One Tank To Rule Them All

[Steve]

It's looking good Ron I'm really liking it. Gonna be so cool to see all that front to back depth right in the wall once it's filled and has fish. Given any thought as to what type of rocks and or wood and how it's gonna be arranged yet? A nice wood center piece right against the center overflow might look cool. Or maybe a pile of rocks hiding it too. SO many options with a tank like that!

[Ron]

Right now the front to back depth is really poor with the tank being empty. Then you walk around the corner and it's like "whoa"!

I'm not 100% sure what to do with decor yet. I'm trying to keep it natural, so there won't be wood. Lake Malawi rocky habitat is often large boulders, but I'm not sure I really want to put 100lb rocks into the tank. I'm still mulling over just how much rock work too. I want to keep the tank open a bit with a larger sandy portion. The open, sandy area will be opposite the overflow.

I've got a background for the rear of the tank, I just need to cut it down to size and figure out exactly how I want to attach it (no silicone - needs to be removable without damaging the tank). I was thinking magnets, but may also try fabricating clamps of some kind. I also have a background to wrap the overflow with as well so it won't look like a big plastic box. It'll be a big rock-looking box.    Hopefully the rocks can help blend the hard edges a bit.

The pump return to the tank will go behind the overflow, out of view. I was going to do a UGJ setup, but have since decided to skip it for now and maybe it later if needed. I have more things to share pictures of, but haven't had the time yet.

[Rob S]

Love the idea of open areas for Phenos and Fossi's. I think too often African tanks have way too much rock work and you really are minimizing the space in the tank. The fish like to swim, not just bounce off of rocks all day. Of course a tank of this size is the exception!

[Steve]

 

I've got a background for the rear of the tank, I just need to cut it down to size and figure out exactly how I want to attach it

Okay, you know with the 3d BG guy I am...I have to ask, what background do you have?

[Ron]

I've got a background for the rear of the tank, I just need to cut it down to size and figure out exactly how I want to attach it

Okay, you know with the 3d BG guy I am...I have to ask, what background do you have?

Yep. I do think your DIY backgrounds look great. Initially I was going to go that route, then I became worried about how I was going to hold the background in place, since a lot of styrofoam would also be buoyant. I didn't want to use silicone since it'd be hard to remove if it ever needed removal. I did some searching for alternatives.

Looking at premanufactored backgrounds, it was pricey, but considering the time I'd spend going a DIY route and that I'm always short on time, I figured I'd splurge. I checked in to "Back To Nature", the original name in premade 3D background modules. The biggest problem I saw was getting modules that would look good together for the entire length of the tank. I'd also have to connect multiple sections, since the acrylic tank has euro-bracing with a full sheet that contains cutouts (AKA there isn't a big opening in the top of the tank like a glass tank would have).

After more searching for better options I came across flexible backgrounds and pulled the trigger on it. It's a full sheet, but will roll up to fit into the tank, so I won't have to reconnect sections. Taking the texture into account, it shouldn't take more than 1/2"-3/4" of the tank from the width of the tank. It's rubber and won't float - will be held in by the substrate and rockwork along the base and only needs some additional, improvised support along the top (it came with clips to hold it up, but they only work on a non-eurobraced tank. It also saves me the estimated 60+ hours to make a full DIY background. 

Full length sheet (I still have to cut a couple inches off the height and get some magnets to hold the top up securely)


I also got a second portion to wrap the overflow on the three sides viewable from the front - snapped a poor shot of it in the tank:


Doesn't look spectacular yet, but should once the tank is filled, full decor, and lighting.

[danielratti]

Ron for magnets try sure grip 100s or even see if you can find some magnivor magnets for cheap.

[Ron]

Ron for magnets try sure grip 100s or even see if you can find some magnivor magnets for cheap.

Those Sure Grip 100s would work, but $28 per pair of magnets is too hard to swallow. I tried to find some larger pictures to see if any markings on the magnet would give away a part number or something to identify it, but no dice so far.

[danielratti]

I have some actually so I can look for you tomorrow.  I'm decided to sell my maginavore 6er too if you are interested in that too.  I liked them on acrylic tanks didn't scratch them up like mag floats did.

[Ron]

I have some actually so I can look for you tomorrow.  I'm decided to sell my maginavore 6er too if you are interested in that too.  I liked them on acrylic tanks didn't scratch them up like mag floats did.

Sounds good - PM sent as well on the 6ER.

[Ron]

I've been working on planning the plumbing and acquiring parts. The overflow system is going to be similar to this:




I also got some rocks washed today:

(Rocks are 2 layers deep with most of the smaller ones hidden - tiles are 12"x12" for scale.)

[Arturtle]

I've run that drain setup but a little reversed.  I normally put the T on the inside so the vent stays in the tank.  You can also run a pipe the the bottom this way, and notch the top piece of the T to surface skim. 

Personally if instead of capping the end like shown, I would simply run that tube taller than the tank for a vent, and then if it clogged it would not overflow but push water down other pipes.  If you cap the ends like that you're going to have a cycle of siphons and a ton of gurgling, running a large open vent through the top will eliminate a lot of that.

[Ron]

Thanks for the feedback. My impression had been that leaving them uncapped would cause them to be louder than if they were capped, but I've also never run a sump setup before.

The design is along this basis:
1 drain runs at full syphon, which should be quiet once it gets humming.
1 drain runs at less than full syphon and is of a durso-style to quiet the noise. If the water level runs too high, it cuts off the air input, which will allow higher throughput.
1 drain functions only as a backup/emergency drain (higher than the rest) and is intended to allow full syphon, but the extra noise will only occur either at start-up or in a true emergency (otherwise the other two handle the flow rate)

I found it on ReefCentral and there was good support for it being quiet - I guess I'll find out myself how well it works.

My setup will have the drains in tank, in an overflow chamber, and not outside the tank like shown in the photos.

With regards to clogging, I ordered a pump rated at 4280gph at 0' head and am hoping for around 3500gph in reality. I have two 1.5" drains, each good for 2100gph and one 2" drain good for 3300gph (per chart here, gravity flow: http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml). I know the durso style one won't get full flow, but I should have more than enough with any two of the 3 working. The overflow chamber should also help prevent anything large enough to clog a pipe from reaching them.

I'm also not using the ball valves on the drain lines - struck me as pointless. I did get one for the return line (4th line - not shown in images).

If I've overlooked anything or you have any other thoughts, please let me know.  Most of the parts are arriving, but I haven't started gluing anything together yet, so changes can be made.

[Steve]

That's some good sized rock ya got there Ron that'll look good in there

[lilscoots]

Ron you're correct on the functioning of that style of overflow.  It is dead silent when dialed in.  The hum of my little computer fan cooling my lights is louder than my sump pushing 1600 gph.

[Ron]

Ron you're correct on the functioning of that style of overflow.  It is dead silent when dialed in.  The hum of my little computer fan cooling my lights is louder than my sump pushing 1600 gph.

Good to hear that from someone with one! Since all my drains aren't the same size, which position would you use the 2" drain with? My initial thought was to use my largest drain for the full syphon, as it would allow the max flow, yet I could also adjust the water level/flowrate if I put a gate valve on it.