with the bio balls has the 3" pipe at the bottom to keep the water level low for the bio balls, in theory it will result in that barrel and the equipment chamber being the same water level. I just put a 1 inch bulkhead with either a 3/4" or 1/2" barb whereally I wanted the water level to sit in those barrels in the equipment barrel after accounting for power outages and such and am just going to use some tubing going straight to my floor drain. Hopefully the uniseals do their job.
