Grow out system?

[Triggerjay]

Ah... Busy day. Unplanned barbecue... I have something in the works though. I will try to get it done tomorrow afternoon/evening..Oh, I use a rubbermaid too.. Love it!

Jason

[Woodstock]

Jason, I just left this post in your chronicle thread but wanted to put it here also...

Originally Posted by woodstock

I was just admiring your plumbing shown at the beginning. Excellent work. Thanks for taking all the photos.
Why aren't you utilizing the 100 rubbermaid with more water? I guess you really do not need to...
I was thinking about getting one for a huge refugium added to my clownfish growout tank.
I would add a wet/dry trickle filter prior to the rubbermaid. Per my reading, I will need lots and lots of surface area (bioballs) for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize. I just want the refugium to soak up all those nitrAtes!
Hey..what is that MH you have over your refuge? Is that a Home Depot special Does it grow chaeto well?
__________________

[Triggerjay]

lol.. I just saw it. I replied in my chronicle. Thanks!

Jason

[Woodstock]

Ummm... Jason, you need to update your sig with a link to your chronicle thread
Having a link to click would save me 17.9 seconds...

[nikkipigtails]

I thought of you when I saw this on craigslist. It's near me and it's probably too long for what you need, but didn't know if you considered something like this.

6 Ft. divider aquarium

[DAHansen]

Shoot, for $30 I'd take it!

Unfortunately, I live nowhere near Hillbilly Hell. (or maybe that's actually fortunate...)

[Woodstock]

Thanks for the thought Nikki!

[nikkipigtails]

I didn't mean that particular one though, just using it as a example.

Sometimes you can find them on ebay. They're usually an old LFS display.

[fatman]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Do you have a grow out system or a multi-tank system?
If so, explain it and/or post pics so I can get some ideas.

I am out of room in my house and need to create a multi-tank system in my garage...

I don't want too many so I am thinking of only 5 x 20 gal tall tanks-- all plumbed together using a 100 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank for a sump.

Using only 5 tanks will not allow me to keep every spawn but I will have room for about every other one...

Help!! I need some ideas!!

GARF used to have plans posted for a frag tank unit that stacked tanks one above the other. Each tanks over flow water flowing to the tank below with the bottom tank as a sump with live rock, and housing a submersible pump returning water to the top tank. It used home made 2' x 4' foot acrylc tanks, but the idea behind the whole system was nice. It was made to be disassembled so that it could be taken to exhibits and such. They used individual suspended flourescents for lighting that hinged up out of the way for servicing the tanks. The foot print was of course a nominal 2' x 4'.

[Woodstock]

Thanks everyone for your great ideas

[Triggerjay]

Ok, I am no artist... but here's how I plan to do mine....:


Ok, The blue lines are drains, and the red lines are the returns. What I plan to do with mine, is run 2" PVC behind the tanks, at around shelf level, and a vertical 2" PVC going to the sump, with these glued together. I am going to drill all the tanks, install bulkheads, come out of the back of the tanks with 90's and drop these into holes drilled into the 2" pvc. this way if I want to remove any of the tanks, I just lift them up, and there will be no physical bond to the rest of the drain system.. basically just a slip fit. The returns (red) will have a valve above each tank to control flow. Hope this gives you some ideas,.... Its pretty rough, but I am hoping it shows the concept I have in my head..

Jason

[Frankie]

Nice Jason.
Couldn't you plumb that so gravity feeds the bottom row of tanks from the upper row? Would be less energy.
I am wondering if doing it like i use to with freshwater would be safer and better for the fish. I just used a large air pump with sponge filters in the 10 gallon tanks i was using. I kept the tanks bb and did water changes every week 75%. Very basic simple and easy to keep. I don't know if this works also with saltwater fish or not since i have never tried.

[Woodstock]

Thank you! I love the drain-slip idea Jason! I will definately use your plumbing scheme
So are you going to drill the tanks for a 1", 1.25" or a 1.5" bulkhead?

Frankie, I dont' think that would work because you would then be subjecting the bottom row with the pollution made from the top row of tanks?

[Octoman]

Nice work Jason! I would recommend using flex tubing from each tee/valve on the return line to the tank inlets. That way you don't have a big rigid pvc structure directly hooked to all your tanks.

Also, I would suggest putting an upward extension on the vertical part of the drain pipe. - An open ended standpipe to aid in drainage. I'll update Jason's image with what I'm talking about in just a second...

[Octoman]

Here, just a stand pipe with an open end above the highest drain in the tanks to aid in drainage. It would allow air to flow more smoothly into the drain...