Will this work? idea welcome

[Miguel]

I like your scheme, Bizarro. One doubt however....I have the plants near the end of the filtering circuit ( where they get the nitrates ) and then back into the tank goes the water. Before getting there ( to the plant chamber )stuff goes through the mechanical and bio media.

As plants feed on amo, nitrites and nitrates i may be that no sufficient "food" reaches your sump ( after going through the plants )..

Therefore, the way you have it, I edo not know whether your bacteria will get sufficient life sustaining material.

On the other hand, if it goes well, you just found a way to render obsolete the sump, and to have a wonderfull plant based filtration..

Now I am swimming out of depth...

Dr Joe! Help, please. Your views on this, please.

 

[CHOMPERS]

... should i keep the tank lower then the 240g and flow the water into the planted tank then into the filter and back to the 240g... ...update a lame pic...

Nice job on the CK in paint I think you should follow Rallysman's suggestion with the hob overflows. They cost more than DIY's but you can see what is going on inside of them. Plus they will keep your planted tank inhabitants from going down the shute to the sump. Your drawing is a good way to do it. My only advice is to plumb your 240 water to the bottom of the planted tank. That will help the nutrients flow through the plants (and settle in them) rather than flowing over them when the plants get thick.

 

[Bizzaro]

My only advice is to plumb your 240 water to the bottom of the planted tank. That will help the nutrients flow through the plants (and settle in them) rather than flowing over them when the plants get thick.

Ok so if the HOB into the 120 is under water, Will this keep the flow up with the sump pump? I'm trying to think how i can keep the flow from the 240 to the 120 a good rate... Im hoping if i have 2 HOB overflows the first one will pull the same as the second one at the speed of the pump..

As plants feed on amo, nitrites and nitrates i may be that no sufficient "food" reaches your sump ( after going through the plants )..Therefore, the way you have it, I edo not know whether your bacteria will get sufficient life sustaining material.On the other hand, if it goes well, you just found a way to render obsolete the sump, and to have a wonderfull plant based filtration.

oh thats right... Some people out there do use planted Sump right? What about Over Stocking the 240g... say 1000 tetras Na If this is the case i can Stock the 240 with more fish and even the planted tank with fish.... The planted tank wont be massive tell a few month i hope. Hmm maybe at this point.... if the levels are safe in the 240... i can cut out the sump all together later on.

 

[CHOMPERS]

Ok so if the HOB into the 120 is under water, Will this keep the flow up with the sump pump? I'm trying to think how i can keep the flow from the 240 to the 120 a good rate... Im hoping if i have 2 HOB overflows the first one will pull the same as the second one at the speed of the pump...

The size of the tank has nothing to do with what size overflow you use. It all depends on the water volume that you want to pass through them. Therefore, they need to be the same size. As long as they will flow more than the pump will, you will be in good shape. For three turnovers of your 240g, you will need to flow 720 gallons per hour. For ten turnovers you will need 2400 gallons per hour. If you are also going to stock the planted 120, you will need to add that tank into the equation.

 

[Bizzaro]

Understood. Should i put the sump under the 120 or the 240. If its under the 240 i have to have about 5-6 feet of transfer pipe that drop into the sump if its under the 120 i can just up the pump a few more gals to pump it the 5 foot to the top of my 240...

 

[CHOMPERS]

Put it where ever works best for you. Its location has very little to do with performance.

 

[Dr Joe]

Okay, I was asked for my opinion, so here it is... I would have all the paneling on the stand going the same direction , otherwise it looks tacky.

Dr Joe

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[duanes]

I use an overflow from my 100 into a 40 breeder

you can see where it enters the breeder tank off to the right

here's another view

from the planted breeder tank it flows to a barrel containing a 2400 GPH pump

 

[Dr Joe]

And, all the suggestions given even if slightly different, are viable and good .

I would add anti-syphon holes on each over-flow and on the return line just below the minimum water level as a failsafe.

A planted 120g is not going to replace a W/D in an over-populated tank scenario.

If used before the sump alot of debri is going to build up in the 120g planted tank and cause other problems unless cleaned regularly. Fish waste is not broken down that fast. The planted tank will have to break-down the waste so it will in essence go thru a cycling stage too.

A course pre-filter on the over-flow to the planted tank would be nice (and cut down on cleaning time) but would have to contain a bypass so if the filter were to clog things wouldn't go bad.

Ok, enough talk...go get a camera and start building!

Dr Joe

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[Dr Joe]

I use an overflow from my 100 into a 40 breeder

you can see where it enters the breeder tank off to the right

here's another view

from the planted breeder tank it flows to a barrel containing a 2400 GPH pump

So you want to put dirty water into your breeder tank? I guess if they are the same fish.

Dr Joe

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