New Sump for 100gl. Discus Tank.

[rbarn]

Starting in earnest on my Discus tank project now.

This is the sump I have designed.

4 consecutive chambers of mechanical filtration.
10+gal. of bio-media storage area.
extreme low agitation design to keep Co2 from off gassing.
Sealed

Will incorporate other external features as well.
Watch for updates and build pics.

24" x 24" x 18" / 40+gallons

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/th_Doc10e.jpg (http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/?action=view&current=Doc10e.flv)

[rbarn]

Water flow animation

Every time ball travels up in the first 4 chambers it will be
passing thru either pre-filter sponge of filter floss.

Big chamber in center is for bio-media.


http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/th_Doc2.jpg (http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/?action=view&current=Doc2.flv)

[rbarn]

$150 in acrylic from Lowes and about 2 hrs work

Design is simplified. First system was going to be too much work to build.

This one has (2) mechanical filtration chambers 6" x 7" X 20" each
with up-flow design for zero bypass.

Bio media chamber is about 2.7 sq ft or right at 20 gallons.

Last chamber is for heaters, Co2, drip system, overflow drain and pump pick-up.

System should flow just under 700gph with an external Mag 9 return pump
and could probably handle 1000+gph with bigger pump if needed to.



http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/60-46.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/Doc7.jpg

[Darrell Ward]

It's nice. Way more complicated than it needs to be, but it's nice. :) My sumps are either free,(made from old tanks) or cost less than $50 including plumbing. I never get that fancy.

[rbarn]

It's nice. Way more complicated than it needs to be, but it's nice. :) My sumps are either free,(made from old tanks) or cost less than $50 including plumbing. I never get that fancy.

LOL

This whole tank is going to be ridiculously over done.
From sump to controller to chiller to continuous drip water changing system

Key is trying to making everything as hands off as possible. :D

[Darrell Ward]

:thumbsup:

[rbarn]

Little vid of the complete system planned.

Fairly rough, but everything is to scale

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/th_Doc11.jpg (http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/?action=view&current=Doc11.flv)

[rbarn]

Sump is finally done. Lid and all. Just need to install bulkheads and media.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/sump2.jpg


Incorporated a Co2 diffusion area into the sump also.
Co2 will get knocked around in channels before getting sucked
up by pump and sent to tank. Should give 100% diffusion. Nowhere for
Co2 to go and by the time it makes it to the tank, should full dissolved.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i248/rbarn1234/sump1.jpg

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

Looks good....quick question. What did you use to assemble the sump?? From the pics it looks like silicone (im hoping im wrong). Also, acrylic from Home Depot/Lowes is extruded acrylic and will swell overtime since it will be holding water and has been known to fail down the road. Just becareful. Since it is a relatively small volume of water, you should be ok for a while.

-Ryan

[rbarn]

It was glued together with Weld On cement

Just has some silicone in corners I wanted to make 100% sure
were water tight since my seems weren't exactly perfect.

10/4 on cheap acrylic swelling. Learn something new everyday.
Will keep an eye on it over the years.

With all the internal baffling its a pretty rigid structure with
no one area taking much pressure, so should be fine

Gonna be out in garage too, so if makes a mess not gonna flood the living room.

[jeff@zina.com]

Just has some silicone in corners I wanted to make 100% sure
were water tight since my seems weren't exactly perfect.

Silicone doesn't seal to acrylic... :o

Jeff

[rbarn]

It does seal, but it doesnt make any kind of structural bond.

I'm 99.9% sure all the seams were sealed with Weld On, but there
were a couple spots that had me at that 0.1% worry, so gave all the corners a quick
thin bead with finger tip.

Take her out on the deck for a test fill this weekend :D