Dons overflowing tank build

[DonW]

This started off as a tank stand build and has blown up into a tank also. It will make the swap of much easier and will accomplish my goal of makeing a more simple system.
The stand thread is here

I'll keep the wood work seperate from the tank unless they are integrated in some way. The tank will be around 65" long 20.5" wide and 14" tall. Not alot of flow just the two return pumps as it stands right now. The tank will overflow on three sides so I can push it close to the wall if need be.


Should be a fun project
Don

 

[james734]

The tank will overflow on three sides so I can push it close to the wall if need be.

3- sides, is that correct?

Should be a interesting project Don. Post some pics of the process/progress.

 

[DonW]

3- sides, is that correct?

Should be a interesting project Don. Post some pics of the process/progress.

Yup just three sides. I dont have the floor space for all four sides. I figured even after we move to our retirement home I can always find a wall to shove it against. I'll get going on the drain boxes this afternoon since they have to be integrated into the stand sides.

Don

 

[DonW]

Since Im feeling lethargic today, I decided it would be nice to get something small done.

This is one of the return tube live/dead rocks. I just bored it out and lined with acrylic tube and epoxy. The pvc will go in the bottom and be epoxied in place. The bottom was just flattened with a hammer and chissel.

Don

 

[james734]

Cool idea...

 

[DonW]

Cool idea...

Thanks, I like it. Will be fine once its covered in coraline. I spent some time talking to a well designer on friday looking for some insite on the check valves. What we came up with is a pretty good design for the return plumbing.

Basicly two return pumps. Probably eheim 1262's depend on how badly the foot valves hit the pumps. It will go, Tank, TU ball valve, Clear check valve, Pump then a well foot valve. The foot valves are made to go in the bottom of a well so they are very durable. The material does not allow ca to build up fouling the foot valve.
I'll set up a valve check sequence in the controller. I can shut down one pump and use opticals or floats to check the water level in the sump then turn the pump back on. This will check the check valves and foot valves daily or twice daily. I also ordered two alita 12vdc water pumps that will be set to turn on in the event of a power failure or a condition where the tank is low and the sump is high. There will be a optical level sensor hidden in the back of the tank so no ugly floats.
Now I just need to think about how to light the oddball.

Don

 

[james734]

Frankintank. Sounds very interesting. I'm going to have to follow along to watch the progress.

 

[Elmo18]

Don, this will be awesome! I like new tanks. Do you know if any instances in which fish has jumped over? Or maybe a snail has been found on the other side

Best,
Ilham

 

[DonW]

Don, this will be awesome! I like new tanks. Do you know if any instances in which fish has jumped over? Or maybe a snail has been found on the other side

Best,
Ilham

I'm guessing that I wont be able to keep snails any longer. I think the snails would cause a funky spray patern and make a mess. I would like to try some of those very colorful shrimp that can be imported.


Don

 

[DonW]

I found out a tank this size will need at least 2000 gph through the sump in order for the water to flow over the sides properly. The two eheims are not going to be enough, and the submersibles like a mag 24 is just to loud and hot. I'm concidering a ampmaster 3000 if I can come up with a decent sump design. Here is idea #1.

 

[DonW]

Sump design #2 This eliminates the drain cross over.

 

[DonW]

Ok I figured out the electrical issues and how to deal with all the wire that I just plain hate. I'm going to put a drop tube in my sump, much like a overflow tube but taller so water can't enter.

There will be NO power strips or electrical outlets. All the power wires will drop down under the stand and connect to a 8 relay controller and a neutral terminal block. There will be no wires behind the stand except the two that go up to the two halides and no wires running inside the stand on the walls.

There will be a hidden drawer in the kick space below the stand to make all the connections and gain access. Also there will be no float switches. I'm going to build a optical sensor block with 6 optical sensors all connected with one cat5 cable going under the stand connected to the IO controller.

The drawer will house a ranco temp controller, 8 relay controller, secu16 IO controller, 12vdc power supply, dedicated ocelot, ozone generator, 2 rodi solenoid valves and a emergency dialer and warning beeper.

I'll start building this panel over the week-end.

Don

 

[theJ]

wow that sounds fantastic, definitely following along on this one!

 

[DonW]

The fedex guy showed up with my relay controller. This is basicly what will turn everything on and off. Eack of the relays can handle 10a and I can control them in about any way that you can think of. No power strips or plug, i want to get it all stuffed in the drawer under the stand.

Don

 

[DonW]

I finally decided a sump design and started the build process. Not really a sump but a series of drains and return. The goal was a clean look with no dripping and or salt spray of a standard open sump. With the odd tank design there wont be alot of flow, only about 3K gph. I decided that since the Tunze 2010 skimmer cant skim as fast as the sump is flowing that it might as well just have its own area with a well regulated flow and I would deal with the extra detitus differently.
Basicly the water flows over the tank walls into the gutter, from the gutter to the two drain boxes, from the drain boxes to the funnel then either back or to the skimmer box, from the skimmer box back to the funnel via a carbon reactor since the skimmer will be ozone injected.
The skimmer box will have a emergency drain, this is of course is in case of a check valve failure. When the water level in skimmer box rises to high it drain out to the sewer. This sewer connection will also connect to the funnel so that all the settled detritus can just be flushed out.
Everything will be set up and plumbed in such a way that each box can just be drained and lifted out and taken outdoors for servicing. No drips or spills.
The box for the carx is just in case it ever decides to leak. The automation system can turn on a little pump in the box and divert the leak back to the sump.
I'm going to place a 12vdc 500gph pump in the funnel and give it its own return hidden up high in a rock. If the power fails this will give the tank flow until I can get home to fire up the generator. If the return pump looses pressure then the pump will fire up to keep things alive. This also serves as a failsafe just in case both of the check valves fail at the same time. I can get 8 hrs on one battery so I may put in two just because I have them already.
I would love to go without a chiller but I really doubt I'll get that lucky. I'm just concidering a little mag pump in the funnel that will turn off and on hourly to keep the water in the chiller from going stagnent and will remain on full time when and if the chiller needs to run. Should'nt need to run it for more than a minute or two to keep the chiller cleaned out.

This seems to be a pretty fair plan and will give me the most water volume under the tank. I cant really come up with much better so I'm going to just run with it.

 

[Krish]

Love the ideas...Should come out nicely

 

[Reeferdude]

You'll be pleased with the shallow design. Mine is currently 16 inches deep. With 1-3 inches of substrate...

 

[DonW]

To my amazement my acrylic for the sump / sumps will be delivered Fri afternoon. I figured one full sheet of 3/8 cast should be very close with almost no scrap. I also decided to step up and use the funnel as a refugium, I dont know why, just sounded like a good thing to have for this type of tank. Now if I can get my wifes new dishwasher installed quickly I should have this done this week-end.

Don

 

[Reeferdude]

First things first. That's a pretty short honey-do list...

 

[DonW]

First things first. That's a pretty short honey-do list...

Thats just what I have to get done now. There is no possible way I can finish the entire honey do list before I die, so I gave up and just do what I can.

Don