I have been working on creating a nice-looking, informative schematic of Tom's 180 Gallon Starphire tank. It is still a work in progress, as I am touching up details here and there as I get more input and corrections from Tom.

At the moment, it is a large 22x17 in. PDF. I have made a temporary "smaller" version at 12x12in. Acrobat Reader and other PDF viewers typically make it simple to zoom and move around, as well as scale prints to other paper sizes.

Again, this is a work in progress. Hopefully this will help answer a lot of questions! I know I learned a lot by making it, as it forced me to read through the many postings more carefully and piece together the information.

Let me know what you think! I want to continue this diagramming idea for the other ideas I am not understanding well such as "sealed sumps/wet-dry" (to prevent CO2), more detailed diagram of mazzei or other CO2 diffusion methods, etc etc etc.

Hopefully pictures will speak thousands of words. :-)

Attached to this message is a scaled-down PNG of the larger PDF files.

The PDF files are here: Full Version, or the Scaled Down Version

That's really neat! Aren't there valves in the two parallel filter lines, which allow adjusting the flow between the two? And, what extra plumbing allows reverse flushing the filters?

I'm not sure about the other valves. If given a detailed list, I will add whatever is missing. I would like to make it complete and clear.

Vaughn, no there are no valves to direct flow between the filters.

The reason being, that I wanted the flow to naturally switch over due to backpressure clogging in the mechanical section(I can also monitor the pressure via a pressure gauge). This also maximizes flow rate.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Does the Iwaki pump essentially "push" the water through the filters, heater, CO2, etc, and back into the tank?

On my lunch break here, I was just going over the 180 Starphire thread, and realized there was mention of using a sump with an add-on overflow, and that I do not have that represented in the schematic.

1. Is this a sealed sump to prevent CO2 escape?
   1. If so, is this a commercially available sump? If so, what is the make and model?
   2. If not, is this d.i.y., or just (heavily) modified commercial model?
   3. (I am looking to get an image so I can draw it at some point.)
   4. (How does one seal a sump anyway and have air/oxygen for the bio media?)
2. Is there a separate pump for the return?
   1. If so, what is the make and model?
   2. Where and how is the water returned to the tank?

No rush... :-)

Jason,

If you didn't ask these last questions about the sump, I was going to ... thanks for saving me the trouble.

Very helpful diagram, by the way...

Yep.
I'm not really worried about flow, just getting good filtration, good CO2/heat etc, then the EcoTech MP40 will mix the tank's water well.


Regards,
Tom Barr

I have a simple design for the sump.
It's got a lid on the "wetdry" section like most.

However, I do use the bioballs here.
I remove then and add some egg crate to support the ring on a sock filter.
This provides a sealed area to reduce off gassing.

Then the water exits below, very well filtered by the sock filter into the sponge/lava rock, zeolite, denitrifyer, carbon, CO2, heater, whatever you wanna put there.

This(sealed section) keeps anything that's sucked down the pipe in the water and not degassed.

You can DIY with some tape or rubber sealant, foam insulation etc, use lock down pressure clamps like on those jars they use for food storage etc.

Then you snap them open, clean the sock and return.

I typically keep several socks on hand, a 1 mic, 5mic and 20 mic, then a set of 50 and 100 microns.

I'll add the 50 and on the outside of that, a 5 micron.
After they start over flow and by passing the sock, I replace with a new set and soak old ones in the bleach water for a day then rinse and dry for the next time.

Inside this sealed chamber, you can add biomedia also, do not waste the space.

Since you prefilter the water well with the socks, then the sponge and other biomdeia does not foul much if at all and rrely needs cleaning, which is what Nama nwas eluding to in another thread about biodynamic aquariums.

Check out that thread, Naman left soem excellent discussing points and some great links to sumps and over flowes, Grugle buster is great.

I think having gone this route, one I rarely do, I've learned a lot.
Not so much theory, rather, practical use.

I think in general, I prefer wet dry sumps(without the bioballs, and replace with the socks).

I'll have to live with the built in over flow, and plan on adding them to most of my tanks in the future.
I'll stillr etain the pressurized loops and the OC mechanical filtration, those are hard to beat and use them at the end after the sump for the return.

So the over flow=> sock filter in sealed chamber, biomedia=> CO2/heater =>sump bulkhead=> Main return pump => OC 325 etc(I can add two of these in parallel by buying another pleated cartiage) => return to tank.

I like surface skimming a lot. Evaporation losses on larger tanks are a bit of a PITA, and the flow and O2 levels are higher/better with the sump configuration, thjey can handle higher fish loads.

You also have plenty of CO2 options without nearly as many issues and all equipment is out of the tank other than the over flow box.

I have the full set of CPR over flows for all my tanks, bu I like the built in the over flows more, even if it does take up space inside the tank, I think the trade off is worth it over all.

I have both systems independent on several tanks for clients.
I wanted to see how this one would fair compared to the sumps.

I think I like the sumps more.

So when I move or break down a tank, I'll add the built in over flows and make them as thin and small as possible. I'll drill new holes as well so I have a pair for a return and for the drain.

I can still use all the same filters etc, I'll just add the sump and sock.

Regards,
Tom Barr




Regards,
Tom Barr

Tom,

If you are drilling a hole for the sump return, it sounds like you are sending the return in thru the bottom of the tank. How do you stop the sump from overflowing when you turn things off? Is there a ball valve just under the return bulk head? I would imagine that ball valves can leak, if not cleaned occasionally. So, do you have a valve above the ball valve too, so you can remove and clean the ball valve occasionally? I'm thinking long-term maintenance and also not flooding my room with 100+G of water.