Central Filtration
- Thread starter badisbadis101
- Start date
Using two pumps on the same open loop wouldn´t be an improvement cause when one fails the water from the other pump would flow back through the first one (check valves chew up too much pump strength). You could bring both pump lines into the open loop from above to partially get around this problem but the back pressure would be missing if one fails and with finely trimmed outlets some tanks may not get enough water even with one pump still running. Only sure way would be to build two open loops but that wouldn´t be economical. I´d rather put an alarm on the pump which goes off if the pump fails and keep a backup pump handy just in caseBderick67;2083671; said:
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Okay - so only use a y on the first one, and use t's on all the other splits.
As for backup pumps - are one way valves the same as check valves? Because those would work, i think, if i were to run 2 filters on the same loop, and give each pump a check valve.
Are there alarms that detect water flow? That would be wonderful, but i did not know they existed. The other potential problem there is that if i am on vacation or something when the pump goes out, the alarm wouldnt do anything
On another note, thanks to everyone for all the constructive comments and ideas. This project is still a while off, so by the time i actually build it, it should be perfect
As for backup pumps - are one way valves the same as check valves? Because those would work, i think, if i were to run 2 filters on the same loop, and give each pump a check valve.
Are there alarms that detect water flow? That would be wonderful, but i did not know they existed. The other potential problem there is that if i am on vacation or something when the pump goes out, the alarm wouldnt do anything
On another note, thanks to everyone for all the constructive comments and ideas. This project is still a while off, so by the time i actually build it, it should be perfect
The alarm is for pump function but yes there are also flow alarms but they aren´t as reliable.
One way or check valve is the same. I don´t trust them though as I´ve seen them fail. To be sure bring in a Y piece for each pump at the top of the open loop and check whether you´re getting enough water through the system when only one pump is running.
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One way or check valve is the same. I don´t trust them though as I´ve seen them fail. To be sure bring in a Y piece for each pump at the top of the open loop and check whether you´re getting enough water through the system when only one pump is running.
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If I were you I'd also get filters for each aquarium separately in case of any disease that comes up. I don't think you'd want to circulate it throughout your entire system. I don't know what your budget's like though. Would you do water changes through the sump? or the individual aquariums?
I want to connect all my systems to one pump for a few reasons:
1. Easy water changes done through the sump - the sump will have an overflow that goes directly down the drain, so i can just run water into the sump, and it will be performing a water change
2. Some tanks will be low - tech planted tanks. In theory, these tanks can benefit from the fish wastes produced in other tanks, and give all the tanks the benefits of live plants, even if they do not have any in the tank itself
3. Less clutter in the tank (heaters, etc)
4. More volume = more stable
5. Only one filter to clean
So yeah, i am nearly positive i am going to put all my tanks on the same system. Whilst disease could be an issue, i have strict quarantine procedures, and have never had problems with disease.
justin guest - how do the pump alarms work? I assumed they detected water flow from the pump to tell if it was running, but i guess not. Also, you think that simply hooking 2 pumps to the loop would work, even if one failed? Or no?
1. Easy water changes done through the sump - the sump will have an overflow that goes directly down the drain, so i can just run water into the sump, and it will be performing a water change
2. Some tanks will be low - tech planted tanks. In theory, these tanks can benefit from the fish wastes produced in other tanks, and give all the tanks the benefits of live plants, even if they do not have any in the tank itself
3. Less clutter in the tank (heaters, etc)
4. More volume = more stable
5. Only one filter to clean
So yeah, i am nearly positive i am going to put all my tanks on the same system. Whilst disease could be an issue, i have strict quarantine procedures, and have never had problems with disease.
justin guest - how do the pump alarms work? I assumed they detected water flow from the pump to tell if it was running, but i guess not. Also, you think that simply hooking 2 pumps to the loop would work, even if one failed? Or no?
Okay, so i looked at our preliminary house plans, and it looks like i will have aquariums in 2 places 
D) Anyways, that means the 55 and 125 will be on one system, and the rest on another. The 125 and 55 will need approximately 700 GPH, i think, with each tank receiving approximently 350 GPH. This should, in theory, be easy to accomplish with a single y joint coming up from the sump, halfway between the 2 tanks, with equal piping to each tank. These tanks will then overflow back to the sump, so it should be pretty simple, at least for those two tanks
The other tanks though might have some issues. I will end up with a 240 CA tank and 2 20L planted tanks on the same system. Both planted tanks combined will need a lot less flow than the CA tank. These tanks will be in an attached greenhouse, which may have some extra water features (waterfall or whatever). The best idea i can come up with at this point is this: Set up a simple Y, with a valve on the the planted side, so that most of the water goes into the cichlid tank. The water through the valve would flow to the first 20, which will probably be on top of the second, which would overflow to the second 20, and back to the sump. The water from the CA tank would go directly back to the sump as well.
So - any flaws in my plans?
BTW, thanks in advance for all of you guys' wonderful advice
D) Anyways, that means the 55 and 125 will be on one system, and the rest on another. The 125 and 55 will need approximately 700 GPH, i think, with each tank receiving approximently 350 GPH. This should, in theory, be easy to accomplish with a single y joint coming up from the sump, halfway between the 2 tanks, with equal piping to each tank. These tanks will then overflow back to the sump, so it should be pretty simple, at least for those two tanks The other tanks though might have some issues. I will end up with a 240 CA tank and 2 20L planted tanks on the same system. Both planted tanks combined will need a lot less flow than the CA tank. These tanks will be in an attached greenhouse, which may have some extra water features (waterfall or whatever). The best idea i can come up with at this point is this: Set up a simple Y, with a valve on the the planted side, so that most of the water goes into the cichlid tank. The water through the valve would flow to the first 20, which will probably be on top of the second, which would overflow to the second 20, and back to the sump. The water from the CA tank would go directly back to the sump as well.
So - any flaws in my plans?
BTW, thanks in advance for all of you guys' wonderful advice
Not to mention you will need a serious UV sterilizer.
Imagine the heartbreak of ONE FISH blowing out your whole system with an introduced nasty.
Imagine the heartbreak of ONE FISH blowing out your whole system with an introduced nasty.
I´ll second that!Horiyoshi III;2111734; said:
As for the pump alarms they work by watching over the fuse. If the fuse blows, alarm goes off. As for hooking two pumps to one loop you just have to keep the Y pieces from each pump coming into the loop above the outlets in the tanks. That way even if a check valve doesn´t work when a pump dies, the water from the still running pump will first flow into the tanks before flowing back through the defect pump and straight back into the sump. If i´m reading correctly the variation in your last post suggests running water from one tank into another tank sitting below. Horiyoshi III made a good point about disease spreading and this would be a weak point having one tank run into another.
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