New 600G Tank! Need some help designing filtration from you gurus

[Rayne]

Hey everyone

I'm trying to figure some specifics with my filtration for a 600G I plan on ordering soon as we take possession of our new house. I've drafted up this drawing to help visualize what I am talking about.



The tank is going to be a peninsula style 8'x4'x30" 1" acrylic tank most likely from Envision with a beananimal style overflow on one end. This overflow will be going down to a sump and returned to the top of the tank on the opposite side via two returns, one in each corner. The overflow bulkheads will be 1.5" and the the return will 1-1/4" and then teed off into two 1" lines into the top. I was thinking of using a Water Blaster HY-10000 which is rated at 2600GPH at 130W. Does this sound like a good plan?

The sump will have many advantages with being able to hide heaters, adding a auto water changer system, plumbing reactors, etc as well as aerating the water to saturation. Plus the overflow will handle skimming the surface.

I would also like to use an Ultima II filter and plumb its two intakes about 1/3 of the way up the same end as the overflow with the water being returned up under the tank to the opposite end in the two corners. The goal I was hoping to achieve here is to keep water circulating along the substrate so that it is kept fairly clean, and so I have no dead spots. I am having trouble trying to size the Ultima II and the pump, as well as the bulkhead sizes I'll need for this closed loop system.

Would really appreciate any insight from those with experience!

 

[aldiaz33]

I've heard good things about Water Blasters, but it looks like in the majority of cases, the Laguna Max-Flo/Power Jet pumps are more efficient. The kicker is that the Lagunas are less expensive.

If your system has ~6' of head, the Water Blaster 10000 will give you about 1,200GPH on 130 watts.
A Laguna Max Flo 2000 will give you 1,360GPH @ 6' head while using only 78 watts. You get more flow while using only 60% as much electricity.

In regards to the Ultima were you planning on placing it in the stand? The Ultima 1000 is around 2' tall where are the Ultima 2000 is almost 3' tall. Make sure you have the stand built tall enough to be able to service the filter.

If you are running it in a closed loop system, per the manual, the filter adds around 6' of head, so you would have to add friction head from the plumbing to get to your total head. Using 2" plumbing throughout would result in the least amount of friction, so you would be at around 8 or 9' total head.

For the Ultima II 1000 a Reeflo Snapper Gold would be a good fit.
For the Ultima II 2000 a Reeflo Super Dart Gold would be a good fit.

The impellers on these pumps are interchangable, so you have options if you aren't getting the flow you want.

 

[Rayne]

I've heard good things about Water Blasters, but it looks like in the majority of cases, the Laguna Max-Flo/Power Jet pumps are more efficient. The kicker is that the Lagunas are less expensive.

If your system has ~6' of head, the Water Blaster 10000 will give you about 1,200GPH on 130 watts.
A Laguna Max Flo 2000 will give you 1,360GPH @ 6' head while using only 78 watts. You get more flow while using only 60% as much electricity.

How loud are the Laguna pumps?

I totally forgot to account for the headloss and I think that 1350GPH wont be enough to get water moving along 8' of tank, especially once I tee into into two return lines... it'll only be around 700GPH each side. I guess I could just size up the laguna pump to a Max-Flo 2900 which would pump around 2250GPH at 6' of head while drawing 130W. ~1100GPH per return.. all while drawing the same juice. As long as the pumps are relatively quiet I'm sold.

In regards to the Ultima were you planning on placing it in the stand? The Ultima 1000 is around 2' tall where are the Ultima 2000 is almost 3' tall. Make sure you have the stand built tall enough to be able to service the filter.

If you are running it in a closed loop system, per the manual, the filter adds around 6' of head, so you would have to add friction head from the plumbing to get to your total head. Using 2" plumbing throughout would result in the least amount of friction, so you would be at around 8 or 9' total head.

For the Ultima II 1000 a Reeflo Snapper Gold would be a good fit.
For the Ultima II 2000 a Reeflo Super Dart Gold would be a good fit.

The impellers on these pumps are interchangable, so you have options if you aren't getting the flow you want.

The Ultima II will not be under the stand, no. it'll sit on the ground in the fishtank room just beside the overflow.. so tons of room!

I was considering the Ultima II 2000 or the 4000. I think that the 4000 might be too much flow though since they recommend a 4000GPH @ 10' pump.

The Ultima II 2000 has a minimum flow of 1000GPH, max flow of 2500GPH. The pump they recommend should be around 2000GPH at 10' head. So the Super Dart Gold is right there at 2229GPH @ 10' and 178W. Once I tee the returns into two again it should be right around 1000GPH per side. Pretty much the same flow I will have across the top portion of the tank and around 4000GPH total or around a 7x-8x turnover rate per hour.

Do you think that would be enough flow along the bottom to keep the substrate relatively clear? I plan on stocking on the light side and most fish will be on the smaller side.

 

[kendragon]

Check out mfk member xtank AUL tank build. His tank is the exact same size, exact outside overflow box, sump and Ultima II. It was the late R1 Ridah's last build. He ran the wlim pumps. You may be able to get some feedback from him.

 

[Rayne]

Thanks Kendragon! I was hoping you would show up here since you seem to be an expert on filtration design.

I've checked out his thread and wow, talk about a similar design! Do you know anything about these wlim pumps? I've never heard about them before

 

[jsodwi]

What is the stock list? To me 1300gph is not near enough for a 600g. I use a supreme hy-drive as my main pump. I like it but if my sump was drilled I would go with an external pump they are more energy efficient it seems

 

[Rayne]

Stock list will be a shoal of geophagus, some severum, some plecos and the rest is undecided still. Nothing monster except for possibly an arowana.

There will be around 4000GPH in total... approx 1000GPH per return, with 4 returns. Two on the top, two on the bottom. Do you not think this is enough? I'm not sure how the geos would like a super high flow rate.

I was leaning towards a submersible pump because I want it to be as quiet as possible since this tank will be in our TV room where we spend a lot of time. The sump will also be under the tank so the pump will be right in the middle of the room since its a peninsula tank. I thought that any inefficiencies of the submersible would be returned through the heat transfer into the water, saving me a little on heating.

 

[tomomothy]

External pumps are pretty quiet if you get a good one. Most complaints of external pump noise doesnt orignate from the pump itself, but from vibration in the water lines or from the pump housing vibrating against the base of the stand. Either of those can be easily fixed once you determine the source. I am looking for an external pump myself to replace my submersible since I dont have too much free room in my sump, but my tank is only a 240 so pumps come in a wide variety for that size.

As far as heating goes, the problem with a sub pump is you cant turn it off. I suppose in canada that may not be an issue, but here in southern california during the summer the extra heating is a problem. Its nice during the winter but is more than made up for during the summer when we have to turn on the air conditioning. Also I agree with 2" lines. You can always valve back larger line, but it doesnt hurt to go larger. Just a couple of points to think about.

 

[jsodwi]

4000gph sounds better for a 600g. Especially if it won't be packed with monster fish. I have the Supreme hy-drive 4800 and mag 24. The hy-drive runs 24/7. It's pretty quiet and looked pretty energy efficient compared to others that's why I went with it. My 750g is in my family room we don't notice it much Its when the second pump kicks on it sounds like niagra falls with so much circulation

 

[Gill Blue]

I have a laguna 1500 gph and 800 gph in my current setup and the 2 of them together are quieter than my penguin 400 filter.