Big Tanks And Big Filters

[andywg]

I'll second a sump, and highly recommend Alfagrog as a cheap, good filter media. Sumps aren't super cheap, but they are a lot easier for maintenace (if you design the tank stand well, eh Paul?)

But as was mentioned, you have your work cut out with planting them (though it can be done).

Especially useful is the fact that floating plants will grow happily, very useful to make the pirannha feel ok.

 

[sarahw20000]

Yeah we're not too worried about planting it, it's gonna be alot of bogwood and fake plants, and then fairly low lighting to keep the little darlings happy.

We've actually got a spare tank which we were trying to sell which is 36" x 15" x 17", would this be okay to use?

 

[Paul_MTS]

yes i think that tank would surfice for that size tank as long as you stick to the same kind of dimension. I run my 180Uk gallon tank on 30x15x22 sump

which look a litle like this empty...

i'ved recently redone my sump, i'll take a snap later to show you my media layout.

to keep costs down you could quite easily devide that tank up with some glass, I paid about a fiver for the tank to divide up a 2ft tank for another system. The plumbing is usually where it hurts though, my last big tank cost about 60 to plumb it with ball valves.

 

[sarahw20000]

If you mean £60 then thats still alot better than £178 each for the two eheim filters, especially as i've already got the tank for the sump.

So you spilt up the sump tank into different sections an then pour (for example) a couple of bags of alfagrog in one bit, put a pump in another, and your heaters in another?

Please forgive my ignorance, i can't get my head around how they work!

 

[Paul_MTS]

don't forget the cost of the pumps in that equation, your probable looking at 2 descent size pumps both doing 2-3000LPH, With a half descent make pump costing about £100.

rightey so water goes in 1 end and then gets pumpe dout the other, my system is laid out like this...

set of foams first
then down through the biological media, (K1 now)
under a bar into poly wool,
over into a currently empty bay, could fill with something like peat, carbon etc
then down under through the heaters
then over into the pumps, i use 2 Oase Aquamax 2000 pumps for mine which does it quite well.

this is who i use for my plumbing bits.. http/www.fishfurfeather.com/plumbing-rig...-1_120_121.html

the only problem being all that stuff is metric and alot of companies (like meraquatica) drill for 1 1/2" imperial fittings, so decide of what size bulk head you will use and then make sure they drill you the right size hole. on that site on all the bulkheads they tell you what size hole you would need.

 

[sarahw20000]

thanks you've been really helpful, i've just noticed where you live, is that kirby as in near clacton?

 

[Paul_MTS]

sure is.

no problems, in fact you can come and see the system running if you want! always easier to see something in motion!

 

[sarahw20000]

I might take you up on that a bit closer to the time if thats okay, we've got to get the main part of the house sorted first and then embark on the monstrous task of getting this tank in.

Hopefully that won't be too long though coz the little sods are starting to get stroppier by the day which i think is down to them getting too big for their current tank.

 

[Paul_MTS]

cause it's fine, just drop me a PM or something when you want to.

until then here's a few shots of the set up...

the outlet pipes

and 1 of the inlet pipes, this side has the UV attached to it.

at the moment there's double the ammount of media in there as i just changed it all other. all the stuff in the 2nd and third bay will be removed again after a couple of months when the new biological bacteria is up to speed, then the bays will be filled with poly wool.