3000L tank what filteration

[benfarrow]

Hi guys,

I'm helping someone out with their very large tank. The Tank its self is 3.3mx1.2mx0.8m and is currently only filtered by a pool filter. This is the problem as this filter is going to be inadequate to give the required results of crystal clear water. The tank is set to have around 20cm of sand as substrate and will be moderately stocked with large tangs.

The way I see it is there are three ways to successfully do this

1. 3 Eheim Pros or FX5’s

2. 1 Ezypod

3. Sump

I think the 3 canisters will become a problem later on as I feel required maintenance simply won’t be done; this person doesn’t like the ezypod simply because they are $1500 here and $500 in the UK (both in AUD). So we are leaning towards a sump. This is where I have a problem, as my experience in this field is zero! So with this let your ideas and directions flow forward! Please feel free to post pics as well

Thanks

Ben

[Josh]

Use the pool filter and then an extra filter to catch fine particles, easy fix

I would be be using a 20cm deep sand bed, unless he has something to stir it a lot!

Josh

[fongyfong]

yeah go the sump, and get multlpe overflow boxes. Ask cthompson hes got a 10 footer so hed have expereince in running a massive tank or have a look in his gallery to get an idea

[Link2Hell]

Ben

can you give a few more details

will this tank be display in a home or breeding tank

in a fishroom

is it already running with the pool filter or only in the

planning stages

what are the specs of the pool filter and how noisy is it

why does he want 20 cm (8") of substrate as it seems

too deep and may develop dead zones where there is no

turn over of the sand ........ 10 cm would be max IMO

I'm guessing the Tangs will be crater nest builders and

a large species

going to a project this size the last place you want to skimp

is in the filtration ....... like having a Ferrari and parking it

on the street

Chris

[benfarrow]

Ben

can you give a few more details

will this tank be display in a home or breeding tank

in a fishroom

is it already running with the pool filter or only in the

planning stages

what are the specs of the pool filter and how noisy is it

why does he want 20 cm (8") of substrate as it seems

too deep and may develop dead zones where there is no

turn over of the sand ........ 10 cm would be max IMO

I'm guessing the Tangs will be crater nest builders and

a large species

going to a project this size the last place you want to skimp

is in the filtration ....... like having a Ferrari and parking it

on the street

The tank is a feature point in a resort, it is currently running some sort of pool filter - he is yet to get back to me with specs, but it does run pretty quiet. In the past he has kept a mix of natives and Americans, but never had much success. I wonder why????

So he has purchased 10 Oreochromis tanganicae, 13 Frontosa mpimbwe, 7 C. furcifer Mbete, and several others.

With the money he has already spent on both tank (the front panel alone was $11000!!!) and fish I have convinced him to spend a little more on a better filtration.

Chris

[benfarrow]

Bloody iPhones

[Link2Hell]

sounds mighty good

if it's established and running fine and the only

problem is to reduce particulates I would do as

Josh suggested and run the return through a

finer filter medium and back to the tank with

maybe a waterfall incorporated into a return

sump/media container using foam and dacron

mat in the chambers and a drainable waste sump

Chris

[CThompson]

I agree with all the questions and comments that Chris has made, and more details are needed. Particularly photographs.

I don't understand why 20cm of sand has been used, the tank is already shallow (compared to other dimensions), not to mention the reason Chris has pointed out.

A sump is definitely the way to go, but maybe a bit late to install one as the tank itself will most likely need modifications, drilled holes, overflow box/s depending on what type/size/location of sump, and the existing tank’s characteristics.

Sumps to some extent need to be planned from the outset, and the possibilities of retrofitting one on an established tank will be dictated by the tank itself, circumstances, keenness, all generally made harder with large tanks.

Large external power filters may be the way to go, and if the client has issues with cleaning, some of the large backflow pond canister filters which can be cleaned while doing water changes without opening, may be a quicker, easier, and less troublesome solution. Can’t think of the brand name I have on one of my tanks (PM me if you want it), but I have learned it doesn’t do well with a sand substrate and fish that dig, as the internal sponges get clogged/filled with sand and go near rock hard. So if you decide to go with a backflow filter with internal sponges don’t use sand as a substrate. 3mm and above would be okay to use.

What ever way you go, you still want to turn the tank over 6-8 + times per hour.

[benfarrow]

I agree with all the questions and comments that Chris has made, and more details are needed. Particularly photographs.

I don't understand why 20cm of sand has been used, the tank is already shallow (compared to other dimensions), not to mention the reason Chris has pointed out.

A sump is definitely the way to go, but maybe a bit late to install one as the tank itself will most likely need modifications, drilled holes, overflow box/s depending on what type/size/location of sump, and the existing tank’s characteristics.

Sumps to some extent need to be planned from the outset, and the possibilities of retrofitting one on an established tank will be dictated by the tank itself, circumstances, keenness, all generally made harder with large tanks.

Large external power filters may be the way to go, and if the client has issues with cleaning, some of the large backflow pond canister filters which can be cleaned while doing water changes without opening, may be a quicker, easier, and less troublesome solution. Can’t think of the brand name I have on one of my tanks (PM me if you want it), but I have learned it doesn’t do well with a sand substrate and fish that dig, as the internal sponges get clogged/filled with sand and go near rock hard. So if you decide to go with a backflow filter with internal sponges don’t use sand as a substrate. 3mm and above would be okay to use.

What ever way you go, you still want to turn the tank over 6-8 + times per hour.

Ok so this is the setup running ATM as it turns out it looks a little better then what he originally had described, now he has decided against the 10 Ot's so we no longer need that much sand. But still I feel he would be better of removing the under gravel part all together and just replace it with a strainer? Another issue to note is he has temperature problems, as the tank water averages about 29/30 degrees.

Thanks

[CThompson]

All filter types have their pros and cons, and personally I think UG are great, but as with all filters, circumstances can make a filtration type a lesser choice. I agree the UG is not the best choice, in this case, if you have Africans, they dig, so unless you provide a dig proof membrane (predator mesh would do it), as soon as a fish digs to the UG piping, the bulk of the through water will go via this rout and bypass most if not all the rest.

If you wanted to provide a layer to prevent digging, and keep the current filtration system, and add to it with what ever additional external filters, that would be an option, but the water flow is an issue.

I see you have two filters in line. I will make the assumption that they are adequate for their capacity, but when I look at the pump, is that saying 2,800 lph? A 3000 litre tank on minimum turnover needs around 3000 x 6(?) = 18,000 lph pump. I'm not familiar with the pump in use and may have misunderstood the written information, e.g. "2800" is "RPM" (revs per minute), which is not a measurement that depicts how much water it moves.

It would be interesting to see the difference in filtration if this pump was swapped out for a pump with greater capacity. An Oase, which are silent, great head, and cost $;

http://oase.com.au/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=46&zenid=2d586fb170988a79949a184e28fe3bd2

would do a great job.

If the current filtration system can handle a larger pump (which I doubt as the plumbing will be wrong for a larger pump), this may be enough to keep the tank clear.

If you used a Oase pump with one of their filters;

http://www.creativepumps.com.au/zpumps/oase/filters/filtoclear/filtoclear_3000_6000_11000.htm

of an appropriate size, they would keep the tank clean and easy maintenance on the filter with its back flush ability. It would probably be better plumbed, but I doubt the tank will have sympathetic plumbing.

It's hard to say more than that as with no photos and not knowing what is acceptable to customer nor what will fit the space….you also don't say why the heating issue. This can be critical and may dictate what fish types are kept.

All the best,

Craig