Tank Upgrade Journal

[JaminRat]

OK so I started my tank upgrade this weekend by building a stand for my new tank which is now 80% complete. Needs doors a a few bits of trim to complete and I have a couple of questions as I'll be starting the plumbing this week.

Is it best to keep the drain or return to/from the sump as short as possible?
As this has come as a spur of the moment thing funds are a little limited. I can afford the equipment but it leaves me with no money left for additional LR or livestock for a month or so. So I was planning on moving my current stock but with only 11kg of LR and a setup of roughly 70usg I am shy about 24kg of lr. The 11kg was more than ample for my 17usg nano so if I keep the stocking as I would for this setup will I be ok until I can provide additional LR?

I'll start taking some pics once the stand is complete as it looks a little rough atm.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, the increased volume really means little, its the ratio of bioload to LR that really matters. So go right ahead and start out with your current stock/LR combo, it'll do just fine. Make sure you resist the urge to add more livestock before you add more LR

As for the plumbing, try to have as few right angle and T fittings as possible, ESPECIALLY on the drain side. Also make sure that any valves and/or unions you choose are not overly restrictive (some cheap ones have very small internals)

 

[Matthew5664]

I found when doing the plumbing for the overflows If I left them short then I could get the sump in without a problem then when the sumps in you can add a stright connecter with a length of pipe to get it slightley below the water level to stop the Niagra effect

 

[JaminRat]

Thanks guys. Been everywhere today looking for 1" PVC pipe to make up the durso standpipe but not had any joy so I've had to go for 1 1/4" instead. If I did my research right I think the standpipe is supposed to be 1 size up from the size of the bulkhead (mine are 3/4") but the only disadvantage to going bigger is the space it takes up in the tank.

Onto the next problem. Where to get acrylic to make up the weir either online or locally in the uk or does someone sell them ready to go. Also what thickness acrylic to go for?

Thanks again

Ben

 

[Matthew5664]

Thinkness shoutnot be a proplem. 6mm will do for most things. You should be able to get a sheet from B&Q for about 60 pounds. (5x4 sheet I think) other that that do a search on yell.com for plastic compays in your area and go down with the dimentions you want and a tenner and they should be able to sort something out.

Failing all that I could get you some if you let me know the size you need.

 

[JaminRat]

Thanks Matt. I've found a guy on fleebay who sells it either by A4, A3 500mmx500mm or made to order works out to around £10 for an A3 size piece. Only problem is I was hopeing for blue but he only lists black, white or clear in 6mm. All the coloured stuff is 3mm. If anyone would like a link to his shop just ask.
I'm not sure if black or white would work as I want to paint the back blue so I can see a few options
1. Buy 6mm clear and a sheet of blue and fit both
2. Buy 2 sheets of blue and double up for thickness (not sure if that would work)
3. Buy the clear and either live with it or frost it just a quick once over with the bead blaster at work will do it a treat.
4. Buy black and paint the tank black (last option)

I'll sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow. I've also emailed the seller to see if he can supply 6mm blue acrylic.

Another question though. How difficult is it to bend? I was thinking of clamping it in the workmate and using a heat gun to warm it while someone else gently bends it over.

 

[Matthew5664]

I found it every easy to bend using a blow-tourch and a paving slab but a workmate and hotgun (like the wallpaperstrippers) would be ideal!

As for the thickness if the water hight in the weir is going to be more that 2/3 of that tank hight you might get away with the 3mm however you can solvent weld to bit together and use them . Could make it a little harder to bend!

 

[JaminRat]

OK a little more progress made today. I've built up and glued the durso standpipe and have cut all the pipework for the return. I've also marked out the position for the sump and organised the plumbing under the tank. I've also modified a water container to use as an auto topup resevoir and started building the control box for it. I've also ordered 6mm clear acrylic for the weir.
I decided on the clear 6mm I have a couple of ideas for fitting.
As always I've run into a couple more questions. What paint can I use on the wier, it needs to adhere to acylic and as it will be in the system be resistant to saltwater and non-toxic.
Also where can I get 3/4" pvc fittings (ball-valves, endcap) local trade places have most bits but not these.

 

[Matthew5664]

Sounds like its going well.

