Hey all,
I'm starting an interesting project with two 180 gal tanks. I suppose I wanted two for the sake of different species being displayed, while not being good tank mates, all the while sharing a central filtration system for easier maintenance so to speak. Total system volume would be around 500 gals, give or take.
I have single 1.5" drains and 1.5" returns in the tanks (drilled) with both sides tying into a single 2" line going into the central barrel. On either side I have a 44gal trash can with a 5 gal bucket in the center which will house different levels of filtration, like matala mats etc. Bio filtration will be either under the 5 gal buckets in the trash cans, or in the return barrel in the middle. The other twist to it is I have a rubbermaid tub ( 60gal +/-) I want to use for a plant setup for denitrification. To the left of the main barrel I'd like to put this tub up on a stand and have assorted plants like pothos and others, with a grow light.
Initially, I was making plans to plumb this separate tub with 1" lines directly into the return barrel, elevated for the sake of a power shutoff, the volume of the system won't drain into the tub and flood the place. In my head I was thinking it'd be possible to set it up to take from the functioning water line of the return barrel, free flow into the tub towards the bottom, then let the tub fill and overflow back into the barrel, like a closed loop so to speak. Is that doable or should I have taken physics in school?
i also considered a simple pump to let the water flow via bulkhead overflow, then return it back into the barrel with a mag 9.5 that I have, set accordingly for incoming gph.
The return pump is an (don't kill me) amazon pump deemed similar to a jebao but with higher flow rates. From what I hear, it actually does work and people had success with them, but if it doesn't stand the test of time or advertised gph, I'll probably just get an eflux or something. I'm cheap anymore.
Long* story short, three main questions.
How does my tub setup sound?
I tied both tank drains (1.5" full siphon) into a 2" line..is that wise? Or should I have gone 3" for flow restriction sake?
Also, at the bulkheads on the backside of the tanks (about 4" down from the top) I have seen a lot of guys have a tee right out from the bulkhead and running straight down, with the top of the tee either capped or vented. Did I make a mistake running a 90° elbow straight down from the bulkheads without the vent up top?
Here's an elementary pic for reference. ANY commentary is welcome! I really appreciate you guys checking my project out!
I'm starting an interesting project with two 180 gal tanks. I suppose I wanted two for the sake of different species being displayed, while not being good tank mates, all the while sharing a central filtration system for easier maintenance so to speak. Total system volume would be around 500 gals, give or take.
I have single 1.5" drains and 1.5" returns in the tanks (drilled) with both sides tying into a single 2" line going into the central barrel. On either side I have a 44gal trash can with a 5 gal bucket in the center which will house different levels of filtration, like matala mats etc. Bio filtration will be either under the 5 gal buckets in the trash cans, or in the return barrel in the middle. The other twist to it is I have a rubbermaid tub ( 60gal +/-) I want to use for a plant setup for denitrification. To the left of the main barrel I'd like to put this tub up on a stand and have assorted plants like pothos and others, with a grow light.
Initially, I was making plans to plumb this separate tub with 1" lines directly into the return barrel, elevated for the sake of a power shutoff, the volume of the system won't drain into the tub and flood the place. In my head I was thinking it'd be possible to set it up to take from the functioning water line of the return barrel, free flow into the tub towards the bottom, then let the tub fill and overflow back into the barrel, like a closed loop so to speak. Is that doable or should I have taken physics in school?
i also considered a simple pump to let the water flow via bulkhead overflow, then return it back into the barrel with a mag 9.5 that I have, set accordingly for incoming gph.The return pump is an (don't kill me) amazon pump deemed similar to a jebao but with higher flow rates. From what I hear, it actually does work and people had success with them, but if it doesn't stand the test of time or advertised gph, I'll probably just get an eflux or something. I'm cheap anymore.
Long* story short, three main questions.
How does my tub setup sound?
I tied both tank drains (1.5" full siphon) into a 2" line..is that wise? Or should I have gone 3" for flow restriction sake?
Also, at the bulkheads on the backside of the tanks (about 4" down from the top) I have seen a lot of guys have a tee right out from the bulkhead and running straight down, with the top of the tee either capped or vented. Did I make a mistake running a 90° elbow straight down from the bulkheads without the vent up top?
Here's an elementary pic for reference. ANY commentary is welcome! I really appreciate you guys checking my project out!
