darkwolf29a

Yeah, I'll ditto the whole US versus UK sentiment. But...couldn't you bring it to Green Bay, WI instead of Colorado.


I like the hard pump idea with the single gutter. The only thing that worries me is getting all the water out at the same time. You are going to end up with a large volume of water moving from the tanks to the sump and back again. I'd be worried about the mess that a power outage would make. Plus getting all that flowing might be difficult.

Trpimp147

hmms sounds great. ill see if i can help ya out.... just give me some time to think i was reading this and i couldnt see any pics so i just loged in let me take a look at them see if i can come up with any thing!

timg

power outages wouldn't affect the levels, since the return is through an overflow rather than a siphon, so once the water levels down, it's stable. As long as there is spare capacity in the sump, it won't be a problem.

Trpimp147

you should have a reserve tank with extra bio matrial to support mass amounts of bacteria for your system. when i go to this place called "that fish place" they have them in like large containers where the water flows to out of the tanks and in to there vary vary vary large filter... haha its just a suggestion. don't use bio balls mostly plastic they don't hold as much as the coarse soda can like stuff. this should help your nitrate and nitrite and ammonia problems and keep them away. i was talking to them and they never have a problem with that since they used so many of those things haha.

atmmachine816

Could you just add a store onto the place you own to help satisfy your passion?

timg

Thanks for that ATM, we're working towards those ideas now

atmmachine816

that would be cool, if you pay for my airfare I'll come over and work

Trpimp147

i thought about getting a job at a petco but i dont know enough about fish and the other thing is i dont want to be the stupied guy and tell the customer one thing and the thing i told them wont happen does.... fish are unpredictable....

COBettaCouple

Sounds like you could start a chain here, Tim!

timg

OK, here's the latest challenge:

To devise a sump capable of handling 1,600 gallons per hour.

Guys, I need ideas on the types of media to use for this volume of water, since I was originally planning of 4 sumps, but costs have dictated the use of one single sump per rack.

The design has changed too, with each bin being fed directly from the pump through control valves and returning directly to the sump via an overflow.

My concern is that with that volume of water moving through the filter, there is a serious risk of overflow within the sump if any of the channels get blocked.

Here's a quick design to show what I have in mind. Take a look and let me know your thoughts, please!

Attached Images

sump.jpg (47.3 KB, 16 views)

timg

The idea of the design is as follows:

Having a double ended sump reduces the flow through each compartment effectively, to a central reservoir for heating and pumping back.

The water enters the sump via overflow pipes at each end. These will be 1 1/2" domestic waste pipe. (The different media will be in plastic containers to make cleaning easier). These pipes put the water in at the bottom of the compartment. It runs UP through the course gravel, hopefully depositing the large waste on the way. It overflows into the next compartment, which contains medium gravel. This should hold bacteria as well and is filtered DOWN through this. it passes through a gauze screen at the bottom of this compartment and is then forced UP again through fine sand. This is where I feel that we might have a problem. It then overflows into the well, where the submersible pump and 4 heaters are housed, then it is pumped back up to the tanks.

My concern is whether the sand can allow the volume of water through without being washed into the next chamber. With the water rising through it, it won't have the oportunity to pack down, but it will possibly be forced into suspension and carried on. If this gets into the pump, it will eventually cause problems with wear. Another concern is whether the gauze screen will block up with debris and cause a restriction.

Is there a better media to use? Would filter floss or foam be better? Could I weight the media down with gravel or similar to keep it in place?

COBettaCouple

WAY over my head there Tim! wish i could help, but i don't know anything about sumps.. i have confidence in your designs though and look forward to the solution that you come up with.

Trpimp147

sounds great i under stand it, i think it will work. hmm for if it gets cloged i donno you could put a float on the pump switch some how and when it gets past a certent point of hight in that area were it will shut off pump till you get there to check it out or clean up on it, or a sensor but i think a float would be cheaper just a little harder to rig. the sand may be the problem but if you put a few layers of floss behind it i think some would get through and that i'd think wouldnt me much to worry about. always can test run it. you can always buy 2 canster filters that both equal like 200 gal tank and use them.... i donno

timg

cannisters? over here they cost the earth! I would be looking at over 300 dollars each, instead of 100 dollars for one pump. The main advantage with the sump is stability. with the volume of water it has to handle, and the fluctuations in numbers there will be, as fish grow and get sold, and as new fish arrive from the suppliers, it will give me a much more stable system than cannisters, as well as the cost factor.

Maintenance will be easier with a sump too, as I can have spare media ready to drop in, so it just switches off for two minutes while I change the media then it's all running again....

Trpimp147

i see. i kno there not cheap just never really priced them but there is a place you can order one from its call www.thatfishplace.com vary large discount store its kinda like walmart for fish but they are in good health and they sell small store sized sump and filter system. and or you can use a fish pond pump system... i know ther enot cheap eather haha. just throwing out ideas. but i think your idea will work fine. are you going to try that bio matrial stuff i can get you a link to it.

timg

I was thinking of building a large bio-wheel in there somewhere, in the place of the third media, but not easy to find one big enough, and don't think they can be made DIY style!!

Trpimp147

you can get them in a large size... i seen one some where not sure though haha. they are like 3 times the size of a bio wheel set up. but im sure you can make one just not sure what to use.... they are like a cardboard/fiber like and never get soggy and rip. you could always buy replacement ones and take them apart and turn them landscape ways and fold them in half the may have a small ripple to them but that makes them cool. an dyou can just use a few of them and apply them to like a 5 gallon bucket lid on each end with a dowl rod in the middle..

timg

and put a generator in the center and produce my own electricity too, with the volume of water that's gonna be running over them all the time!...lol