The ]v[onster has begun!!
- Thread starter Lepisosteus platyrhincus
- Start date
Awesome build, man! I love it. Can't wait to see the caiman in it. Gotta love those PA laws! I'm not allowed to have harmless sugar gliders and black rat snakes, but I could keep a saltwater croc in the back yard, and no one would care.
I agree with Conner- a simple sump is probably your best bet. It'll be the cheapest, and easiest to customize later (when you make the one larger). If you do a canister setup you'll either be spending a ton of money now, and over-filtering until you make the larger pond, or you'll spend even more money replacing whatever system you go with now.
How are you planning on heating the enclosure? Will the water be heated, as well? (if so, another +1 for the sump- you can put heaters in it) I'm sorry if I missed that earlier in the thread.
I agree with Conner- a simple sump is probably your best bet. It'll be the cheapest, and easiest to customize later (when you make the one larger). If you do a canister setup you'll either be spending a ton of money now, and over-filtering until you make the larger pond, or you'll spend even more money replacing whatever system you go with now.
How are you planning on heating the enclosure? Will the water be heated, as well? (if so, another +1 for the sump- you can put heaters in it) I'm sorry if I missed that earlier in the thread.
water will be heated. basicly that, the lights and good insulation and that will be the heat. they dont like it overly warm, that should keep it mid to high 70s which should be more than adequet. the species im getting spends 90% of thier time in burrows in the wild any way so they are used to cooler temps.
prob with sump is iv never had one. Id be afraid of it over flowing, or not getting enough water or something. iv never had one so under the enclosure just would freak me out
prob with sump is iv never had one. Id be afraid of it over flowing, or not getting enough water or something. iv never had one so under the enclosure just would freak me out
Lepisosteus platyrhincus;4333743; said:
As far as the sump goes, they can be done SO easily. Just get like a 75-150g rubbermaid tub. You don't need to do any partitions or anything. Just plumb it so the ponds drain down into the tub. Then you fill the thing with pot scrubbies, lava rock, bio-balls, whatever. At the opposite end of the tub from the drain lines, you put the pump in the bottom. Plumb it back to the ponds.
As long as you set the drain line bulkhead at whatever water level you want in the ponds, it should never drain below that level (so no sump overflow).
With a tub that big, you have a LOT of room for error on water level. You can probably fill it most of the way, and then you will only have to top it off once a week or every other week even.
You can also buy sensors that have a pair of metal probes. you place the sensor so the probes are almost in contact with the ground not far from the tub. If the probes come in contact with any water, the sensor will sound an alarm, or can even call/text your cell phone, depending on what sensor you get.
what are you going to use for subtrates? are you going to put fish in the pond for them to eat?
