FX5 and Bulkheads

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C

coalcut

Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2012
15
3
18
Los Angeles
OK I've finally gotten around to starting my 340gal
African build. I've cleaned the tank and taken some new pics. I'm still
pondering the idea of plumbing my 2 FX5s to the bulkheads. As you will see in
the pics there are ball valves on the two outlets that well be connected to the
FX5s.

Do any of you think this will be enough to reduce the pressure so
the filter will work properly (note: the middle section will be cut out and each
side will be run to the intake of each FX5)? LFS tells me that there would be way too much
preasure going in the the fX5s, but I didn't tell them about the ball
valves.

Or I may just run the filters over the back of the tank.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks


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IMG-20120911-00569.jpg
 
Don't know why there would be a problem running an FX5 through a bulk head. I am no expert though.

What is the diameter of the bulkhead/plumbing?

How do you plan to bring the output/input to the tank since there are only 2 holes?

Good luck on the build, I have a 345 (almost the same as your 340) running on 2 plumbed FX5's. So I as well as many others should be here to answer any questions you may have.

Good luck on the build and keep us updated!
 
Hard piping your fx5 if fine but I don't understand the purpose of bulkheads... To throttle if fx5 down?

You could just hide ur intake behind the overflow.


Go S. Vettel #1 rb8
 
PDRed302 said:
Don't know why there would be a problem running an FX5 through a bulk head. I am no expert though.

What is the diameter of the bulkhead/plumbing?

How do you plan to bring the output/input to the tank since there are only 2 holes?

Good luck on the build, I have a 345 (almost the same as your 340) running on 2 plumbed FX5's. So I as well as many others should be here to answer any questions you may have.

Good luck on the build and keep us updated!
Click to expand...


Only problem that I'm worried about is too much water pressure going into the FX5s. I'm not using the overflow (actually I may remove it/ cut it out.... maybe) so the water would exit directly from rear of the tank via bulkhead/ball valve (bottom two) into the FX5s. I'm wondering if the

The diameter of the bulkhead/plumbing is 1 inch.

There are actally 5 holes on the rear of the tank. Two on the bottom (output) and three on the top (input).

If the pressure is too much I could simply use the stock FX5 intakes over the top of the tank and just plumb the top three bulkheads for output into the tank.


Any thoughts?
 
coalcut said:
Only problem that I'm worried about is too much water pressure going into the FX5s. I'm not using the overflow (actually I may remove it/ cut it out.... maybe) so the water would exit directly from rear of the tank via bulkhead/ball valve (bottom two) into the FX5s. I'm wondering if the

The diameter of the bulkhead/plumbing is 1 inch.

There are actally 5 holes on the rear of the tank. Two on the bottom (output) and three on the top (input).

If the pressure is too much I could simply use the stock FX5 intakes over the top of the tank and just plumb the top three bulkheads for output into the tank.


Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

LOL, can't believe I missed the fact that there were 5 holes, guess thats what I get for looking at this on my phone...

As far as there being too much pressure; I did a little reading after I thought about it some more last night. It seems that in some cases the head pressure it may be too much for the filter to handle ( I read a about a problem someone had with seals blowing out) but at the same time I have read multiple things about this kind of set up working just fine.

In example: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?139155-210-tanganyikan-tank-start-to-finish
The above is what I based my plumbing setup off of and is right along the lines of what your doing now. This setup may be what you look into for your top 3 holes, depending upon their height. Very good read when it comes to the plumbing setup (only a few pages).

I would myself still utilize 4 of the 5 holes you currently have drilled in the tank for filtration. Using 1 of the top holes for output much like addicted2cichlids did in his tanganyikan setup and the other 2 for input. I would then use one of the bottom holes for output and the other for an emergency "quick-drain", a simple ball valve or 2 along with a bit of pipe would do for the drain setup. If your worried about preasure from the bottom hole as far as plumbing output is concerned you can always plumb it so that a hard pipe 90's upwards to at least the water line then 180 it back down to the filter. This would allow the filter to be used in the more traditional sense of a siphon, rather than being force fed water (the same could be done on every hole if you were really worried).

...Hopefully the above made some type of sense

As far as the bulkheads/plumbing being 1" that's awesome, not to big and not to small. I myself plumbed my FX5's with 3/4" but I'm sure 1" would be just fine as well.

Good luck
 
PDRed302 said:
LOL, can't believe I missed the fact that there were 5 holes, guess thats what I get for looking at this on my phone...

As far as there being too much pressure; I did a little reading after I thought about it some more last night. It seems that in some cases the head pressure it may be too much for the filter to handle ( I read a about a problem someone had with seals blowing out) but at the same time I have read multiple things about this kind of set up working just fine.

In example: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?139155-210-tanganyikan-tank-start-to-finish
The above is what I based my plumbing setup off of and is right along the lines of what your doing now. This setup may be what you look into for your top 3 holes, depending upon their height. Very good read when it comes to the plumbing setup (only a few pages).

I would myself still utilize 4 of the 5 holes you currently have drilled in the tank for filtration. Using 1 of the top holes for output much like addicted2cichlids did in his tanganyikan setup and the other 2 for input. I would then use one of the bottom holes for output and the other for an emergency "quick-drain", a simple ball valve or 2 along with a bit of pipe would do for the drain setup. If your worried about preasure from the bottom hole as far as plumbing output is concerned you can always plumb it so that a hard pipe 90's upwards to at least the water line then 180 it back down to the filter. This would allow the filter to be used in the more traditional sense of a siphon, rather than being force fed water (the same could be done on every hole if you were really worried).

...Hopefully the above made some type of sense

As far as the bulkheads/plumbing being 1" that's awesome, not to big and not to small. I myself plumbed my FX5's with 3/4" but I'm sure 1" would be just fine as well.

Good luck
Click to expand...

I think I'll use the 90/180 degree idea. Couldn't I simply do a 90 degree (1" PVC) up and the cansister filter plumbing up to meet the PVC at the top (I guess forming a 180 bend).
 
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