DIY Filter Design - Questions and Feedback Please :)

[Stu :)]

Hiya,

I'm planning on building a external filter for my tank. The basic design I got floating around my head can be seen on the attached picture (excuse the MS Paint quickie), which is not to scale -

The pumps running the input and output are going to 1000lph. The material I'm going to use is 4-5mm perspex ('cos I've HEAPS lying around).

Questions-

1). What size/volume should each filter media slot be?

2). What size/volume of the overflow tank?

3). What's the ID of the water hose I need to use?

Feedback... anything please. Tell me if I've missed something important, something that could be done better, etc, etc...

Many thanks,

Stu

[ryanjury]

I don't know much about sumps but that is what your making..

The volumes of everything will depend on how big your tank is your wanting to filter..

I think you just want to use standard pvc piping again size depends on flow..

Are you planning on using 2 pumps? One out of the tank and one into the tank? This probably wouldn't be a good idea as you would have to make the flows of the 2 pumps the same otherwise something will overflow (ie too much in the sump if tank pump is too slow.. Best to use an overflow tank (ie pump heaps of water into the tank and overflow the excess into the sump..

Also unless your filtering a tiny tank a 1000LPH return pump would be pretty crappy at 1-2m head it will slow to around 600LPH if your doing a sump then get something grunty and make it kick ass..

[cichlid7]

you will need holes drilled in your main tank to allow water to flow to the sump.

your design is good but i would have the water flow into the sump and under the first divider not over it.

Here is a drawing of one of my sumps

the section with the pump is 30cm the rest are 15cm

[Ira]

I'd skip the last chamber with the carbon, it's useless anyway. And that way you have the opening into the pump chamber at the bottom, that way you can let the the water level drop a bit more without getting a lot of splashing and bubbles.

[jude]

You might like to make the last chamber big enough for your heater - that way all the equipment can be kept out of the tank.

I am not sure why you need the first chamber, could you not have the water flowing straight in to a chamber with filter material?

I agree with Ira about the activated charcoal, its messy, doesn't do much and need changing frequently.

The only other thing I'd change is to put the filter wool first to act as mechanical filtration, otherwise your sponges and scouring pads will clog up quickly.

[TM]

I think in general the sump design is fine, the one big thing i would change is to make sure all the baffels/dividers are below the height of the tank eg tank is 400mm high make baffels 370mm high.

By doing this you have stopped potential floods if one chamber gets blocked.

Hope that makes sense.

[Aaron-Betta]

an inline tap between the tank and the sump is always a good idea to regulate how much water flows through it. Just set it to the speed of the pump so it wont back up. Also helps when you want to turn it off and clean the sump out.

Yes i have seen set-ups where they have forgotten taps...

[Warren]

Also make sure there is spare capacity in the sump for when the pump stops. There is always extra volume required to make the water flow down the return pipe to the sump. When the pump is stopped this extra volume ends up in the sump. You need to allow for this or you'll overflow in a power-cut.

[Ira]

Also make sure there is spare capacity in the sump for when the pump stops. There is always extra volume required to make the water flow down the return pipe to the sump. When the pump is stopped this extra volume ends up in the sump. You need to allow for this or you'll overflow in a power-cut.

Yup, that too, plus the volume required to bring the main tank down to the level of the outlet in the tank where it will break the siphon. Can be quite a bit of water if you have your spraybar or whatever an inch or two under the surface.

[suphew]

Have a look at this website http://www.dursostandpipes.com/ there are also other ways to make standpipe and overflows. Check out some Marine forums like reefcentral.com and nzmas.co.nz

an in-line tap between the tank and the sump is always a good idea to regulate how much water flows through it. Just set it to the speed of the pump so it wont back up.

Having a tap is a very good idea, using it to regulate the flow is very bad. As soon as you get a bit of weed stuck in the overflow pipe you'll have a flood.

For pipe I always use pressure plumbing with glued joints, it doesn't cost much more than irrigation push fit plumbing, but peace of mind is a great thing, when its a few hundred litre's of water on your floor

[Stu :)]

Wow, thank for all your suggestions. I'm just currently putting them through the old grey matter...

Stu