would a 55 gallon drum set so that the bottom of the drum is about 1ft lower than the water line of a 180-200 gallon tank that's about 24" deep create enough head pressure to run ugj system on gravity alone? My thought is to have the overflows run directly under the tank to a sump. From there it would be pumped into a crawlspace where the filtration system would be. Then gravity feed back into the tank. The tank itself would be a diy plywood with the front pane from a 6foot 150. ( the 150 is already disassembled it was free because of a cracked bottom.)
55 gallon drum
- Thread starter sirdavidofdiscus
- Start date
Can you post a drawing of this?? I'm having a hard time trying to decide if you're never going to have more than a foot of water in your drum or if it's just going to fill up due to pumping more water in than can empty back into the tank.
There was an article a few years back in Aquarium Fish magazine (sorry I can't remember year) where an aquarist sent his tank water from the 1st floor, to a barrel sump in his basement, and back up to his tanks. It had drawings and method. He used it to gain volume and temp stability for his salt water tank.
I do a similar thing where 4 tanks are in a line ending up in a barrel sump that contains my pump, filter socks and heaters. It also is the area where I hide protein skimmers, and other unsightly paraphenalia.
When I do water changes, the new water is directed to the barrel sump, where it is aggetated and mixes with old and helps prevent microscopic gas bubbles from entering directly into the tank.
I do a similar thing where 4 tanks are in a line ending up in a barrel sump that contains my pump, filter socks and heaters. It also is the area where I hide protein skimmers, and other unsightly paraphenalia.
When I do water changes, the new water is directed to the barrel sump, where it is aggetated and mixes with old and helps prevent microscopic gas bubbles from entering directly into the tank.
The highest tank, the 100 ,overflows into a planted 40 gallon,
You can see the bottom corner of the 100 gal on the left.
the 40 is drilled and flows into a 100 gal rubbermaid,
which is drilled and underneath the 100, and flows directly to the barrel sump.
There are also 2 50 gals that overflow into each other, fed by a split pump line, and have lines to the barrel, that I don't have picks of.
Each tank is a little lower than the highest one by just enough, to make the overflows work.
I'll try to get a more panoramic photo tonight.
You can see the bottom corner of the 100 gal on the left.
the 40 is drilled and flows into a 100 gal rubbermaid,
which is drilled and underneath the 100, and flows directly to the barrel sump.
There are also 2 50 gals that overflow into each other, fed by a split pump line, and have lines to the barrel, that I don't have picks of.
Each tank is a little lower than the highest one by just enough, to make the overflows work.
I'll try to get a more panoramic photo tonight.
The pump in the barrel has a split return line, one goes thru the proten skimmer into the 100 gal, one to the 50 gal high.
The 50 high is one the right, overflowing into the 50 long in the middle with a line to the sump.
here above, the 100 overflows into the 40, which has 2 stand pipes, which lead to the 100 rubbermaid horse trough, directly under the 100 gal glass tank.
above is the outflow of the rubbermaid, it's only a few inches higher than the level of the barrel sump.
My fish "nook", is 10'X10'.
Directly across from the 100, is the other bank of tanks, a 150 gal which flows into a different 50 gal barrel into a 40 gal planted sump.
above is the corner of the 150, you can almost see the blue barrel on the right, and the planted sump is under the 150.
from behind. This barrel is basically a full 50 gallons.
Both banks of tanks together equal @ 600 gallons.
Very cool, thanks for the tour!
I acquired a few 50g drums from the local Coke distributor (was going to make some big filters), but sold them before we moved.
I acquired a few 50g drums from the local Coke distributor (was going to make some big filters), but sold them before we moved.
Hey Matt, good to hear from you again.
The drums are great for rearing fry or tossing a beaten up fish, and don't take up much space. Right now the full one is housing my male haitiensis, (giving the female a break) and the one in the pics with filter socks, is a recovery room for a beaten up Chuco intermedium.
They come in handy for holding those bigger fish that are just too much for an average hospital tank.
The drums are great for rearing fry or tossing a beaten up fish, and don't take up much space. Right now the full one is housing my male haitiensis, (giving the female a break) and the one in the pics with filter socks, is a recovery room for a beaten up Chuco intermedium.
They come in handy for holding those bigger fish that are just too much for an average hospital tank.