Advice needed: acrylic 500 gal install

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KAWAMIKIE

Candiru
MFK Member
Feb 17, 2010
596
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New Jersey
I recently acquired a 500 gallon Clarity Plus acrylic tank. It's 96"Lx36"wx36"h, 1" sides with 3/4" top and bottom. The tank has an overflow built in to one end. The overflow is filled with bio balls.
It also came with some 30" Lifegard filter canisters one mechanical, one chemical, and a 30" 4 tube uv light. The UV light is missing the transformers and probably needs all new bulbs. The filter canisters are missing some small pieces as well. The plumbing is all gone and ther is no pump. I got no info from the PO other than it came from a resturant in Cali., he never had it set up.

Once I get this set up I will transfer my 20" RTC, 9" Giant gourami, and 14" Gar into it.
I'm going to set the tank up outside built through the wall in my living room. I have to install a concrete pad and build a stand. Once the tank is up and running I will enclose and insulate around it. Leaving room for access and maintenance.

Some questions:
1. Should the stand top be open or covered with plywood?
2. Do I need anything between the stand and tank?
3. Is the Lifegard stuff worth using or should I go a different route?
4. How would I connect the Lifegard system, water flows out the overflow then to where?
5. There are four holes under the Bio balls, these would connect to where?
6. What size pump would I need? And How many?
7. How do I heat this thing?

The only pic I have rite now.
picture.php
 
KAWAMIKIE;4129638; said:
Some questions:
1. Should the stand top be open or covered with plywood?
2. Do I need anything between the stand and tank?
3. Is the Lifegard stuff worth using or should I go a different route?
4. How would I connect the Lifegard system, water flows out the overflow then to where?
5. There are four holes under the Bio balls, these would connect to where?
6. What size pump would I need? And How many?
7. How do I heat this thing?
Click to expand...

1. I would put at least a sheet of plywood for the tank to sit on, because you want the tank sitting on as stable and level a surface as you can get.

2. The plywood should be fine between the tank and stand.

3. Think of the Lifegard stuff as a very large canister filter, but one word of warning with them, if your going to mount it under your tank then make sure you put valves between the different modules so you can clean them independently from each other and mount them so you can pull the media and bulbs out easily.

4. Water flows down the overflow then it goes to the High Head Pressure pump then goes through the mechanical filter module, then the chemical module then the UV array.

5. The 4 holes you see on the bottom of the overflow are for 2 intakes and 2 returns usually depending on their size, it could as well be 1 intake and 3 returns. You can determine the number of returns by the number of holes drilled into the overflow face.

6. The number of pumps you would have to use is dependent on the number of filter modules you have.

7. You can buy heater modules from Lifegard where you would slip like a 400watt (multiple heaters require multiple modules) heater into it, so your filter system would all be inline.

This is the best I can do without pictures because the variations can be quite perplexing.
At least it will give you a idea of what you are going to need.
 
Thank you RedDwarf

The tank was plumbed with 1" schedule 40. There were 4 outflows from the over flow. There were no returns from the over flow. The returns must have been plumbed externally into the top four corners as they are the only other holes.
Tonight I removed approximately 7 gallons of bio balls from the overflow cavity and found the 4 outflow fittings in the bottom.

The Lifegard pieces I have are Mechanical filter Model AF-94-29, Chemical filter Model AF-93-29, and the UV Model QL-160.

1. Does this sound like enough filtration for 500 gallons?
2. Any idea what size pump I would need?
3. What is the best way to connect the overflow out takes to the pump?
My thought is to build a manifold feeding the 4 drains into that would hold extra water to feed the pump. Something like 3" if it's possible to reduce it down to 1" so the pump has plenty of water available.

The over flow and two of the top return holes.
picture.php
 
KAWAMIKIE;4132186; said:
1. Does this sound like enough filtration for 500 gallons?
2. Any idea what size pump I would need?
3. What is the best way to connect the overflow out takes to the pump?
My thought is to build a manifold feeding the 4 drains into that would hold extra water to feed the pump. Something like 3" if it's possible to reduce it down to 1" so the pump has plenty of water available.
Click to expand...

1. The filter might be big enough, it all really depends on the stock you plan on keeping in the tank, now remember that the Lifegard filter is just a mechanical filter with some carbon in it. It's not really a biological filter to break down the waste products from the fish. An idea of what your planning on putting in the tank would help.

2. The filter is really setup to run the Quiet One 4000HH pump, the pump will flow a max of 980 gph.

3. Now the best way to connect the overflow to your pump would be a sump. Water would go from the overflow into the sump and the pump would pick water up from the sump and then return it to the tank via the 4 return holes on top of the tank. I hope your going to build a canopy for the tank so you can hide all the plumbing and lights. You could run the water from the overflow into a bigger piece of PVC but I think you would be better off building a wet/dry filter and then having the water collect in the sump. And you could always put your heaters in the sump.

You have a great looking tank there, I would just build a wet/dry for it, because you can never have enough biological filtration in your tank. The extra water volume can't hurt either. My only concern is if your going to be able to access your filter from inside the house or is all of that going to be done from the outside?
 
I agree, go with a sump. Start looking now for a used 125 gallon tank and make that into the sump. I would start with two of those Quiet One 4000HH pumps. Good redundancy having two pumps. It will be easy to add another when your fish grow.
 
here's my input:

- run a sump, definitely. easy and cheap to build.

- pump, id go for a pump that pushes 4000gph or more. i have 3400gph on my 400g and the flow seems to be just about right.

- heaters, your gonna want an external heater controller and titanium heating rods placed in the sump. youll need 3-4 watts per gallon. i have 3wpg, and sometimes i wished i would have gone more so the heater isnt running as much. check out www.jehmco.com for heating equip
 
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