New Tank Plumbing

[Bruno]

I now have my new tank from Concept and next step is plumbing. Here is the tank first. I have holes in each divider that will have a sponge fitted into them (thanks for the idea jumpsmasher) to allow water to flow and equalize between each partition while keeping shrimp in the appropriate partition.

For plumbing I am going to go with the underground filter used by Ron and Jumpsmasher ( http://albertaaquatica.com/index.php?showtopic=43585) Here is the setup so far. Hope the glare isn't too bad, but I have put the intake in roughly the center with a T to pull from both sides. I still have to drill the holes, but looking for input on hole size and spacing. I figure bigger spacing closer to the T to encourage more even suction across the tank - any ideas how big the holes should be and how far apart?

Then to get water back into the tank I decided against one return in a single partition to keep flow down, and a spray bar would have to sit on top of the partition, which would be hard to get it to stay in place, and would be noisy with water falling into the tank. So I decided on a manifold, splitting the return into 4, each with a ball valve to balance the flow between each partition. The holes in the partitions will allow any imbalance to equalize, but I can get it close this way. I moved the manifold to the front of the tank for a picture.

I will have a inline heater before the manifold to also try to keep temp consistent across the tank too. Nothing is glued or final yet, so does anyone see any issues I haven't considered? Any suggestions before I glue everything together?

[Iceturf]

Does the substrate need to be vacuumed every so often?

[cainechow]

If using an active substrate is not s usually not recommended to vacuum the substrate. And with sensitive shrimps you want to keep things as stable as possible. Vacuuming tends to kick up a lot of crap. Depending on tue substrate, water parameters, and water change schedule, people seem to redo the substrate from 1 to 2 years.

For the UGF, I found that cutting slots gives much better flow than drilling. I wouldn't mind finding out how the others decide how much more flow to put at the ends vs nearer the upflow. With the coarse gravel/matrix on the bottom layer it mat not matter as much?

[SKAshrimps]

Nice looking tank!

I usually space the hole closer together the further they are from the intake. Can;t remember the exact drill bit but it think it was around 1/8" inch holes, every 2" or so on both sides and than around every inch on the furthest section. i like to try to do a bit of a loop or are least two sections to cover more ground I do my holes on the sides vs the top and pack that area full of filter media.

Slots works too but you will need more slots compared to holes and i found holes much quicker to make but i have a drill press.

Once everything is in you don't touch the substrate so you want enuf flow in there so it last for a few years; the only thing you once is to clean the canister filter out once in a while.

unless you add a diffuser on the output you will probably need to add some oxygen as most shrimps like oxygen rich water.

[Bruno]

I'll try the drill route - the area around the pipe/holes will be filled with filter media to keep the holes flowing freely. I was considering adding a couple of sponge filters as well, to give them an area to graze as well as add oxygen. Will that be enough, or do I want to look at another source of oxygen?

I want to paint the piping black now - I though someone on here had mentioned a paint that was safe to use?

[jvision]

I want to paint the piping black now - I though someone on here had mentioned a paint that was safe to use?

I use Krylon Fusion. Just go over the PVC with a fine-grain sand paper to rough it up a bit - I found the paint lasts longer when I've done that in the past.

[jumpsmasher]

D-oh! Keep posting using the wrong account.. Lol

Always yeah for my divided tanks in the past I always use a dual sponge filter in each section. I also like to have oxydators in them as well as a back up source.

[Bruno]

I may also add a Sochting Oxydator Mini to each partition when they come back in stock.

[Ron]

Are the outputs going to be below the water level? If so, you should add a check valve above your return pump.

You could have made everything with black PVC instead of painting but to late now .

[Bruno]

I use Krylon Fusion. Just go over the PVC with a fine-grain sand paper to rough it up a bit - I found the paint lasts longer when I've done that in the past.

Where did you get Krylon Fusion from? I stopped by the local Lowes and Rona and neither had it.

[Bruno]

Are the outputs going to be below the water level? If so, you should add a check valve above your return pump.

You could have made everything with black PVC instead of painting but to late now .

The filter outlets will be connected to a canister filter... so no need for a check valve I dont think... unless I am missing something...

[Ron]

Sorry, I assumed you'd be running a sump when I saw the outlet manifold.

[jvision]

I use Krylon Fusion. Just go over the PVC with a fine-grain sand paper to rough it up a bit - I found the paint lasts longer when I've done that in the past.

Where did you get Krylon Fusion from? I stopped by the local Lowes and Rona and neither had it.

I usually get it at Rona or Canadian Tire... if not Rona, then perhaps it was Home Depot, but I tend to not go to HD too much b/c their plumbing department sucks.

[Bruno]

No, just trying to balance the outlets into each partition so filtered water is going into each partition. I am sure the holes between each partition are sufficient, but I also didn't want the full force of the water being blown into one partition either. So hoping this accomplishes both - spreads the force of the flow across each partition so no one is being blown around, and make sure freshly filtered water is available to everyone.

[Psylant]

Walmart carries Krylon paints.