BUILT INDOOR POND NOW I NEED HELP WITH PLUMBING & SUMPS

[DB junkie]

The drain you use MUST outflow your pump. This way your pump runs balls out but can never pump more then your drain can handle. Pump runs 1200 GPH but the drain handles MORE..... So the same amount goes down the drain as what gets pumped in......

Does it make sense now?

 

[keepinfish]

yes, i got ya. DB, on your pump how far below the water surface is your drain? When power goes out it will cause a flood so i guess calculating out homw much water is above your drian is necassarry?

 

[DB junkie]

On my pond the filter is ABOVE the pond. This makes life liveable....LOL Otherwise you need a MONSTER sump.

On my other 2 tanks the overflows are right at the surface so when I lose power I only have to worry about like 30 gallons on my 300 and probobly 60 on my salty 225 (skimmer holds like 30 lol)

Yes.... Have to calculate it in your case.....

OR (if it was me) I'd put the filter above...... There are pros and cons of each......

Filter ABOVE pond.....

Pros.... No overflowing issues, filter is easier to clean/service, bio towers can be as friggin big/tall as you want.

Cons.... Submerged pump (possible stray voltage issues), pump chops poo making it harder to filter, lack of surface skimming leaves you with oil slicks during/after feedings.

Filter BELOW pond....

Pros.... With some carefull thought it would be possible to pull from surface OR bottom of pond, in line pump (no heat transfer or possible voltage issues)

Cons.... Overflow issues due to vast surface area of ponds, PITA to clean since it's all crammed. More than likely will have to "T" off pump to feed bio tower.

Any way you look at it there's tradeoffs....

6 one way half dozen the other.

IF I had it to do all over again I would DEFINITELY incorporate a settling chamber/vortex chamber like them koi fellas use.... That would make life friggin GREAT..... Clean mechanical media a fraction as much as you do now by utilizing a settling chamber with a drain in the bottom. Crack that drain and watch all the poo go bye-bye before it ever even touches any mechanical media..... Now THAT would be the life.

 

[keepinfish]

pond is build but i have to act fast and get this up and running... i will have pups again real soon and need to seperate the big ray after this litter...

 

[DB junkie]

I would use Tank 125s flower pond build as a refrence.....

IF it was me..... I would put a bulkhead in the bottom of it. I would use a threaded piece of 1.5 to screw into that bulkhead as a standpipe. This will dictate your water level. On the bottom side of this bulkhead fitting put a "T" in the line going down with a ball valve on each side..... Run one 1.5 inch drain to your wet dry. The 1.5 inch will handle 1350 GPH. Your pump you said runs 1200 GPH..... So that will work just fine.... The reason I said a threaded piece of 1.5 is cause then when you go to do a WC you can close the ball valve to the wet dry open the ball valve that you connected to a drain at your house and drain your pond this way. I don't know how high you made it off the ground but unless it's as high as a tank usually sits siphoning will take forever and won't flow too great...... With the valve to a drain it would be VERY easy to do WCs on.

Make sense? Clear as mud? LOL

 

[NOLAGT]

I would use Tank 125s flower pond build as a refrence.....

IF it was me..... I would put a bulkhead in the bottom of it. I would use a threaded piece of 1.5 to screw into that bulkhead as a standpipe. This will dictate your water level. On the bottom side of this bulkhead fitting put a "T" in the line going down with a ball valve on each side..... Run one 1.5 inch drain to your wet dry. The 1.5 inch will handle 1350 GPH. Your pump you said runs 1200 GPH..... So that will work just fine.... The reason I said a threaded piece of 1.5 is cause then when you go to do a WC you can close the ball valve to the wet dry open the ball valve that you connected to a drain at your house and drain your pond this way. I don't know how high you made it off the ground but unless it's as high as a tank usually sits siphoning will take forever and won't flow too great...... With the valve to a drain it would be VERY easy to do WCs on.

Make sense? Clear as mud? LOL

Great idea!!

 

[keepinfish]

I would use Tank 125s flower pond build as a refrence.....

IF it was me..... I would put a bulkhead in the bottom of it. I would use a threaded piece of 1.5 to screw into that bulkhead as a standpipe. This will dictate your water level. On the bottom side of this bulkhead fitting put a "T" in the line going down with a ball valve on each side..... Run one 1.5 inch drain to your wet dry. The 1.5 inch will handle 1350 GPH. Your pump you said runs 1200 GPH..... So that will work just fine.... The reason I said a threaded piece of 1.5 is cause then when you go to do a WC you can close the ball valve to the wet dry open the ball valve that you connected to a drain at your house and drain your pond this way. I don't know how high you made it off the ground but unless it's as high as a tank usually sits siphoning will take forever and won't flow too great...... With the valve to a drain it would be VERY easy to do WCs on.

Make sense? Clear as mud? LOL

very good idea, i actually think i will go this route. thanks for your help!

How would the second ball valve help with water changes if i have a standpipe as it will only let me water level go down so far? I was pictureing a standpipe like the one attached.

 

[NOLAGT]

When you would shut the ball valve to the wetdry off and open the 2nd ball valve (that would be plumed to outside or a drain of some sort) you would remove that durso stand pipe to let some water drain out....then replace it when you drained out as much water as you wanted.

Will it be bare bottom?

 

[keepinfish]

When you would shut the ball valve to the wetdry off and open the 2nd ball valve (that would be plumed to outside or a drain of some sort) you would remove that durso stand pipe to let some water drain out....then replace it when you drained out as much water as you wanted.

Will it be bare bottom?

oh ok, so unscrew the standpipe when doing waterchanges. I like it and thanks for your help!!!

 

[NOLAGT]

oh ok, so unscrew the standpipe when doing waterchanges. I like it and thanks for your help!!!

Exactly! and if your bare bottom you can just swirl the water around to get the poo out the drain hole. I would also re-teflon tape the thread every time you screw it back in. That way if the power goes out you dont have to worry about it slow leaking through the thread and draining the pond into the sump and onto the floor. Now that would take forever with a slow leak...but just to be safe.