My Fist Wet/Dry Completed. Dont Laugh 2 Hard :-)

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Leave them if that's your intension, just keep an eye on it to make sure they don't clog up if it's going to be very long...depends on the detritus from the bio-load that makes it to that point.

Dr Joe

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I have a DIY overflow and I never have air problems. As long as the tubes are long enough it eliminates these bubbles.
 
as far as making the overflow match the pump, don't try it. Make sure the overflow can flow more than the pump can return. It's the only safe way to go.

If something partially blocks your overflow when it's that far under water, it will throw off the balance. Also, if your pump stops it will drain to the level of the overflow intake in the tank which will result in a wet floor. Keep the intake at the level you want the water to be. Let it act like a true overflow.

Instead of making all of those little holes, attach a tee to the intake so it has 2 intakes instead of one. It won't make it flow any more than normal, but if 1 hole gets blocked you still have another hole to let water in.
 
Making major changes to almost everything, changing the overflow, drip tray, and bio chamber.

Overflow, I am making a new over flow with the intake set at the water level, and going from one 1" ID PVC pipes to, two 1" ID PVC pipes. While checking flow rate with the original overflow I was only getting about 180GPH, I then removed everything so that it was basically just the U on top and got close to 300GPH. So I am creating a normal HOB box type overflow feed by two 1" ID pipes.

Drip tray is now about 3 inches deep.

Bio chamber was reduced in size but not volume, stacked directly bellow the filter media. I am finishing an 8 page report for social psychology right now, will post pictures Thursday night or Friday. Thanks for all your suggestions.
 
I was too lazy to make the over flow box, so I just made two 1" ID overflows like the first one. I had trouble getting both of them to stay primed until I figure out that since outlet on them was link to each other that the vent tube needed to be also. System has been running with almost no problems for 24 hours. The two problems I had was I moved the heater to the sump and my tank dropped almost 5 degrees, the second problem was two fish got to close to the intake and where swimming in the mechanical chamber. I corrected both problems, added another heater, and placed prefilter on intakes, you can’t see the prefilter on the picture because I took the picture first.

System specs Tank is a 55 Gallon, Sump has about 20 Gallons of water with a total capacity of 50 gallons. Intake are 1" bellow water level which is about 2.5 gallons of water that could flow out if the pump stops. The pump is a little giant PES-800-PW its head is 55" just shy of 5' and is pumping 750gph, I have two intakes at 1" ID connected together and draining down a 1" ID pipe. The water level has not dropped or raised any in the 24 hours of operation.


Changed Biomedia Chamber:
HPIM0560.jpg


Pump

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Return Line

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Tank with intakes

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Intakes

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Sump

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Whole System

HPIM0582-1.jpg


The last part of the project is to, board up the bottom of the stand and put doors on it, then stain the whols thing. I am going today to get some black background for my tank. I know you cant see it but the return is impressive with the line run above the tank and holes drilled for it to shoot through it creats great current and lots of bubbles. Any idea how to make the sound of the water dripping from the bio meda chamber to the sump a little quiter? I'll try and post a youtube of the whole system.

Thanks for all your help, suggestions always welcomed, even you you want to say, hey stupide why did you do that.
 
Nice job. Well done :grinno:
 
I have updated this a whole lot.

nfored;1730155; said:
Would like to get a gallery of how people hid their sumps.
nfored;1730155; said:
I decided after finishing my first wet/dry it was a distraction from the display. So I moved the tank up stairs and ran the sump into the garage. Here is my before and after.

Before (Two photo's merged, Display & Stand with Sump, Back of display Plumbing)

Before.jpg



After (3 pics merged, Display & Stand, Back of display plumbing, Sump)

After.jpg
 
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