How to utilize a very low flow tank (1 Viewer)

[jqsquared]

I have a 20g plumbed into sump but the gravity feed is terribly slow like maybe 50gph. The original idea was for a fuge. This worked ok. Although slowly just became a detritus trap. I struggled to find an appropriate sized power head to work well. So I attempted to convert it into a frag tank got a better light. Now it just grows algae.

My options to do it right are to take it offline. Drill the tank to accommodate larger output lines and raise the tank to encourage the gravity feed. This obviously requires significant work.

So before I go this route is there any thing anyone knows of that I could use this space for? Filtration? Bio media? Open to any ideas.




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[Reefahholic]

Y'all already knew what I'm gonna say. Haha

Sounds like a perfect Siporax pond to me! Nice low flow...denitrification...

 

[houstonreefer]

Y'all already knew what I'm gonna say. Haha

Sounds like a perfect Siporax pond to me! Nice low flow...denitrification...

Hah saw that a mile away. That said, after reading your thread I've been thinking to setup an additional low flow tank in the garage similar to OP

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[jqsquared]

Ok but I saw on the thread people had like spray jets circling etc. thought that would be more for high flow


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[Reefahholic]

Ok but I saw on the thread people had like spray jets circling etc. thought that would be more for high flow


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Yeah that one guy had some crazy stuff going!

Low flow is what you want. PSX can weigh in on that.

 

[Reefahholic]

I have 3 tanks that need to be gravity fed or somehow tied into the display.

Only have spots for two to sit up higher to be gravity fed, so I'm trying to figure out what to do with the third one.

 

[jqsquared]

I might need to look into this. I just don't know enough about the flow requirements.


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[jqsquared]

This was from the build. Main problem was I had a 3/4 bulkhead which would have worked fine but the clearance between the stand brace in the front didn't allow me to run 3/4 so I had to reduce to 1/2. Bad move on my part.

Flow through there is powered off a valve water coming in looks like the water coming out of a reactor. Slow!!!! Just enough to not get super stagnant.


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[Reefahholic]

Beautiful setup man! Great stand height!

I tell you something that will help a bit is Dr. Tim's Waste-Away. That stuff absolutely works 100%. I'm not even joking. I run clean systems anyway, but I dumped some in the tank and went to lay down and heard some strange noises coming from the living room. I was thinking dang...I got a water leak or something is flooding.

That stuff had my pipes running so clean that the water flow noises changed. Lol

Going back to what you said about reducing to 1/2". That's why I constantly tell people to run at least 3/4" returns and 1.5" drains on about anything. Unless you going under 40/G's.

I wish some of these return pumps had 1" inlets / outlets. You can adapt/ > up to 1" but I don't think you get the proper flow due to the smaller inlet /outlet. At least the return pipe has less chance of clogs or slower flow.

This was from the build. Main problem was I had a 3/4 bulkhead which would have worked fine but the clearance between the stand brace in the front didn't allow me to run 3/4 so I had to reduce to 1/2. Bad move on my part.

Flow through there is powered off a valve water coming in looks like the water coming out of a reactor. Slow!!!! Just enough to not get super stagnant.


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[Reefahholic]

Dude...honestly, add a small pump like an ehiem compact pump (600).

Does the red gate valve feed the tank when the system is running?

 

[jqsquared]

Yes red gate valve on the right hand side. Next to one of the cfl. I can adjust flow in with this.

I have thought about just speeding up the flow using a pump to push it back into the sump faster. Just was focusing on something less to maintain.


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[jqsquared]

Semi recent display shot.


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[Reefahholic]

Georgous tank man! I just love tanks with a lot of softies. I like SPS tanks, but there's not a lot of movement as you'd have with more softies. I'm gonna try a do a good mix of both on my new build. Maybe leaning more SPS dominant due to colors im trying to achieve.

Anyway, well done!

 

[Reefahholic]

Yeah I know what you mean. I have the same issue right now and will be looking at other setups and thinking about it the next few days. I'll let you know what I come up with. If you think of something let me know too.

Yes red gate valve on the right hand side. Next to one of the cfl. I can adjust flow in with this.

I have thought about just speeding up the flow using a pump to push it back into the sump faster. Just was focusing on something less to maintain.


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[Reefahholic]

BTW...that's one big azz hammer!! How long did it take you to grow him that big?

Are you up for a tank video? I'd like to get you, Mark, and a few others.

 

[jqsquared]

Yeah the hammer is big. Not even sure how many heads it is now. Have had him at least 4 years maybe a little longer.

Tank video sounds cool. Saw Andre's looked cool!


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[Reefahholic]

Check out this hammer!







[video=youtube;sOwut9cSwMU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOwut9cSwMU[/video]

 

[jqsquared]

That's impressive!! Hard to tell the color from the video. Euphyllia has a special place in my heart. One of my favorites. Never had a tank without some kind of variety of them.


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[Reefahholic]

Me too. Here's the color.

That's impressive!! Hard to tell the color from the video. Euphyllia has a special place in my heart. One of my favorites. Never had a tank without some kind of variety of them.

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[Reefahholic]

This was from the build. Main problem was I had a 3/4 bulkhead which would have worked fine but the clearance between the stand brace in the front didn't allow me to run 3/4 so I had to reduce to 1/2. Bad move on my part.

Flow through there is powered off a valve water coming in looks like the water coming out of a reactor. Slow!!!! Just enough to not get super stagnant.


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The more I thought about this and looked at the picture....I'd do this personally.

I'd drill both the sump and remote fuge for either (2) 1.5" or 2" bulkheads where the meet back to back.

Then join them together.

Then install a small quiet low wattage pump in the fuge behind the baffle that continuously sucks water from the fuge and over to the sump. With the tanks joined together with two bulkheads up top, that will regulate your water level. You could even use the manifold feed to run a new reactor as it wouldn't be needed to feed that fuge tank anymore because they'd be joined together with water freely moving to and from both tanks.


See how these are joined and how the bulkheads dictate the water level.