New 180 Build

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Cobizzle

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 16, 2008
32
1
0
Connecticut
Hi everyone...Ive been looking around this site for a few weeks now and finally registered yesterday. I must say that I am extremely impressed with the wealth of knowledge this site posses and the number of people out there willing to help.

With that being said, I am looking to start a plywood build on a 180 gallon tank. I have tried to read as many articles as possible on this, and I am still unsure about how I want to run filtration. I only have experience with hang on the back filters but obviously with this build, I would like to incorporate a Wet/Dry system. If someone could either explain to me or link me to pictures of how they did the filtration on their custom builds, I would greatly appreciate it.

I look forward to learning more about the hobby and I am glad I found this site.

-Cobizzle
 
Welcome to monster fish keepers.com!!! Enjoy your time here.
 
welcome to MFK you will find a ton of info on W/Ds in the setup and filtration section. there are a few basics you will want to follow and there is tons you can incorporate into yours if you want. have fun and post pics and progress as you build both the tank and the sump
 
Thanks for the warm welcome guys...I think what I meant to ask was how do you know the proper height to drill the inputs and outputs for the bulkheads so you can get the water from the tank to the sump and back? I know how the overflow boxes work that are built into glass and acrylic tanks, but I am not really sure how the filtration works if you don't have the overflow boxes. The overflow boxes take a mixture of water from the top/middle/bottom of the water column which makes sense to me, however, I have seen some people, who don't have overflow boxes, put the bulkheads for drainage right in the bottom of the tank with returns at the top while other people put the drainage bulkhead in the upper 2/3rds of the back of the tank. What works best?

Thanks for the opinions...

-Cobizzle
 
Yeah, welcome to the board. I can't wait to see what you accomplish.
 
I was just wondering if anyone is familiar with the GARF website....they offer plans on the website to build different size tanks but the plans look awfully skimpy. I just would hate to build a tank and then end up with 180 gallons on the ground...Has anyone tried to build a tank using GARFs plans?

-Cobizzle
 
i belive many people have used garfs plan. when they just have a bulkhead to me this is a much cleaner look. its the same as the overflow box. you use a certain type and size of bit depeding on what size you need for your tank to drill. it drains water from the tank and you have a have a bulkhead and attach to the bulkhead is piping that carries it down it to the sump. here are some desine of sump, and W/D http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67797
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83107 after it goes through the sump you have a pump that is properly size for the size of bulkhead you are using. most people have more then one bulkhead. most people do have the bulkhead some where about 2/3rd of the way of the tank. ok so here is how a sump works it drains for a bulkhead down into the first chamber of the tank. in this chambr i would put a filter sock that the flow of the water goes through also in that chamber i would put your heaters. after that it flows on to a drip(a pecie of material with many hoels in it to disrubute water best) thats is support over another larger chmaber that holds all the bio media. the bio media is usally held up be plastic egg crate with pvc. there is a small opeing just under th opposte side of where the started and that where it goes next. under it goes then oer a small pecie of glas acrylic, ect and into a sponge(this removes any micro bubles that may come. there is another peice of glass,acrylic, ect that holds it in place just like the bio area there is a opeing that aloows water through ten it goes over a larger peice of material that creates a deeper area for your pump to be housed. you can also have you pump run externaly which is where you ahve a bulkhead .attach to the last camber and piping that attaches to the pump. then it goes from the pump to the tank again. and repete. make to hve a ball vaule on your pump reurn lin and your drain(s) line. and welcome to MFK i hope this helps i post more when i get back and happy holidays :)
 
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