Centrifugal filters?

[Andyroo]

Wisdom-pool,
Is there a sump-type design that filters via rotational flow rather than physical media?
I ask as I'm running "living" filters of critters, plants and charcoal and would love for this population of wee living stuff to provide nutrition to my fish rather than just crud to the filter mesh.

Thought is to plumb my existing little Jebao to about 1/3ds of the way up 35 or 55gal sealing plastic drum with an elbow inside and 12" bit of flex hose to start the corner (my arm is only long enough to set the bulkhead at 2/3ds of the way down on a 3.5' tall drum). Rotation would be in that bottom section. Above that mount some stiff course mesh, and above that a mesh bag(s) of pea-size-bashed charcoal for further coarse and bacterial filtration. Filter-refugia'd critters various (rotifers, cyclops, ostracods, clam-shrimp, crabs, amphipods, snails, mussels etc) could wander through to make their way back to the tank... and to my fishs' tummies.

Stuff mainly accumulates in rotation section and also amongst charcoal media where critters eat it and convert to nutrients, plants (in tank) eat critter poop and I only need to clean the filter maybe 2x/year... plus an occasional water change.

Does it work?
Or do I still need a section of foam?

Andrew

 

[Andyroo]

Yes, I'm realizing that I will have to remove charcoal crud from within the tank, now...

 

[duanes]

I use fresh water refugiums, but the sump, and filter do the filtering, then water is pumped up to a separate refugium which drains to the main tank.
My refugiums have plants, snails, gammarus, and rishi shrimp that occasionally overflow into the main tank and are eaten by the fish.
here is one

here is another, in another window

 

[Andyroo]

Thanks Duanes,
My/this setup requires a sealed & pressurized system, unfortunately.
I do have creeper in two other tanks- the roots are in the water, the vine's leaves hang out the window. Seems to work, though that tank is so underpopulated that I'm not sure it's even required.
A