Revamping 'Giant acrylic tube filter'

[Racersk]

As some may know I have a DIY sump/filter going on a 90 gallon tank. It works good for the most part, but I am finding that is doesn't work as good as I thought it would for clean crispy water. So the plan is to reverse the current flow trough basically a 8.5"x 50", 1/4-5/16" wall acrylic tube that has been sealed and holding water for months now.

(the best pic of the bunch)

So I have plans for this thing, as it is set up with a 900+GPH pump, I want to do 2 things:

1-move the pump to the top vs the bottom of the tube

2-seal the top so that the pump output and cord are the only parts coming out

I want to flow water into the cylinder from the bottom and be able to keep up with the flow of the (will be) much more efficient pump, and the pulling and gravity flow of the water through the 'canister'

What size should my inlet piping be for the 900gph flow? How would YOU plumb this into an undrilled tank with a screen etc?

The outlet size is 3/4" pipe thread, any DIY ideas for getting some current in the tank? I want to keep the water moving as I have 2 juvi Oscars in there and I am planning a longer tank in the future, I like the current I have now, (the current setup through a 3/4"x 8" long pipe with holes drilled in it) but it needs to be a bit more for cleaner water I am thinking.

Again, this is a non drilled tank with euro type bracing...90G sandard.

Lets hear those suggestions!

 

[Racersk]

old setup

New set up

Still looking for incites on pipe sizes as I am going from gravity to (hopefully) Vacuum on the inlet.

 

[Dan F]

How will you open it to clean it out? It seems like it may be overly complicated... What is the micron rating for your filter sock? It seems like a big 7", 25 micron sock would give you pretty good mechanical filtration without radically changing anything.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Racersk]

I am thinking of capping it like on the FX5 or CFS500, multiple clasps and an o-ring sealed lid. As now the top is open and the bottom is glued together. The finner filter material would be just below the motor, I would have disconnects on the plumbing for monthly maintenance.

My main purpose for reversing flow is to get the motor higher up to lessen to head height-increasing overall flow through the system.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Ocean Railroader]

Where did you buy a eight inch across acrylic tube at? I'm trying to find the biggest clear tube possible to build a fish tank skyway system? Also are they built to have couplings added to them?

 

[Racersk]

Didn't buy it, it was a garage sale find. I think it was used for testing things dropped into it(or something like that), I was told it was used for this purpose.

There was one more, but it was sold at the Garage sale for $15. The other one had no bottom on it, and I sold it to Knifegill.

No provisions for couplers, but I was going to use bulkhead fittings top and bottom to add the plumbing.

Just trying to figure out if I can make the inlet smaller, because it won't rely solely on gravity to get the water through the media. So far I have had this in place for a 4 or 5 months and there is stuff on the bottom of the tube, but the bio media will last for a LONG time without clogging(lava rock and plastic shipping bands).

 

[scalesandfins]

i would just change your bio media to scrubbies and get a finer filter sock and get a bigger pump. or a second pump. that would be the best solution

 

[MyFishEatYourFish]

nice filter. i've done the same thing before with pvc and the space consolidation is nice but i got sick of the maintenance hassle.

also, before you trash that tube, go look at prices for clear, 8" pipe. if you've already messed it up good, don't, you'll hurl. if its still in good shape sell it on ebay and buy a filter :rofl:

 

[Racersk]

I got the tube for free, so I'm OK puttin a hole or 2 in the bottom, I can plug them if I f*** it up...And BTW, things like this are only expensive if you NEED this type of tube for???

The bio media (Lava rock and plastic strapping is doing its job well, It's the floss and mechanical medias that aren't doing their part as well as I hoped (0,0,>10). I am using silica sand and that is being filtered out, but not well enough (water is a bit discolored without driftwood). I think that by reversing flow, the micro sand particles will be less likely to float up and will end up settling on the bottom-to be flushed out during water changes-through a valve I will add.

So again, I am thinking a 1" pickup tube and a 3/4" return?