Michigan Cichlid Association
General Category => DIY => Topic started by: mightieskeeper on March 05, 2013, 03:08:53 PM
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I want opinions on my new setup that I am planning on building. I going to build a stand for six ten gallon tanks and a wet dry. The setup will be 4 tiers tall. 2 10s on the 1st shelf. 2 10s on the 2nd shelf. 2 10s on the 3rd shelf. The wet dry will be on the bottom shelf. I drilling all 6 tanks with 1" bulkhead. The tanks will be plumbed in series top to bottom, with the return pump pumping to the top 2 tanks. The top 2 tanks will be t with ball valves. The rest of the tanks will be gravity feed into the tank below it. I will be using a small pump 500 gph at 0' head. The setup will be for raising the same strain of guppies. I know there are risks using central filteration. I have almost everything for this project already. I know commercial fish stores use setups with this design. All the intakes will be sponged to make sure fish don't travel. I will have a uv on this setup. I looking for others that have done this design.
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Never done anything even close to this myself. Other than having to treat everything if its needed... I like the idea.
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Wouldn't the lower tanks collect more "crud" ? If the water is only being filter into the upper tanks, as the water moves down the chain, the water quality would degragate from level to level.
Thus causing increased wc's in the lower levels moving upward.....
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I guess there could be more stuff in the bottom tank, but I doing t it. Water quality would have to be the same, it's a closed loop system and it is all mixing.
Just like you would only need one heater for the entire set up. Water temperature would be equal, as well as nitrates, Ph, etc.
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Wouldn't the lower tanks collect more "crud" ? If the water is only being filter into the upper tanks, as the water moves down the chain, the water quality would degragate from level to level.
Thus causing increased wc's in the lower levels moving upward.....
He was going to use sponges between the levels to keep fish (and crud) from moving.
Overall the plan sounds good. Are the tanks facing longways out or stacked side by side? If side by side you could fit in another extra tank or two on each level if you wanted.
The only possible downfall I see is if the levels can't drain water out fast enough for how much is coming in. Size your drains bigger than the pump by a safe margin and stay on top of cleaning sponges as needed and you should be good to go!
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I've been contemplating the same thing but half your design size. I have 3 x 10g (1 not in use) and need a better setup.
Please post pics, good luck