Fish Room Rookie

[chago09]

Ok I am planning on building a room with 8 x 75 gallon tanks.

I am planning on using the simple metal stands sold at pet stores which hold on tank on top and one on bottom. I will be attaching 4 tanks per sump. Here is a drawing, I know it looks very professional LOL

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f239/chago09/fishroom.jpg

1.) OK first question is as you can see the sump will be on the floor(foam underneath) The top of the bioballs will be only a few inches below the bulkhead of the bottom tank, will this be fine??? like will gravity take effect here for the drain???

2.) Ok you can see the top two tanks will attach into the same line as the bottom tanks that way only 2 pipes enter the bioballs not 4. Is this ok??? if power goes out will the top tank drain into the bottom tank???

3.) The one pump will need to pump the water up to the "T" which will send water in two directions. Then those two will be split again. I assume there will be different flows in each of the 4 tanks???? is this bad??? any better ways to make all 4 tanks getting the same flow?

4.) How powerful of a pump will be required??? how many gallons should it be rated for??? Will this be enough turnover??

5.) how many bioballs will be needed for this system???

Thanks for all your help

[davidude36]

2.) Ok you can see the top two tanks will attach into the same line as the bottom tanks that way only 2 pipes enter the bioballs not 4. Is this ok??? if power goes out will the top tank drain into the bottom tank???

Hey, just to answer this question - i think you should place a few "Non return valves" if that is possible with the pipes there, in a few places which will stop one tank draining in to the other.

Just an idea (I'm not the most experienced fish room maker, in fact I too am a rookie)

Anyways, good luck with your project!

-DDD

[fishmama]

How about running 4x75gal with 4x75gal behind and the sump at one end perpendicular to the racks...this would be less space/more tanks and easier plumbing IMO.

[RockRiverfish]

I never really liked the double metal stands because it is very difficult to siphon debris off the bottom of the lower tank. Usually the water pressure just isn't enough to get a good siphon going. This can be over-come by using a python type cleaner or some form of pump assisted system to remove waste from the bottom of the tank. But with that said...

1) The drains in the lower tanks should be fine with just a few inches of drop in order for gravity to feed to the sump.

2) You might get away with this set up for the drains since overflow plumbing will usually have a natural air break (ie the pipes usually are not full), but I wouldn't risk it. There is still a chance that this design could develop a siphon and overfill the lower tanks. I can't see a good reason to reduce the drain lines from 4 into 2 unless you are severely limited in space.

3) Depending on how the water will be returned to the tank (spray bar/surface return/below water return), you may want to install check valves on each of these four lines to prevent a siphon effect. The easiest way to regulate the flow to each tank would be to install a ball valve on each of the four lines going into the tanks. This way you can adjust the flow individually. This will also allow you to shut off individual tanks if needed. You could also build a manifold with one line, and a ball valve, feeding each tank.

4) Pump size will depend on how many times you want to "turn over" each tank per hour, as well as the total head height. Four 75 gallon tanks equals 300 total gallons of water. I like a minimum turn over of 4x per hour, so that would require moving 1200 gallons per hour. There are alot of factors that go into head height, mainly the height that water needs to be pumped "up-hill" and through pipe restrictions. Assuming the highest point of the return plumbing will be roughly 5 feet above the pump you are starting with 5 feet of "head height", and then you have to figure in the pipe restrictions. This gets pretty complicated, but I have seen it estimated at 1 foot per plumbing elbow (tee/90 degree elbow/etc). Once you decide how many gallons you want to move per hour, and the estimated amount of head pressure, you can refer to the flow chart that is usually listed for a pump to determine the correct model.

[pete321]

I would make the bottom tank higher and drill the bottom of the tanks for a stand pipe overflow.

[salth20]

I would make the bottom tank higher and drill the bottom of the tanks for a stand pipe overflow.
Agree, to a point. Those floor tanks need to be up some. That is just too much work to be either on your knees, or bending over to service. Also, consider just two drain lines, and two returns. If your tanks are like this
A B
C D
Have the water return to A and B. The overflows from A and B are plumbed to feed C and D. Their overflows return to the sump. If you are a little creative, the plumbing can be set up to bypass any tank if needed. The return to A can be directed into the overflow, and voila, tank A is now off line. Same for C. The overflow from A is attached directly to the standpipe of C, taking it off line. I would put a sponge filter in each tank, along with the trickle and sump, as a backup. Have fun, good luck.