Which Systems & What Type Of Equipment?...

[Gun]

Hi guys

I'm planning on building a rack that will hold (4X) 36x18x18 tanks and I was hoping you guys could give me some advice on the equipment/setup I should use to run these tanks.

The Rack:

Will be built from wood. Probably (2x3/2x4/or 2x2) for framework and three to four (5x1) lengths for tanks to sit on. A gap of 2-3" will be left between these lengths. Within the access gap and above the top tanks will be a lighting unit (built from wood), this unit will be capable of holding 2xtubes above each tank (8 tube housing for the whole rack).

Two tanks above/two below, with around 10-12" access gap above all tanks. Bottom tanks will sit around 10-12" off of floor.

Fish:

This will be a cichlid setup, with a breeding pair in each tank. Convict Cichlids will be in one tank, as for the rest...unsure yet

Systems : (Water Changes, Filtration, Heating, Airation, Lighting Etc)

This is where I need help guys...?

Ok, I want this setup to be of minimum maintenance, without any drilling needed to the tanks. Ideally the setup will be run on the minimum equipment needed (buy bigger to cover more area). As for water changes..would like this to be as easy as a 'turn of a tap'. For filtration I'm thinking 1 pump for every 2 tanks (2 pumps for the complete rack). Airation, 1 pump for all 4 tanks...? Heating, probably individual 'in tank'.

1) How many pumps/filters/etc do you think I need to run this rack? (like which size pumps/what type of system, etc)

2) How do I install a 'turn of a tap/valve' water change system to cover all 4 tanks? (One tap to take water, another tap to replace..could end up with 2 taps to cover all 4 tanks...or 2 tap above each tank) Is it possible guys?

Piping/barrels/water aeration sytem (for the barrels), taps, valves, airline, large pumps all spring to mind...just can't put it all together, lol!

3) Is there a single lighting unit that will cover 4-8 tubes?

4) Is it possible to run this 4 tank rack (all airated with the correct equipment including a 4-8 strip lighting unit) on 10 sockets or less?

 

[mike os]

If you want reliability & also a sump then drilling is the only option, syphon boxes etc have a nasty habit of failing at the most inconvenient times.

Unless your fish all need the same water parameters I would use individual filters in each tank

water changes, again for reliability you need to drill

3, dont know

4 yes

 

[Gun]

Ok, I've now decided I would like as many filters as I can (in this fish house) to be air driven. This includes the cichlid setup (if possible).

Guys I'm struggling to understand what certain equipment is capable of...?

Say I bought this pump...

http/allaboutkoi.co.uk/koi-pro-hi-blow-5...mp-p-29688.html

If I wanted to have 2 airlines running to each tank (that would be 8 airlines for the cichlid setup alone). How far would this pump get me, before I needed to buy another to cover the area (other tanks)?

It seems that air is a cost effective way to filter the tanks. There is also the bonus of 'seperate filtration' which eliminates the chance of a 'mass disease' outbreak.

 

[Gun]

Hey guys.

Any ideas how far this pump would get me? Anybody good at maths, lol!

Here's the spec:

Output 50ltr per min
Pumps to a depth of 3 meter
Pressure 0,045 MpA
Only 35 Watt Takes 8mm, 14mm or 20mm pipe Comes complete with 10 branch manifold and 1.5m of cable

Say I had (18x) 24x15x15 / (8x) 36x18x18 / (20x) Variuos Fry Tanks-under 20"(say 18x12x12) and I wanted to run two airlines to each tank. One airline for a corner sponge filter and the other for an airstone.

How many of these pumps would I need?

The idea is to have as few pumps as possible catering for numerous tanks (2 airlines per tank). The airlines will be connected via pipework (i think) along walls. The 3 meter pumping depth of this pump is a bonus as the height of the fish house is only 70-80". I Would just sit it up high in a corner, run pipework/airline from it and see how far it gets me.

So guys, can you help me out? As soon as I know/understand the area these pumps can cover, I'll have a better idea of what I need to buy.

EDIT: I'm on the fish fur n feather site looking at the pipework. They have all sorts of thicknesses. Should I be looking at a narrow pipe to use as the main air pipe along the wall? I'm thinking the narrower the pipe going to each tank, the more pressure there is going to be?

As for the water change pipe. Hmm, not sure if I need two seperate pipes or one? I'm guessing I should choose a slightly wider pipe for this area?

 

[Paul_MTS]

Your probable looking at using 2 airpumps.

Using something like 20mm waste pipe from the plumbers will be cheapest to buy and being a small diameter will keep the pressure well.

You run the 20mm pipe around the top of the fish house above the fish tanks needing the supply, it's best to mount the pump high up as well, first it stops any back siphoning and pumping down is easier than pumping up for the airpump.

Using airline straight connectors you can drill small holes in the 20mm pipe and glue these directly in.

If you spur off the ring main for each tank but then split the supply with a valve to control air between filter and airstone this should give you the best supply without having loads of holes in the ring main.. using something like this will give you the best control over the air..

Sponge filters will be fine for smaller fish but you may need to use box filters with biological media and filter floss for tanks with larger fish. In some cases you might need 2 filters.

But that's a case of trial and error. If the water starts getting cloudy, add another filter!



Pictures from Boddington Koi

 

[Gun]

Thanks Paul_MTS.

So that would be the pump you would go for?

It seems a pretty straight forward and cost effective way to cover two areas..filtration and airation. I'm also going to experiment with using less heaters (tanks side by side/maybe lagged etc)

 

[Paul_MTS]

Yer any big koi air pumps will do. Just buy a well known make so you won't have troubles buying spares. Although might be an idea to have a spares kit ready should the pump fail.