300 gallon setup/sump build

[jaws7777]

Let's bump this...

Ok so the pond boxes are full of filter floss? I must of missed it where'd you grab that clear valve at?

Have you made any tweaks?

I forgot all about this thread. Not much has changed. A bunch of different diy projects came and went im glad i was talked out of installing baffles. The open lay out makes for more room to play around.

The pond boxes were removed. they added nothing to the system asides from an extra area for crud to build up.

I think i got the double union check valves from brs or www.flexpvc.com

One thing was initially i put the bb in large laundry bags. Was a major p.i.t.a eventually swapped them out for smaller media bags to make life easier when removing the bio to clean off or clean out the sump.

I also regret not installing a drip from day 1.

 

[PYRU]

I forgot all about this thread. Not much has changed. A bunch of different diy projects came and went im glad i was talked out of installing baffles. The open lay out makes for more room to play around.

The pond boxes were removed. they added nothing to the system asides from an extra area for crud to build up.

I think i got the double union check valves from brs or www.flexpvc.com

One thing was initially i put the bb in large laundry bags. Was a major p.i.t.a eventually swapped them out for smaller media bags to make life easier when removing the bio to clean off or clean out the sump.

I also regret not installing a drip from day 1.

What do you use instead of the boxes for a prefilter and how do you get it to pull through your media?

I've been looking over yours and jc whatever's. I'm about sold on midwest. I was dreading installing baffles in a spare tank and want to replicate this design.

 

[jaws7777]

What do you use instead of the boxes for a prefilter and how do you get it to pull through your media?

I've been looking over yours and jc whatever's. I'm about sold on midwest. I was dreading installing baffles in a spare tank and want to replicate this design.

I was all about baffles. Couldnt wrap my head around not needing them. duanes and other members got it into my thick skull at how flawed that thinking is.

I just piled the bio on and near the pump intakes. Its the contact time that get the job done. Direct flow is kind of subjective.

No need for pre filter as not much gets past the 4 x 200 micron socks. What does is just a fine coating of mulm and detritus that builds up regardless if a pre filter was used.

Its sounds cliche but holds true. Its all about what you want out of it. I really didnt want to go over board with tech stuff or use baffles. I wanted ease of maintenance and room to play around with diy projects.

 

[duanes]

One thing baffles do, that I don't like, is create a sort of plenum (dead spot) beside and near each one, and detritus tends to end up in these dead areas.
In a low to the floor sump, siphoning this detritus out can be problematic, and physically awkward, so these piles of junk become nitrate factories over time, and places where pathogenic bacteria can proliferate and build up.
The ease of pulling out a bag of bio media, shaking it around in a bucket of tank water, is for me (I'm quite lazy) the way to go.

 

[PYRU]

One thing baffles do, that I don't like, is create a sort of plenum (dead spot) beside and near each one, and detritus tends to end up in these dead areas.
In a low to the floor sump, siphoning this detritus out can be problematic, and physically awkward, so these piles of junk become nitrate factories over time, and places where pathogenic bacteria can proliferate and build up.
The ease of pulling out a bag of bio media, shaking it around in a bucket of tank water, is for me (I'm quite lazy) the way to go.

Most def. That's exactly what I don't want. Nooks and crannies where crap builds up. I want the simplest straight forward ease of maintenance system I can. The simpler I keep things the more I enjoy it.

I'm trying to figure out a plan on how to fail safe auto water changes right now

 

[PYRU]

I was all about baffles. Couldnt wrap my head around not needing them. duanes and other members got it into my thick skull at how flawed that thinking is.

I just piled the bio on and near the pump intakes. Its the contact time that get the job done. Direct flow is kind of subjective.

No need for pre filter as not much gets past the 4 x 200 micron socks. What does is just a fine coating of mulm and detritus that builds up regardless if a pre filter was used.

Its sounds cliche but holds true. Its all about what you want out of it. I really didnt want to go over board with tech stuff or use baffles. I wanted ease of maintenance and room to play around with diy projects.

Same here. I was originally going to do a bean animal, but decided against itb fire v this very reason.

Do you have a plan on a drip or auto change system? My old one was modeled after marconi's but I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to fail safe at ground level through the sump

 

[jaws7777]

Same here. I was originally going to do a bean animal, but decided against itb fire v this very reason.

Do you have a plan on a drip or auto change system? My old one was modeled after marconi's but I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to fail safe at ground level through the sump

I was going to do one but it was right before the surgery and my wife wanted me to hold off just incase there were growing pains in the system. Im probably going to revisit it after we move. Just way too much up in the air.

One thing i regret was the 3d back round. Solid black would have been better imo.










Another change or addition would be the feeding port in the middle lid. I know this sounds stupid and like a non issue but if i had them in all three lids feedings would be super easy.

I spread the food around through out the tank so the aggressive eaters dont hog it all. Having the ports in all the lids would make this easier. Stupid i know nut im a lazy shhhhhh

 

[PYRU]

I was going to do one but it was right before the surgery and my wife wanted me to hold off just incase there were growing pains in the system. Im probably going to revisit it after we move. Just way too much up in the air.

One thing i regret was the 3d back round. Solid black would have been better imo.

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Another change or addition would be the feeding port in the middle lid. I know this sounds stupid and like a non issue but if i had them in all three lids feedings would be super easy.

I spread the food around through out the tank so the aggressive eaters dont hog it all. Having the ports in all the lids would make this easier. Stupid i know nut im a lazy shhhhhh

No that's a really good point with the feeding. I want a few bottom dwellers and getting past aggressive cichlids can be a beast. Drilling acrylic cant be that bad maybe add 2 more holes.

Your 3D bg looks really good. I know the builders were cussing your name when putting it in, but it looks really good with your sand choice. I will probably go all black with leslies pf sand, but I'm going to check into that sand place you mentioned.

Did you ever have the pearsei with other cichlids? I was thinking of throwing some veija types together.

 

[jaws7777]

No that's a really good point with the feeding. I want a few bottom dwellers and getting past aggressive cichlids can be a beast. Drilling acrylic cant be that bad maybe add 2 more holes.

Your 3D bg looks really good. I know the builders were cussing your name when putting it in, but it looks really good with your sand choice. I will probably go all black with leslies pf sand, but I'm going to check into that sand place you mentioned.

Did you ever have the pearsei with other cichlids? I was thinking of throwing some veija types together.

Yes not in this tank but in a 150 gal. I honestly dont enjoy cichlid comms. They never worked out for me long term. Other members seem to have no issues so id probably not be the best to answer that one.

Hes either too aggressive for some fish or not aggressive enough for others. Not a killer like other CA but a pain none the less. Theres a vieja heterospilus in there with him. For the better part of the past 5 yrs they roomed together on and off. He seemed to chill out a bit as he aged. DMD123 has a female whos been better behaved

Check out ragin_cajun's 540 gal thats pretty sweet CA comm

Easiest comms for me are fish that never would encounter each other. Id be the guy that wouldnt be able to keep guppies together in a 300 gal.

 

[jaws7777]

Not really a point to this post but figured what the heck.

The sump was long over due for a good cleaning.

Took a 27 gal tote to hold the bio.


Got the wife and kids to pitch in. I guess having a screwed up back has its perks. My son actually did most of the scrubbing in the sump.



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