A bunch of ideas for DIY

[superman]

Thanks sgtbirch for your input and support of my ideas! I am very willing to brain storm with you, so go ahead and PM me if you would like, I think it's fun inventing cool ways to do DIY inexpensive projects.

 

[cichlid_freak]

In my 75 gal. there is a lot of evaporation. The built in sump doesn't make it any easier, with all the air/water interaction and all. Simply laying a piece of acrylic over the openings reduced the evaporation dramatically. Actually, the evaporation still occured, but it produced condensation on the lids and fell back in the water, much like distilled water process. I would think that a simple lip around the edge of the sump would allow a piece to lay pretty snugly and prevent even further evaporation without being a permanant fixture. I, like Sgt. Birch, think in acrylic all the time.

One thing I am worried about is that this is a plan for waterfall system, right? Wouldn't there be a problem with stagnent water at the bottom of the tank near the over-flow? This is the only thing I'm worried about, and can only think of a sealed (except at the top into the over-flow, and at the bottom as an intake) and through displacement, the water will be taken from the bottom of the water column and put to the top, and then the over-flow would have to be slightly lower than the water level. This would allow better and more complete circulation of all tanks, not just the first.


Other than that, I don't really see anything else that could be wrong, for now.

P.S.- I deffinatly agree that this forum is under used and this thread is AWESOME.

 

[Great Lakes]

All right, now I have some time to join in.

First, I already mentioned the bucket to hold media. For a sump I would use a large rubbermaid container, maybe even a large one you would get from a farm supply store for a water trough. They are suitable for aquarium use.

Bio balls, unnecessary idea. They are for systems that need additional biological filtration. Rarely found in tropical setups. You will have enough gravel for bactreria to breed on.

A great idea at this point would be to provide for lighting above the sump. You could use reverse lighting techniques to lower Ph swings. You could have a great grow out system in your sump for plants, without the risk of them being devoured by fish.

And what kind of lighting are you going to use? Pendants?

To aid against stagnation, which could certainly be a problem, I have an idea.
You mentioned building up the tank lip, leaving a section open for a spillway. Good idea, but you will move primarily surface water. How about taking a piece of pvc pipe, or clear acrylic pipe, cut it in half lengthwise, and siliconing it into the tankwhere your spillway is. Have it as tall as the lip you construct. Have slots sawn in the bottom above the seabed. Water will then enter the bottom of the pipe, rise up and over the spillway.

 

[superman]

Thanks for your suggestions guys! I had been thinking about making the input water of all the tanks go to the bottom through tube to make sure that ALL water is being moved and filtered. I like your ideas to keep the water from being stagnant. Great Lakes, I like your idea for using part of the sump to grow plants, though I don't know how keen I am about spending a lot of money on plant lighting, when this sump will be out of sight in a cabinet under the stand for this waterfall set up. I guess that I neglected to say that the 20 gallon tanks that will be used in this set up will be heavily planted tanks with small mild mannered colorful fish. Maybe this will take care of a large amount of nitrates? Great Lakes, you seem to think that bio balls are over kill, could you please explain? I guess this could be the case, but please keep in mind I would always like the option to add another tank or two to the waterfall set up. I think that I may have solved part of the evaporation problem. I have designed a float lever that will float in the sump, when the water gets below a certain level the float lever will tell a switch to turn on a water pump that will be connected to a large bucket of extra water (purified water) that will then pump water into the sump until the float returns to a neutral water level where the pump will then be turned of by the switch connected to the float lever. The bucket of extra water will of coarse be covered to keep it from evaporating as well. I have thoughts of this bucket some how being replenished by a dehumidifier in another part of the house. But I might be too worried aobut capturing air pollutants and putting it in my tanks. What are your thought guys? Oh, and thanks a TON for your help on this! You guys are awesome!

 

[Minxnfella]

Ok, I have nothing technical to add, just a couple of comments to make.
Number one, Mr Superman you would appear to me to be heading into the land of geniusdom, well done, your ideas are amazing. Number two, where exactly would this whole waterfall thing go? How much floor space would it cover??

I've really enjoyed reading all of your posts, it's truly fascinating.
Helen

 

[Great Lakes]

Superman, the lights over the sump can be just the simple 48" shoplight you get at the hardware for 5 bucks.

Dehumidifier idea is bad, too many pollutants

Way over the top idea here. I don't know how much room you have, but if you got one of the huge 325 gallon rubbermaid contrainers for a sump, you make it a Koi pond, and build your tanks over it...

 

[sgtbirch]

I have a 48x 18 tank what are my lighting options. I am keeping cichlids and plants ( I know save the cichlids dont mix with plants lecture). I am custom building my own hood. So anything goes!! Like what is pendant lighting

 

[Great Lakes]

SGT, when I mentioned pendant lighting, I was just referring to the fact that SM is evidently going to have a hard time of it trying to put lights over his system. He will most certainly have to suspend them over the tank in some fashion.

Have you started to build your hood/canopy yet?

I like flourescents myself.

 

[sgtbirch]

No I need to figure out the lighting first. I would like to know what type of bulbs I should be looking at, then I will decide on the fixture then build the hood. I am having difficulty finding a sealed fixture also.

 

[superman]

Ok, I have nothing technical to add, just a couple of comments to make.
Number one, Mr Superman you would appear to me to be heading into the land of geniusdom, well done, your ideas are amazing. Number two, where exactly would this whole waterfall thing go? How much floor space would it cover??

I've really enjoyed reading all of your posts, it's truly fascinating.
Helen

(Superman's head begins to swell) ...

Thank you very much for such a compliment! I really enjoy discussing these ideas with all of you, It is fun thinking "outside the box" isn't it?

As far as the 325 gallon sump idea from great lakes, I don't think that I am going to get THAT crazy...
yet. I am not really all that crazy about koi, as you can tell I am more of an oddball/rare fish lover, just my personal preference though.

Anyone else have great ideas to impart? Here or in a different DIY of their own? C'mon people, get creative with us all!

 

[superman]

This set up will be along a wall about 20 feet long. The tanks will all be in a row along the wall, so very little floor space will be wasted. Efficiency and ease of maintenance is key.