Starting my first DIY W/D, suggestions needed and welcome
- Thread starter Frostyone
- Start date
another! you're probably already planning on this, but i would add a ball valve before each intake/return. youll be glad you did down the road. who knows, you might have to shut off the flow to one of the tanks. of what if one gets a leak? that way you dont have to shut down everything at once 
I like the idea of cutting out the bottom of the drawers and using eggcrate.
Ball valves - definately (didn't think of that, good idea)
Lava rock - none
And yes they already have 90's/PVC and strainers installed on the intakes so I'm good there.
Now how about sizing a pump for this system..................any suggestions there?
Ball valves - definately (didn't think of that, good idea)
Lava rock - none
And yes they already have 90's/PVC and strainers installed on the intakes so I'm good there.
Now how about sizing a pump for this system..................any suggestions there?
pump size, i would say something along the lines of 700gph. the sump on my 210g has a 1000gph pump, and while it sounds like a lot, it really isnt all that much water. i think a pump in this range would be good
Hey Frostyone, good effort & ideas. jcardona1 is going in the right direction.
I still don't see what the bio-load is going to be (I see a reference to >4" fish but not how many for each tank), did I miss it?
I'm going to jump around a bit here too.
I prefer to mix the media to get as much in as possible w/o impeding flow. Cheapest way is to mix Lava rock in between the scrubbies (or bio-balls if you have them).
Lava rock on the bottom is cheap insurance for ammonia spikes. The more surface area there is for BB to colonize the quicker they can react and grow.
You can use a baffle to hold the Lava rock (and any detritus) in place and away from the pump or just raise the pump above the bio-material (this way you have more room for bio-material)(either way keep the pump off the bottom so it doesn't p/u sediment.
Enlarge the collective overflow line from 1" to 2" (3/4"+3/4"+3/4"), gravity feed needs more room to overcome frictional losses.
Enlarge the return from the pump to the manifold to atleast 3/4" or whatever the pump will handle.
Return water with a spraybar for extra aeration.
Pump size/turnover rate is dependent on bio-load & bulkhead size. I'm concerned about 3/4" bulkheads draining 250gph (you may have to lower the over-flow pipe to create more pressure). But 750gph should handle it, just keep the filter cleaned out.
You can use PVC pipe for everything, but use a section of tubing from the pump to the return manifold and make it flexible to absorb pump vibration and remove one cause of leakage.
I'm also concerned about tank balance, if one overflow or return clogs, the others won't be able to handle the extra flow with such small bulkheads (a cheap way out would be to inter-connect them with syphon tubes (inverted 'J' pipes between tanks (2" PVC))).
Don't bother with painting the sump black, aerobic bacteria use some light. Anaerobic don't.
Aerate the sump under the bio-media for more oxygen and gas exchange.
Don't cover the sump completely as you are looking for gas exchange in the W/D.
Ok, what did I miss?
Dr Joe
.
I still don't see what the bio-load is going to be (I see a reference to >4" fish but not how many for each tank), did I miss it?
I'm going to jump around a bit here too.
I prefer to mix the media to get as much in as possible w/o impeding flow. Cheapest way is to mix Lava rock in between the scrubbies (or bio-balls if you have them).
Lava rock on the bottom is cheap insurance for ammonia spikes. The more surface area there is for BB to colonize the quicker they can react and grow.
You can use a baffle to hold the Lava rock (and any detritus) in place and away from the pump or just raise the pump above the bio-material (this way you have more room for bio-material)(either way keep the pump off the bottom so it doesn't p/u sediment.
Enlarge the collective overflow line from 1" to 2" (3/4"+3/4"+3/4"), gravity feed needs more room to overcome frictional losses.
Enlarge the return from the pump to the manifold to atleast 3/4" or whatever the pump will handle.
Return water with a spraybar for extra aeration.
Pump size/turnover rate is dependent on bio-load & bulkhead size. I'm concerned about 3/4" bulkheads draining 250gph (you may have to lower the over-flow pipe to create more pressure). But 750gph should handle it, just keep the filter cleaned out.
You can use PVC pipe for everything, but use a section of tubing from the pump to the return manifold and make it flexible to absorb pump vibration and remove one cause of leakage.
I'm also concerned about tank balance, if one overflow or return clogs, the others won't be able to handle the extra flow with such small bulkheads (a cheap way out would be to inter-connect them with syphon tubes (inverted 'J' pipes between tanks (2" PVC))).
Don't bother with painting the sump black, aerobic bacteria use some light. Anaerobic don't.
Aerate the sump under the bio-media for more oxygen and gas exchange.
Don't cover the sump completely as you are looking for gas exchange in the W/D.
Ok, what did I miss?
Dr Joe
.
Now that's the kind of input I was looking for, thanks a million!
The tanks are going to be used as growout tanks and each will more than likely have 10-15 2"-4" FH's, they will be heavily fed (I feed them 3-4 times daily)
So I'll make the plumbing changes you suggested, I don't think I'll have to worry about clogging too much as the tanks will be pretty bare.
I will do the baffle and add additional media under the bio chamber and add an air pump/stone
The overflow pipes installed now are movable, so I can position them lower in the tanks for the added pressure.
I'm also concerned about tank balance, if one overflow or return clogs, the others won't be able to handle the extra flow with such small bulkheads (a cheap way out would be to inter-connect them with syphon tubes (inverted 'J' pipes between tanks (2
"PVC))).
Can you explain this in a little more detail? I think I know what you're getting at but want to be sure.
Thanks for all your help Doc!
The tanks are going to be used as growout tanks and each will more than likely have 10-15 2"-4" FH's, they will be heavily fed (I feed them 3-4 times daily)
So I'll make the plumbing changes you suggested, I don't think I'll have to worry about clogging too much as the tanks will be pretty bare.
I will do the baffle and add additional media under the bio chamber and add an air pump/stone
The overflow pipes installed now are movable, so I can position them lower in the tanks for the added pressure.
I'm also concerned about tank balance, if one overflow or return clogs, the others won't be able to handle the extra flow with such small bulkheads (a cheap way out would be to inter-connect them with syphon tubes (inverted 'J' pipes between tanks (2
"PVC))).
Can you explain this in a little more detail? I think I know what you're getting at but want to be sure.
Thanks for all your help Doc!
