DIY 70gal AIO

[Peppie]

I want to run this by all of ya before I get my tools out and make a huge mistake.
I'd like to know if 300gph is enough flow for a 70gal AIO with about 17gals of that used for the filter area. I know that is less than the 10 x per hour I read every were. But my thought is if I slow the rate down alittle it will help the filter work a little better.

I will have another 300 gph pump for a closed loop, and three Nano PH @ about 400ghp
That will be 1500 gph of flow plus the return. Is that enough flow?
The water will enter a 5 gal. fuge/micro algae, then into a media chamber/chemiPure. Then it will flow to a 5 gal return. On the other side of the return will be a chamber for a skimmer witch will flow into the return. Is that the correct order for the water to flow thru the filter?
I have 2 75watt heaters is that enough?
My lights are 2 130watt PC. The tank is 22'' tall. Am I still ok for softies? Thats 260watts
That is the basics of the build. When I get the tools out I'll be sure to do a build thread.
Please feel free to give your advise.
Thank to all who respond.

 

[TJL]

Hey Peppie, this sounds like its going to be another great DIY build. IMO would add more flow if able, I am currently running a SeaClear 75g System II that I hot-modded with a Iwaki 30 (1160 gph) or aboout 950+ with head as my main return pump from a 40g fuge. Returned through two 3/4" Loc-lines and the stock spray bars drilled into false back. I did have to route out the stock teeth in overflow plus drill about a dozen 1/4" hole along top of false back to accommodate extra gph. For PH's I have two K-3's and a K-Nano. Sooooo I have approx 27X going through sump/fuge ~ 13-14X DT turnover and an additional 1900 + gph with PH's and still would like more flow now that everything has grown/matured. As far as correct order of flow I would only change one thing if feasable, put your skimmer first to benefit from surface skimming overflow, I have a Eshopps HOB skimmer in my first partition ahead of mechanical and the fuge.

Looking forward to see your amazing work again Peppie.

Todd

 

[Peppie]

Hey Tod
Thanks for the reply. Wow that is alot of flow thur the filter. It seems like the water flowing thru there dosent have a chance to be effected by the media, or algae.
The skimmer chamber is to the left hand side of the return and the fuge/media chambers are to the right of the return. By setting it up this way I am able to have more surface area skimmed off the top of the DT. I'll have some photos up soon of a sketch I came up with. I know it will help everyone understand what I have in mind.
I could use the other pump @400 gph to boost the flow thru the filter area to 800gph and deal with the tank flow with a powerhead upgrade. I told my wife I had all I needed to get this tank up and running.
I'm exited to get started on a new build.
BTW I'll soon have a couple of nice nanos for sale. LOL

 

[Peppie]

I went to the plastic store today and got the needed plastic to do the filter chambers. As I drew it out full scale I realized that the meadia chamber only uses the top 8 to 9'' of the chamber. What a waste of space under the used part of the chamber. The same goes with the fuge. Does it need to be 22'' deep? I was thinking more like 10'' to 12'' deep in the fuge area. So that would put a bridge type chamber between the skimmer area and the return area. Can you picture that?
I need to do some homework on a skimmer that will fit in a 10'' x 5'' x 22'' chamber that will handle a 75-100 gal tank. I think it should pump at least 400-500 gph. Anybody have a favorite?

 

[Peppie]

While I am waiting on glue to dry I'll give ya a quick up date. I was looking at AIO manf. tanks last night and saw a Red Sea tank, the filter part of the tank was divided with the skimmer in the center and the returns were on either side. This allowed two pumps at opposite ends of the tank. That was what I needed to do, but the ATO would have to be split. Not good. So I built the filter area so that the two return areas were connected under the skimmer/media/fuge chamber. Now I'll only need one ATO.
I'll get some pic up soon as I find the cord to down load from the camera.

 

[Peppie]

Moved the thread to the SHOWCASE site posting lot of pics of the build. As many of you know I'm a hands on type of guy. COME SEE!!!!