Water Changing Idea - Similar to a bathtub..

[Egon]

It would be tough to control how much water is going to be leaving the system and entering, no?

Also, is it possible to have 2 tanks share a sump? If I do go along with this water change system, I don't think I'll want more than one reservoir.

The water leaving the system just drains at the level you set it. Put a hole in the side of your sump at lets say 5". When the water reaches that level it drains out of your sump. Mine goes to my back yard and waters the plants.
New clean water entering the system (tank) has some kind of valve on it. Just set that valve to one gallon an hour, 1/2 gallon an hour, or what ever you want. This extra water volume will drain out the tank and into your sump then over flow out your sump drain to your back yard or a bucket or where ever you want, very simple.
Yes it's easy to have two tanks share a sump and this is very common in fish rooms. You can have 10 tanks share a sump, it's very easy. Your sump needs to be big. For every tank you have you need a pump. Run the plumbing from that new pump to the new tank and run the drain back from the new tank to the sump. What ever you pump into the new tank will drain back into the sump, done. 10 tanks, 10 pumps, and 10 drains from the tank back to the sump. Just one big heater in the sump will keep everything at the same temp! Then put a drip system on each tank and one drain on that sump...............
If you set this up you will never do another water change

 

[Austin]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=306878

 

[kevin007]

So eventually, when the water reaches that level and water is constantly flowing to the sump through the overflows, water will be leaving the sump at the rate of water entering it from the overflow?

I suppose I only want 10 Gallons leaving the system per day.

 

[Egon]

So eventually, when the water reaches that level and water is constantly flowing to the sump through the overflows, water will be leaving the sump at the rate of water entering it from the overflow?

I suppose I only want 10 Gallons leaving the system per day.

Exactly

 

[SteveR]

Problem with drip systems is they don't go round vacing the gravel for you. You need a wife for that...

 

[kevin007]

Exactly

Well in that case, there might be a problem, i would want more than 1.5 Gallon of water flowing through the sump/day so I suppose the drip system would not work?

As for the gravel vacuuming, with smart placement of koralias, that should be a problem as all the waste should end up in the sump.

 

[TheCanuck]

i would rather have a drain pipe where i could hook up a hose and easily drain water, then have a hose to fill it back up. That way i could gravel vac or clean my sand with suction..... wish they made one of those.....

O wait thats a python!

 

[kevin007]

i would rather have a drain pipe where i could hook up a hose and easily drain water, then have a hose to fill it back up. That way i could gravel vac or clean my sand with suction..... wish they made one of those.....

O wait thats a python!

Well the tank will be viewable on 4 sides in my so called foyer, the tank will have no visible equipment let alone a drain pipe. I don't think I'll ever need to gravel vac for sand and the poop will be blown into the sump.

 

[nfored]

I already have your setup on a mini scale, 220 with drain plumb to a floor drain and hot and cold water ran to the tank for refiles; mine is also in the wall. I love this setup I turn one valve to drain, get a cup of joe and come back, Then close the drain, and turn on the refile line. I plumbed my drain at the top and use a 90 to point it down to the bottom, it uses a siphon to drain. However since the drain is below the water line the siphon is always on.

I put the drain at the top for 3 reasons. 1 so if something goes bad my house is not destroyed and the fish live. 2 I can change the level of water I want to drain by changing the pipe, however I normally leave it at 50%. 3 I am not stuck at any one draining level like you would be if you put on the bottom or middle.

If you mix hot and cold water lines you need to make sure they are not always on and mixing together, or use a thermostatic mixing valve; or you will have problems with your houses hot water. Also look into a large water heater or ondemand one as when I fill up my 220 my 50gallon water heater is sucked dry.

 

[TheCanuck]

Well the tank will be viewable on 4 sides in my so called foyer, the tank will have no visible equipment let alone a drain pipe. I don't think I'll ever need to gravel vac for sand and the poop will be blown into the sump.

ah then the post above me is what you want. Your going to have to do some plumbing. I wanted a 4sided tank but realized yea it would take some work to keep all the stuff hidden, and a monster stand to contain it all.