Tunnel Rat Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 Hi people Well I do not like the sump that came with my 5x2x2 to small I am making one myself 900Lx400Wx500H. My main concern is the gap's do you guys think that the 120mm distance under the bio balls is ok & the 40mm gap under each divider is enough. Look at the little plan I made can you found anything wrong with it ? My plan is to have the best of both worlds a bio ball sump/ Matrix sump with plenty of room for the matrix & bio foam. Thx Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 1, 2006 Share Posted August 1, 2006 it looks OK, though that last vertical divider will be useless unless you stuff that area with a foam block or media bags or something. Ideally you'd put heaters into the area under the trickle tower (or the first partition between bottom dividers) - as that shouldn't be able to dry out & make them shatter. Is that what you've got planned? Running with a pump you may find the bottom of the bioball chamber gets submerged, won't matter in the slightest. Where are the different media (and heaters) going? other than the bioballs & pump which are obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 1, 2006 Author Share Posted August 1, 2006 it looks OK, though that last vertical divider will be useless unless you stuff that area with a foam block or media bags or something. Ideally you'd put heaters into the area under the trickle tower (or the first partition between bottom dividers) - as that shouldn't be able to dry out & make them shatter. Is that what you've got planned? Running with a pump you may find the bottom of the bioball chamber gets submerged, won't matter in the slightest. Where are the different media (and heaters) going? other than the bio balls & pump which are obvious. Ok so the two main points 120mm gap under the bio balls then keeping the dividers the same hight and the under flow ones being 40mm higher with a 40mm gap all thats looks ok ? What distances should I have the three dividers apart I was thinking 80mm (should have a look a piece of bio foam). This is with all the bits in it I know its a bit of a over kill but i have all the parts already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 What diameter is the bulkkhead draining from the tank? cause that's the theoretical minimum any of the gaps need to be area wise. - a 40x400mm gap is plenty! you can go smaller if you really wanted to. how heavily stocked is that 5x2 going to be? have you considered a denitrator rather than/as well as the FBF? looks to be a full on system is all so I thought I'd mention one of the few things you haven't mentioned (though matrix does denitrify to a degree) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 What diameter is the bulkkhead draining from the tank? cause that's the theoretical minimum any of the gaps need to be area wise. - a 40x400mm gap is plenty! you can go smaller if you really wanted to. how heavily stocked is that 5x2 going to be? have you considered a denitrator rather than/as well as the FBF? looks to be a full on system is all so I thought I'd mention one of the few things you haven't mentioned (though matrix does denitrify to a degree) The bulk head is only 20mm (the cut out hole is 50mm) is that to small ? If it is boarder line ish it would be better for me to change the fitting now then later. Denitrator must look one up never seen one I already have the FBF A Friend has one when he added it to he's tank it polished the water so clear thats why I got one. Not heavily stocked but the five fish are feed a lot prawns,fish,Hikari carnivore pellets the pellets I have found to cloud the water a bit. thx Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 WAY too small, I have a 20mm on a std 4'er with only a 1000lph pump -25mm minimum for a 2400lph. I'd put in as big as the 50mm hole will allow - maybe 32mm? it allows you to upsize the return pump at a later date if you decide to. I have 2400 & 2800lph pumps on my 4x2s & I think they are borderline too small. is it for tankbusters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 I'd be using the largest diameter bulkhead you can fit in the hole. Better to be safe than sorry Also I think your over/under flow section will work better if you change them all to overflows. So your first raised bit of glass is followed very closely by a second bit of glass on the base. Then a chamber. Then another raised bit followed closely by a bit on the base, and another chamber etc etc. Water falls down better than it falls up, and it's easier for you to see any gunk building up on top of the sponge rather than having it hidden down under a sponge. It's also a good plan to have 2 or 3 layers in each sponge chamber. Simply remove the top layer and wash it under the tap, while the bottom layer or layers retain all the good bacteria (and they should be clean enough since the top layer caught the gunk). In an underflow situation you cannot do this And lastly, underflows make sponges float Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Geez BaZ, you're an ideas man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Thanks Ash Now be honest, did it make any sense?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 yeah, the two sheets close together like in a sidedrop so each chamber is top-to-bottom flow rather than alternating - basically you have the underflow or bottom-to-top "chambers" 5-10mm apart. I think it makes sense, either that or we're both nuts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted August 2, 2006 Share Posted August 2, 2006 Thankfully, that's what I meant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 2, 2006 Author Share Posted August 2, 2006 Now thats what I posted for some excellent input what you guys have said makes a lot of sense and will make maintenance easier thats got to be good. Will post new plans soon so please pick more faults as better now than after its made. [Added] Baz & Ash thx for your help here as a lot of time will be going into this sump and I will hate to have to do it again because I stuffed something up. Just checked the hole in the bottom of the weir is only 45mm with what I have at the moment the biggest bulk head I can do is 32mm thats with a 27mm inside diameter that should be ok what do you guys think ? This tank will be running two 2217 for the mechanical filtration as well. Big thx Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 yeah, that's enough flow. cannisters for mechanical as well? awesome, love the overkill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 yeah, that's enough flow. cannisters for mechanical as well? awesome, love the overkill. Overkill I know but I was into this hobby 14yrs ago like mad and I have all the gear still 4x2217 2x2213 & 1210 pump(fitted new shaft & propeller) so midas well use them they still run like gems. I need a 2217 to run a return line back behind the latex back ground as I would like some water flow behind there well be sealing the backgrund in with two vents at the bottom for water flow. Now the sump plan looks good enough to start on I am going to get the tank made & do the rest myself thanks again for all your help guys Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 what are you stocking it with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 what are you stocking it with? I have a nice size Paracheirodon innesi he is a real dirty pig Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Plan looks good! What gap will you use for your 'uplift' chambers? I dont think you'd need any more than about 20mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Plan looks good! What gap will you use for your 'uplift' chambers? I dont think you'd need any more than about 20mm Ok this is it I had to drop one of my dividers as I did not have enough room for both pumps and have raised the water level to 150mm. The first pump is a Eheim Compact 1000 54.5mm x 34.5mm x 51.5 mm the second pump is the Eheim 1260 = 218mm x 116mm x 161mm . So what do you think is it ready Just realized that it will now have to be 930mm long forgot about the 5mm glass. thx Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Looks good to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spedwards Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I have a nice size Paracheirodon innesi he is a real dirty pig I thought I'd look this one up and was shocked by the adult size of your planned inhabitant, are you sure your tank will be big enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel Rat Posted August 24, 2006 Author Share Posted August 24, 2006 I have a nice size Paracheirodon innesi he is a real dirty pig I thought I'd look this one up and was shocked by the adult size of your planned inhabitant, are you sure your tank will be big enough? lol Its taken this long for some to comment about that Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spedwards Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 At first I thought I might have made a typo in the search (even though I cut and pasted ) and then thought maybe there was a giant variant I hadn't heard of before - lol Nice one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Nice work! I had no idea until I just searched it then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Did I PM you about that when you first posted it? I can't remember but as a rule I always google a species name I don't know off the top of my head Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motorman Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 LOL massive fish When I first saw the name I recognised it but when I saw the responses I thought I had it wrong lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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