The only idea I can tell you is the one I told you about putting the bulkhead as high as you can ,,,,
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Closed Loop Sump?
- Thread starter TheSinisterSOB
- Start date
You could put a bulkhead near the top of your sump which leads to a drain, so when the power goes out the sump won't overflow. This will cause issues if the sump intake is very low. When the power comes back on there won't be enough water in your system to start up again...the pumps will run dry, to avoid this don't have the sump intakes too low.
I do this in my tank but have overflows not too low and also have an auto top-up unit / water changer in my sump so when power comes back on water is automatically added to the sump.
Good luck on the build.
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I do this in my tank but have overflows not too low and also have an auto top-up unit / water changer in my sump so when power comes back on water is automatically added to the sump.
Good luck on the build.
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I think you should still use some kind of overflow. Even with a large float valve, that's a lot of water pressure.
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Thanks for the input guys...I still have a long time before I have to start creating the filtration, but its always good to have expert opinions.
I'll start looking through all of my subscribed threads on the big tanks and see if any of them have filtration that might spark some ideas.
I'll start looking through all of my subscribed threads on the big tanks and see if any of them have filtration that might spark some ideas.
A lot of the most undesirable stuff collects on the air/water interface, and except for an occasional viscous slick, or scum, is made up of proteins and dissolved organic carbon that is generally invisible, but can prevent gas exchange.
This is one of the reasons why surface skimming often is used.
Although detritus and fish waste is aesthetically undesirable, it is really not as important to remove as a constant stream. In my opinion you are better off having constant surface filtration removal with surface placed bulkheads, and remove detritus and fish waste with regular partial water changes, and vacuuming.
Having the bulkheads near the surface, also removes the likelihood of a problem/chance of an entire tank draining during an outage, and overflowing a sump.
This is one of the reasons why surface skimming often is used.
Although detritus and fish waste is aesthetically undesirable, it is really not as important to remove as a constant stream. In my opinion you are better off having constant surface filtration removal with surface placed bulkheads, and remove detritus and fish waste with regular partial water changes, and vacuuming.
Having the bulkheads near the surface, also removes the likelihood of a problem/chance of an entire tank draining during an outage, and overflowing a sump.
Thanks for the explanation, duanes! Most of the builds I've stalked over the years have had bulkheads up high on the side wall, which would probably be the safest way to go it seems...Probably not a smart idea to reinvent the wheel when one miscalculation could spell disaster.
Do you think having a bulkhead with an external ball valve just above the substrate would be ok to help with WCs and waste removal? It would be more like a drain, or would that be allowing the water pressure an avenue to escape? I do have the extra long python vac tube, so its not a big issue if I need to avoid a bulkhead low in the side wall...I just don't wanna have to spend hours vacuuming the substrate.
Having a valved bulkhead does sound interesting, I'd have the line run directly outdoors for instant waste water removal. The instant gravitational pull from pressure low in the tank if opened should suck out a lot of debris, although might suck out fish and substrate too.
I have a tee on a line to my sump from 5 tanks, when the valve is opened instead of water to the sump, it goes directly outside to the garden.
But water is drawn from the surface overflows, and I believe it is the surface water/air interface that contains the most pollutants, the invisible stuff (nitrate, hormones, etc etc), to me more dangerous than the stuff we can see.
I also use protein skimming that also intensely removes those dissolved pollutants.
Although the water in my tanks and ponds are relatively clear, the shot below is what is actually removed from the air water interface by fractionation.
I have a tee on a line to my sump from 5 tanks, when the valve is opened instead of water to the sump, it goes directly outside to the garden.
But water is drawn from the surface overflows, and I believe it is the surface water/air interface that contains the most pollutants, the invisible stuff (nitrate, hormones, etc etc), to me more dangerous than the stuff we can see.
I also use protein skimming that also intensely removes those dissolved pollutants.
Although the water in my tanks and ponds are relatively clear, the shot below is what is actually removed from the air water interface by fractionation.
Having a valved bulkhead does sound interesting, I'd have the line run directly outdoors for instant waste water removal. The instant gravitational pull from pressure low in the tank if opened should suck out a lot of debris, although might suck out fish and substrate too.
I have a tee on a line to my sump from 5 tanks, when the valve is opened instead of water to the sump, it goes directly outside to the garden.
But water is drawn from the surface overflows, and I believe it is the surface water/air interface that contains the most pollutants, the invisible stuff (nitrate, hormones, etc etc), to me more dangerous than the stuff we can see.
I also use protein skimming that also intensely removes those dissolved pollutants.
Although the water in my tanks and ponds are relatively clear, the shot below is what is actually removed from the air water interface by fractionation.
So you have 5 tanks connected to 1 sump?
I was thinking if I have just one bulkhead, the gravitational pull would probably be too strong for even large fish...however if I have 3-4 1" bulkheads it might be less pull and more coverage...but, would provide more possible points of failure.
Creating a separate pvc system which hangs on the side wall of the tank might be a better solution, and would be less chance of catastrophic failure of bulkheads that are part of the plywood wall.
The suction wouldn't be as great, and it might be harder to get the water to the plants in the yard...but it would be safer. The pvc could also have holes drilled to break the siphon once it gets to a certain water level.
It seems the larger the tank, the more complicated the filtration. Although, an FX5 version for a 700g tank would probably cost as much as the tank.
What you need is a marineland double wall overflow. It will suck poo from the surface and near the bottom but then flows over a regular wall so you dont drain that far. Ofcourse proper planning and you dont need this, definitely not the biggest tank ever build so I dont think you need to reinvent the wheel here. A "closed" sump would not function properly if at all.
Why would a closed sump not work? If the outlet was kept underwater there would be minimal cavitation in the system, and with the out of water coming through the bulkhead near the bottom of a 700g tank would definitely provide enough water.
