kimoyo
Well-known member
Hi everyone,
These are the tank designs for my 160G bowfront tank that Innovative Aquarium Products will start making in around a week. It went through several different design phases but I think it has reached the point where I will be completely satisfied. The substrate will be faux, sand glued on starboard. Thank you Mike (Mojo) for all the help you’ve given me, including talking to me on the phone when you didn't have to. Mike seriously had some ideas I would have never thought about and should get credit for much of the design. Also, thanks Tom (BigT) for your input along the way. So onto the plans;
This tank will have a wier (coast to coast overflow on the outside of the tank) and measures 48*30-33*24 with an 6in bow. There will be a close loop run off a DP ampmaster 3600 with a motorized ball valve. The CL drains will be symmetrically placed on the back wall. There will be 2 sets of CL returns; one set from the back wall (A) and one set from the bottom (B). The mbv will switch the flow between A and B. The CLR A holes are 3/4 and the CLR B are 1.5 in. The CLR B’s will have pipe extending them up around a foot from the bottom of the tank, where the output will be split 4 ways by a 5-way tee. Attached to the ends of the tee will be 3/4 locline, which will allow for directional placement of the flows. The idea is to have CLR A push any junk off the bottom of the tank towards the front wall and up to the middle (vertically) of tank, suspending it in the water column. Then CLR B will push the junk towards the top of the tank where it can flow into the overflow. The holes will hopefully be hidden by rock except for the sump returns and the middle hole of CLR A.
The sump returns will be in the upper left and right corners of the back wall. The output of these will be directed on the water surface at an angle towards the front wall, roughly a quarter of the way in from the sides. The flow will bounce off the front wall and be directed back towards the middle of the overflow, hopefully catching junk along the way.
The overflow has one 1.5in drain hole, and is placed to the left for two reasons. One is for piping convenience, but more importantly more holes can be added to the overflow if need be in the future.
I’m having a stand custom built, which will extend up the back of the tank to support the wier. This will also allow for the piping from the back to be hidden. The back will have some sort of door system and the whole stand will be sound insulated, with a vent somewhere to release heat.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Paul
These are the tank designs for my 160G bowfront tank that Innovative Aquarium Products will start making in around a week. It went through several different design phases but I think it has reached the point where I will be completely satisfied. The substrate will be faux, sand glued on starboard. Thank you Mike (Mojo) for all the help you’ve given me, including talking to me on the phone when you didn't have to. Mike seriously had some ideas I would have never thought about and should get credit for much of the design. Also, thanks Tom (BigT) for your input along the way. So onto the plans;
This tank will have a wier (coast to coast overflow on the outside of the tank) and measures 48*30-33*24 with an 6in bow. There will be a close loop run off a DP ampmaster 3600 with a motorized ball valve. The CL drains will be symmetrically placed on the back wall. There will be 2 sets of CL returns; one set from the back wall (A) and one set from the bottom (B). The mbv will switch the flow between A and B. The CLR A holes are 3/4 and the CLR B are 1.5 in. The CLR B’s will have pipe extending them up around a foot from the bottom of the tank, where the output will be split 4 ways by a 5-way tee. Attached to the ends of the tee will be 3/4 locline, which will allow for directional placement of the flows. The idea is to have CLR A push any junk off the bottom of the tank towards the front wall and up to the middle (vertically) of tank, suspending it in the water column. Then CLR B will push the junk towards the top of the tank where it can flow into the overflow. The holes will hopefully be hidden by rock except for the sump returns and the middle hole of CLR A.
The sump returns will be in the upper left and right corners of the back wall. The output of these will be directed on the water surface at an angle towards the front wall, roughly a quarter of the way in from the sides. The flow will bounce off the front wall and be directed back towards the middle of the overflow, hopefully catching junk along the way.
The overflow has one 1.5in drain hole, and is placed to the left for two reasons. One is for piping convenience, but more importantly more holes can be added to the overflow if need be in the future.
I’m having a stand custom built, which will extend up the back of the tank to support the wier. This will also allow for the piping from the back to be hidden. The back will have some sort of door system and the whole stand will be sound insulated, with a vent somewhere to release heat.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Paul
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