For the fittings you'll need to go to a swimming pool supplie shop they will be able to get you the parts you need. However because of the different 'classes of pipe work you may find that the outer dimentions are differant even if the inner D's are the same.

 

[JaminRat]

Thanks again Matt. There is a swimming pool supplier up the road so I'll give them a call. It'll fit my big hammer says soLOL

 

[JaminRat]

Another little update I've assembled the control box for the auto topup which is a relay powered system with LED's to show status simple but effective and cost less than £25 all in.

I have aquired a ball valve foc from a redundant RO system at work and picked up a used Eheim 1050 for the return for £20 from my LFS who were using it for a fluidised sand filter for around 2 months which they have now binned. Prolems with my paypal account have delayed progress on the weir for the moment but another problem has arisen.


I have been TOLD that the tank has to wait until the front room is re-decorated so have been frantiacally rollering and have a plasterer comming tomorrow to fix a dodgy bit of wall and then it's back on track.

 

[JaminRat]

Turned the project into 'proper science' today by flooding the carpet not once, not twice but three times Got all the plumbing sorted so decided to shorten the standpipe and run it all up before making joints permanent. Slotted everything together using a plastic tub as a temporary sump and powered up the pump. Unfortunately the standpipe needs some tuning as it developed a syphon and drained quicker than the pump could cope with. End result wet carpet. Had a tinker and flooded the place again doh. And then managed it again 'insert long string of profanities here'

Still on the plus side the return works like a charm and I have to say I am very impressed with the volume of water the pump was shifting. The fine tuning of the durso standpipe will have to wait until the weir is in but is not a major concern. Got a bit of a ticking off from the better half so will run it up with fw and get everything perfect before it sees even a hint of salt LOL

Please feel free to poke fun at me everyone has

Change of tack on the weir to. Going to construct from glass and face it with blue acrylic. The only question this leaves is the comb at the top of the weir. If I was to make this from the front facing of acrylic would it be strong enough or does someone have a better suggestion.

 

[MHunt]

I'd had a thought about the plumbing for the sump. Could you connect the feed from the tank to a float valve (like in a toilet cistern), so it will only let water into the sump when the pump has pumped enough water out? Under normal operation the return pump should always keep the water level in the sump low enough to keep the valve open. But if the pump stopped for some reason, it wouldn't allow water to flow in and overflow the sump, and flood the carpet! Just a little safety I didn't know if anyone had though about.

 

[JaminRat]

I'd had a thought about the plumbing for the sump. Could you connect the feed from the tank to a float valve (like in a toilet cistern), so it will only let water into the sump when the pump has pumped enough water out? Under normal operation the return pump should always keep the water level in the sump low enough to keep the valve open. But if the pump stopped for some reason, it wouldn't allow water to flow in and overflow the sump, and flood the carpet! Just a little safety I didn't know if anyone had though about.

Well worth a thought although would be tricky set setup as the sump is normally (and is in my case) devided into sections with water at different heights. The saftey for me once this is setup properly is that the sumpp will have sufficient volume free for the tank to drain to the top of the weir without problem. Water then can't get to the overflow so no more water will enter the sump and should the drain fail the return section of the sump will be kept small so only a small amount of water will be pumped to the display before the pump runs dry.

 

[MHunt]

I'd had a thought about the plumbing for the sump. Could you connect the feed from the tank to a float valve (like in a toilet cistern), so it will only let water into the sump when the pump has pumped enough water out? Under normal operation the return pump should always keep the water level in the sump low enough to keep the valve open. But if the pump stopped for some reason, it wouldn't allow water to flow in and overflow the sump, and flood the carpet! Just a little safety I didn't know if anyone had though about.

Well worth a thought although would be tricky set setup as the sump is normally (and is in my case) devided into sections with water at different heights. The saftey for me once this is setup properly is that the sumpp will have sufficient volume free for the tank to drain to the top of the weir without problem. Water then can't get to the overflow so no more water will enter the sump and should the drain fail the return section of the sump will be kept small so only a small amount of water will be pumped to the display before the pump runs dry.

Gotcha, so you place the top of the weir high enough so it couldn't syphon (if one has started) enough water out of the tank to flood the sump, and you keep the return part of the sump low enough so it can't overflow the tank if the weir gets blocked.