That tank is cra Z. I would also advise seperate sumps to make sure that one fish does not spread any diseases to all the fish.
Starting to think about the sump
- Thread starter Charney
- Start date
thank you for posting that. Awesome sump. So you have no baffles? just the socks and bagged media? I really like your stand pipe for the drip system. If you loose power what stops your tank from draining through that stand pipe?
Swirl separators (if that's what the K1 thing is) are easy to clean and do a decent job. Exactly how well they work depends on your bioload, feeding regime, and the filter itself (flow rate, dimensions, input/output positions). There are fish farms that use them exclusively, but at our farm we have been trying one on a system for a year now. It does a decent job, but we drain it 2x per day with a gate valve going into a floor drain. My complaint is that bacteria tends to collect on the settled waste, making a sheet of organic material that doesn't simply go down the drain. If the bottom were a sharper cone this may not be an issue for us.
It's difficult to beat a sock in terms of filtration though. You can select the exact size of what you filter out to the micron! However, they tend to clog quickly (especially when new) so you need to have extras on hand to replace them as needed. They are easily cleaned in a washing machine with a little bleach.
It's difficult to beat a sock in terms of filtration though. You can select the exact size of what you filter out to the micron! However, they tend to clog quickly (especially when new) so you need to have extras on hand to replace them as needed. They are easily cleaned in a washing machine with a little bleach.
Nope, no baffles at all. Look at JC1119's 300 Ga build thread, he talks about it on the first page. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/300-gallon-sa-ce-community-build-thread.423425/
If power goes out, the overflows and drain lines all drain back into the sump, water level in the sump goes above the standpipe and drains into the yard, until the sump level reaches the top of that standpipe. When the power comes back on, the pumps come up and fill up the drains and over flows again, and the water level in the sump is a little low. But, by the end of the day, with the steady drip, it comes back up again. No problem. I had to think about it a little bit, and experiment to get the "right" water level, but it's all good now.
I really like not having to worry about a solenoid and electric pump in the sump controlling the water level. Nothing is more reliable than gravity. The sump water level is going to always be the level that the standpipe is cut to. The only way it can break is if the drain line gets completely clogged.
thank you. Will go back and re read that thread. Funny you mention solenoids. I was playing with that idea. Do you know of any resolaiably priced normally closed solenoid that need no/very low pressure to open?
