Vortex thing colum set up......

[waynes world]

Another idea i for a 500g tank and a circulation of 3500gph external sump pump (pond pump)

The chamber/colum will be between 10 and 18 inch and 3 - 4 foot high.

Inlet bottom left direct from the tank but well below surface.
exits the top of the first chamber.
The second is the vortex bit, now i ma not sure but the vortex miter work better if the entry is at the top and exit at the bottom?

The last chamber is the dry with either a spray bar or disc at the top of the outlet to spread the water.

As always any does and donts, will or not work.

will the vortex do any added help?

wayne

 

[Danger_Chicken]

I like your thought process and the research your doing, but I think you're trying to reinvent the wheel. Take a look at some koi forums to see what those guys are doing and how you can modify it for your system. Espically parabolic screens and VMS (vortex Micro Screens - I think that's what it stands for). VMS is what I've been doing for the past 6 months, it's proven to be a challenge to downsize it for an aquarium but I'm loving it. I would have done a parabolic screen if I knew of them at the time. Basically its a self cleaning filter; so is a VMS but they are more tempermental. My VMS is filtering at 200microns, I have screens to do 125 but I don't have a pump small enough and strong enough to keep it clean.

Here's a link to a parabolic. I don't think these are flow dependent like settling tanks so it should be able to handle your pump.
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?117168-DIY-Gravity-feed-Sieve-filter

I don't understand the 1st tank. It could act as a passive settling tank if the outlet is moved to the the top, but you'll need a way to clean it. The vortex would need to come in at the top; even coming in at the top, without any screening and/or channeling it will just act like a passive settling tank.

Here is a diagram on settling tank vs flow. With your pump you are going to need something big to get settling, about 200-300 gallons. And that still wont be effective without screening.