New Build ~ 600 Gallon
- Thread starter JK47
- Start date
Thanks Matt!
This is my plan and logic for wire management and Apex controlled vs static.
Apex controlled (832 bar)
-Pump #1 (Reeflo Dart)
-Pump #2 (Reeflo Dart)
-Pump #3 (sump to tank)
-Pump #4 (sump to nursery)
-300 watt heater (rarely needed) drip system is heated/kicks on at 76 degrees
-300 watt heater (never needed) drip system is heated/kicks on at 74 degrees
-Air pump (tank aeration)
-[empty for future / considering o2 generator once I get the dissolved o2 module]
Static controlled (E-107 bar) #1 mounted inside cabinet
-Commercial air pump for K1 bed.
-Tank lights on timer.
-Powerhead
-Powerhead
-Auqualifter pump for nursery
-Air pump for nursery
-[empty for future]
-[empty for future]
I need the Apex to control all pumps, tank operations and life support systems. They will be turned on and off throughout backwash cycles. As an example the sump pump will be turned on the following day after a backwash. Easy to forget about.
Static controlled (E-107 bar) #2 - this will be mounted externally just under the stand on the nursery for quick access. This will not be in the cabinet/under lock and key. This is for lighting only. I do not care if anything on this bar is forgotten about and left on or off. A zero risk and easy access for something I use daily type approach.
-Feed lights
-Under stand lighting
-Nursery lighting
-Under nursery/over Ultima lighting
-Utility light
-[empty for future]
-[empty for future]
-[empty for future]
So, when you do a backwash/water change, you will wait for your drip system to fill the tank back up and leave your sump off for about a day? You don't thing this will cause any issues? Also, what if you have something in the nursery tank, will it have to go without filtration during the time you backwash until the drip system fils it back up?
I'm not trying to be critical, I am just curious.
I'm not trying to be critical, I am just curious.
No worries at all, I'm happy to explain. Yes the tank will be drained 200-250 gallons for the backwash and the drip will fill it back up over night (technically 16.6 hours). The Ultimas will be filtering the entire time. This is why I put the ball valves in the top of the returns. Now no splashing for the evening of the backwash. As soon as the drip has filled the main tank, the excess water drains into the overflows and down to the sump. That is running the nursery. A gravity fed drip for both as a fail safe. The overflow out of the sump will handle the excess drip until I turn the pump on. The Apex will let me know to turn the sump return back on. Most likely via a float switch but admittedly that is still in design mode.
The nursery tank will be running at all times through the sump. The nursery is tethered to the main system through the sump. Think of the nursery as a tank with a sump x4 times it's size that never requires a water change. If I were to say my newborn pup tank is a 170 gallon tank that has two cubic feet of bio people would think nothing of it or that it is too big for newborns. The sump will always be running at full capacity but the return pump to the main tank will be shut off to separate the bodies of water. The Apex is hooked up to the sump so I will know if there is an issue for the nursery tank.
The sump has limited bio media for a reason (I don't want the main system to rely on it too heavily). It is more than enough needed for the nursery tank and keeping it cycled via the main system will ensure it is able to support a lesser bioload for the night without issue.. At most the nursery tank will be running on 2 cubic feet of bio for 16-24 hours and under the monitoring of the Apex. I am not concerned with that at all. It's 170 gallons of water displacement for newborn pups. Both bodies on a gravity drip. The sump is the means to separate or combine bodies of water. The nursery is only used for short periods of time. I hate those floating plastic tubs and wanted something better.
Sorry for the brain dump above but there are a lot of things going on in that design.
It is the same material I used to line the bottom of the stand to be spill resistant. A rigid plastic/nylon type material that is easy to work with. It isn't preferred over 1/4" ply, I just forgot to buy the materials needed to be quite honest and have a bunch of this left over.
Do you think it is also helps isolate vibrations? Probably not important for your server cabinet, but maybe for any pumps you have under the tank.
I think it will to a small degree. It's mainly for water not to rot my plywood base. There is a rubber absorbent material under the pumps as well. It's a few pages back. That stuff is gold for quieting a pump.
The one I need to stop vibrating is this big air pump. Good lord it will rattle the teeth out of your head. I need to do something about that
Maybe try a vibration isolation platform? They make them for subwoofers:
https://www.amazon.com/Auralex-Acoustics-SubDude-II-Subwoofer-Isolation/dp/B00DI5AXNI
Fish tank travis beat me to it lol
Also wanted to understand your drip system. Im hopeing to install one soon and really have no knowledge on how they work and if their are any fail safes to prevent flooding
Also wanted to understand your drip system. Im hopeing to install one soon and really have no knowledge on how they work and if their are any fail safes to prevent flooding
