Semi self cleaning aquarium.

[markstrimaran]

I put this together this winter, but have not tried it out until now.
My goal is to be able to remove the heavier fish waste before it breaks down into nitrate.

Here are some pictures.
I used a turkey baste on a 20" pvc pipe to flush the solids to the suction hole were it gets traped in a vortex. Then turning the pump off and siphoning it out with 1/2 gallon of water. Worked well,

I am thinking a long airlift tube that discharged into a 500 micron screen above the water line, would simplify the operation.

The plumbing from the pump feeds a sand filter, and a 8" poly floss canister. The pipes on the wall go to a 55 gallon sealed drum in the basement, for fast water changes, and irrigation.

The pump is a 660 Gph submersible. It probably flows about 300 Gph as the filter media clogs.

 

[Danh]

I'm lost. I'm not getting a feel for what you're doing here.

 

[rodger]

Me either. If you don't get the waste out of the system the day it is excreted, you will have nitrate.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Me either. If you don't get the waste out of the system the day it is excreted, you will have nitrate.

If poop is not in the tank doesn't mean water is clean. I clean my waste from my polyfil every other day so my nitrates are low.

 

[rodger]

If poop is not in the tank doesn't mean water is clean. I clean my waste from my polyfil every other day so my nitrates are low.

I agree, but the OP explanation of system leads me to believe that the poop just moved to the filter. That means it's still in the system. Unless I'm not comprehending what's going on.

 

[Danh]

I clean my filter socks frequently. What it looks like he's saying is he has figured out some method for it to get removed from the tank automatically. If that's the case, you will reduce nitrates. I just can't see how it's that's being achieved.


In any event, solid waste is only one form of waste. Even if you could get rid of ALL solid waste within minutes of it exiting the fish's body, you still have other waste to deal with.

I am still interested in how to remove solid waste real time without touching the tank.

 

[carbene]

my fishes likes to eat each other poop or atleast break it up to powdery size so this wouldnt work for me

 

[rodger]

my fishes likes to eat each other poop or atleast break it up to powdery size so this wouldnt work for me

Sounds like my dogs

 

[carbene]

Sounds like my dogs

yeah, they dont even wait for it to completely leave the poor guy.

 

[Hoplo]

I to am lost, am interested in how this is better then just using filter material, and cleaning it regularly..