Aqua Posted August 13, 2003 Report Share Posted August 13, 2003 with regards to Shilo's DIY wet/dry trickle filter, would it be feasible to have the same sort of set-up, simply minituarised, and for only CO2? I've got a pic on my work comp of what I mean, but I can't upload it!! Basically, I have envisioned a small(ish) container (acting as the sump, and totally enclosed), with a submersible pump, a heater, intake for the water, another intake for the CO2, and the outlet for the sub pump, with the CO2 enriched & heated water going back to the tank... (obviously this would mean that you'd need a lot of GOOD sealant for the 5 holes it'd make... CO2 inlet, water inlet, outlet, and cables for heater & pump.) Anybody got any other ideas? I think it would be great if it's workable, cause the CO2 would get dissolved w/out having a great big bell in your tank, the heater isn't in the tank anymore, so less visible etc... there'd just be another 2 pipes hanging off the back of the tank! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted August 14, 2003 Report Share Posted August 14, 2003 It should work. Basically an oversize CO2 reactor with the heater in it. But some things to watch out for are: 1. To much CO2 build up. If your CO2 bottle is too efficient you will end up with a tank full of lovely little bubbles when the water level drops to the pump height. Same goes if the water falls down near the pump (don't ask me how I know!). You might want the pump inside the tank or in a separate container (with the heater) instead. 2. A good sealant will be hard to find since CO2 reacts with silica. Rubber O rings and bulkheads may be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted August 14, 2003 Report Share Posted August 14, 2003 I like sumps ! They hold all the gear ya hate to look at. But unless you have a hole in your tank, they are difficult to install. Ideally you need a hole at the max water height or through bottom with a pipe at max water height. Any time you try and get water out and back in at the same rate you are playing with danger...... the only alternative I can think of for you is... since you are making a hood.... put a small sump in the hood (above the tank). Pump the water up and have an overflow that allows excess water to overflow back to tank. If the pump fails no flooding.... for your C02 i would expect you only need a small shallow sump.... I find my syphons fail a lot because of air bubble buildup..... There are 'failsafe' add-on overflows but I have discovered that failsafe passive syphons aren't.... Shilo, what is min bell size for efficiency? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted August 14, 2003 Report Share Posted August 14, 2003 Shilo, what is min bell size for efficiency? Major shug of shoulders. I just grabbed the size container that is low enough for my sump water level and high enough for the pumps. It probably depends on the size of the CO2 bottle and its output. Currently there is about a 1cm layer of CO2 in the bell (Layer size is 25cmX25cmX1cm = .000625m3). I have 2 bottles of 1.5ltr and 2.75ltr running. The larger one I changed yesterday so is at max output. The level never gets more then 1cm in the bell. If you are only running a 1.5ltr then you could safely half my bell size. I did have a conventional bell setup inside the tank as an experiment for awhile. This was 1cmX10cmX5cm (10cm2 surface area) but the CO2 used to bubble out of it from a 1.5ltr bottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 Peety, you don't need any holes cut in the tank, though that simplifies things. You can make/use a hang on back overflow instead, water just siphons into the overflow(Just keeping water level in the overflow at tank level) and then it drains out of the overflow exactly the same as it would a hole in the tank. Can't find any pictures or diagrams for you though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 Ira, I know what you mean ...it uses a passive syphon to keep water in a hangon reservior at the same level as the main tank, the reservoir has the overflow. Problem is, I have a couple of passive syphons involved in the plumbing of my tank, and they fail occasionally... it seems that air bubbles in the water gradually fills the syphon and it eventually stops...there may be a fix for it but i haven't seen one. I have even had my fish swim from tank to tank through my syphon, so it could be possible for a fish to end up in there as well..... They do work but you just have to keep an eye them... Since the sump doesn't need to be huge because its not being used for filtration, it could all be held in a hangon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 I think the size of the siphon hose might make a difference, but I'm not sure if bigger or smaller would be better. I'm thinking a big one wouldn't be effected by air as much, but a small would have the water going through faster and might just carry the bubbles through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 Definitly bigger. I'm using a 30mm pvc pipe from a sink elbow and have no problems at all with air in the syphon (input to the tank is from 2 x 13mm pipes). When I tried 2 x 20mm tubes I had major air problems. Also Peety do you have a grid ("teeth") at the top of the internal overflow container? This should stop any fish going on a hydroslide ride . The only trouble I have experianced with the system is if I haven't cleaned this grid for a few weeks and it has become blocked with plant debris. This causes the tank level to rise high enough to allow the fish to jump over the container wall. I have no worries about leaving the system going by itself while on holiday for a week or so at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 hee hee... I have small tubes that syphon the sumps to keep them level, and a large pipe that runs between the two main tanks... both seem to get affected. It takes over a month though (maybe as long as two, but the smaller is worse) so as long as you can correct the prob it probally won't matter. My pipes are realllly hard to get at so it causes me mucho paino... I will probally need to rethink it at some stage. My large pipe i left open, its about 2 1/2 inch pipe which is just perfect for my smaller fish to go roaming... I just thought rather than go down that road, it may be easier in the long run to do it another way... There was a post in the past about the glass bridge thing which I thought was brill... heres the link again... my passive syphon thing works the same way, I just dont have a clear pipe, pity... http://www.bio-elite.com/waterbridge.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 So long as the freshwater and saltwater tanks aren't connected. You don't want to find your Bristlenose chewing on some coral one morning :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 15, 2003 Report Share Posted August 15, 2003 I think you might have to worry more about the whole system going from a fresh and a saltwater to two brackish tanks and everything in both tanks dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.