DIY Plywood tank

[Steve Manly]

aquarium bulk heads are pretty much thickness universal. the fit snug on one side and have a thread on the other, simply tighten to seal


stand pipes enter the tank from the base and go up to the water level. overflows are positioned at a specific hight

fluidized bed!

water comes into the sump and is pre filtered by scrubbies. it then flows into the "fluidized bed"

the fluidized bed (in my aquariums) contains drinking straws cut to 5mm.
at the bottom of the sump you have the heater and air stones. this is to create... a washing machine effect the bed of straws (or K1kaldness) is buffed by the water flow.
this method is awesome. its the method used by water refineries to refine human waste water. u tube it!
the water then ...pours into the pump chamber and is pumped back to the tank. in the pump chamber you can have as many pumps as u require.
i always have at least 2 so that should 1 break down u still have 1 pump

 

[Kash]

Thanks a lot for the explanation. I had read about the straw and air stones in the sump but didn't know it was called a fluidized bed and had never heard of removing nitrates from the water. I'll look up the youtube videos on my days off.

Thanks again.

 

[Kash]

Figures, as soon as I get done drawing out my plans for the tank and start getting a parts list together, I find someone selling a 180 gallon tank on CL for $150 with a stand, filters, etc.! The dimensions he gave me are correct, but going today to measure it myself.

 

[Kash]

Turned out to be a weird sized 145 gallon. It's 60" x 18" x 30". Since she'd given me the wrong dimensions earlier, she sold it to me for 100 bucks! So I guess if I don't find a 180g, I'll still be doing the build in the near future.