Ive got this wierd little tank

[DonW]

Like the title says, wierd little 20 gallon tall brand new with the stickers. Two one inch bulkheads in the bottom, centered front to back and left to right.
I'm looking for Ideas on what I could use it for. If I cant find something good, it needs to go.

Don

 

[Illusion]

Drill an Overflow in the back corner and have your returns come up thru the center holes... Have them just barely stick up from the bulkhead with a 45 point in opposite directions.. Should provide some very nice flow thruout the water column

James

 

[NaH2O]

Hmmmm.....maybe you could use those bulkheads as returns to add circulation to a center rock structure.

 

[DonW]

I dont want another tank, I'm thinking some other good reef related use. Right now the only thing I can think of is a toilet tank (just kidding).

Don

 

[wrightme43]

Use it as a above mounted wave maker with like you said toliet valves to fill and then rush down into the tank. Like in Mr. Fenners book. That would be very cool to have a wave rush into your tank. The corals would love it and the detirus would go to the filter sys. Just my 2 cents. Steve

 

[DonW]

Use it as a above mounted wave maker with like you said toliet valves to fill and then rush down into the tank. Like in Mr. Fenners book. That would be very cool to have a wave rush into your tank. The corals would love it and the detirus would go to the filter sys. Just my 2 cents. Steve

Thats kind of a cool idea, how could you flush the thing. I'll go check out the toilet.

Don

 

[dnjan]

Use it to build an above-tank refugium. Those holes in the bottom will make for very simple inflow and outflow plumbing.

 

[DonW]

Idea #1 the 20gallon surge tank. If only it could be made to look good over the canopy. Any More?

 

[dnjan]

What prevents the flappers from just shutting right away, as soon as a little bit of water has flowed out?

 

[NaH2O]

OOOOOoooo - I love the surge idea!! Don, can you build a side cabinet for it, and put it on the top shelf? Similar to above tank refugiums?

 

[jasontatro]

What prevents the flappers from just shutting right away, as soon as a little bit of water has flowed out?

Same as a toilet. When you flush, the flap lifts up and stays open until all of the water goes out, and then the flap drops down.

Looks like a pretty cool idea. That was one of the coolest features at the Waikiki aquarium.

 

[DonW]

Exactly, As near as I can tell the flappers are hollow. They are actually being suspended by the downward water column that is created by opening them.
With only 15 gallons thats over 120lbs.

Don

 

[dnjan]

So they actually float until there is no more water to float them. Then they fall down, and are held down by the water pressure until they are again opened. Thanks for the clarification.

Might be a bit tricky to get two flapper valves to work together correctly (once the float lifts one of them, it won't be able to lift the second). Better to connect both outlet holes together to a (upside-down) Tee, and put the flapper on the stem end of the Tee.

 

[wrightme43]

Hey Don you could use one of the hole as a stand pipe to the top water level so it is naturally unable to overflow. I cant draw so I will try to describe with words. you have 2 one inch holes. Say the left one is with pipe to the maximum water level you desire. the other has a flapper and float assembly. If you route both back to the tank the worst case scenario is that the water flows over the top of stand pipe and back to the system if the flapper and float were to fail somehow. I bet that would make for some really thick skeletons on the sps corals. Just plumb a 1/2 supply to the top of the surge tank with a ball valve so you adjust the frequency of the surge. I am trying to find where I saw it before. It may be in Mr Bornnemans book.

 

[wrightme43]

Cant find it. Any body else remember seeing it? My brain is disfunctional. Steve

 

[DonW]

I get what your saying, great idea. It would work and could not overflow. Sure would make it a easy DIY. I'm not to sure how 1" would surge that is my only concern.

Don

 

[wrightme43]

Good Point. Would a 1" pipe flow 17 gallons in less than 30 secs?

 

[wrightme43]

LIke DNJan said maybe a upside down t would work but that would lift it off the bottom and lower the amount of water.

 

[wrightme43]

I guess if you tied them together with a stiff acrylic rod and lifted with the float in the center of the rod. Drilled thru the rod so it couldnt slip off to one side or the other it would work. This is something I would want to test outside on a bench first.

 

[DonW]

Probably just a piece of 1/8 acrylic on a hinge. Glue a seal to the bottom side to seal. The float would lift it just past vertical. After flow stopped the inlet water would push it back down. The water pressure would seal it. The flapper is the easy part. Hanging it would be the tough one.

Don