Large Tank Set-up

[PaulC]

I just purchased a 110 gallon tank. I'm new to the huge tank community. I've read so much on this site. What a great source of info! Anyway, the set-up is confusing me. There are two holes drilled on each side on the bottom. I have a reef set-up kit with the bulkhead fittings (2 sizes). I'm setting up for oscars. I'm leaning toward a Fluval 404, UGF with reverse power head and a H.O.T canister. Is this a good set-up? I'm building the stand soon so any info would be appreciated. Thanks

[FinAddict]

Congratulations on the new tank. Fluval 404 is a great choice and I suppose you mean a H.O.T Magnum canister filter which is also a great choice but for that size tank you may want to look at the Magnum Pro 350 which also has a bio wheel attachment. As for the holes in the tank. It sounds like you have a tank that came pre-Drilled for a wet/dry filter or sump primarily used on saltwater reef set-ups. Yor say you have a reef set-up kit can you describe what parts are with this kit? Is there any box arround the holes or can you explain the holes a little more?If this is the case it is fine I have a wet/dry system on my fresh water tank and definately advise that you use it it works great on freshwater tanks also. For the undergravel filter on this size tank I do not use them and have found they are more a hassle than a benifit. I have a 135 gal with two canister filters (equal to two Magnum 350's) and the wet/dry filter. This is a great set up for freshwater tanks 100+ gallons.
Hope this helps and I look forward to getting more info about your tank. We have several other moderators here that have more experience with the saltwater tanks than I do so after your reply to this I may have one of them comment on the set-up also to better steer you in the right direction.

[PaulC]

Thanks for the reply FinAddict. The holes are for the reef set-up kit. 2 holes are sized for 1" bulkhead fittings with large corregated tubes (intakes). The other set are sized for 3/4" bulkhead fittings with long tubes & the ball type difusers at top. There are no overflow boxes. I was thinking of using 1 intake and 1 discharge, plugging the unused holes or putting some kind of petcock for fast draining. When using PVC to plumb the returns, do you use the regular cement or join them mechanicaly? Also have you ever heard of Via Aqua filters? Are they any good?
Thanks

[FinAddict]

I am going to have one of the other moderators with more experience with these tanks post the next response to you question. I just want you to get the best advice that we can give so bear with us and we will get this resolves ASAP.

[AquariumPro]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the tank was used, and if that is the case, then someone removed the prefilter overflow boxes that enclosed those bulkhead holes. The description of the holes and their location in the tank clearly indicate that someone either removed the overflows, or they were planning on installing after-market overflow boxes in the tank. In any case, enough hypothesizing, and on to how I would recommend plumbing a tank like this for freshwater.

First, I will make some filter recommendations: Unfortunately, the tank is plumbed through the bottom, which means that any filter you use directly-plumbed to those holes must be a type and model that can resist about 500 - 900 pounds of back-pressure (the weight of all the water). The only way to overcome that is if both intakes and returns are elevated inside the aquarium to about mid-height. As there is a major advantage to having the intakes near the bottom and the returns about mid-height, I would not recommend doing that.

That does not leave you with many choices, and I can tell you right now from experience that both Fluval and Magnum canister filters are not going to hold up for long under that kind of pressure. In fact, any filter that depends solely upon a single o-ring to seal the water out is not going to last long under that pressure, and the end-result will be a disaster, especially if the o-ring seals fail when no one is home!

However, there are still some excellent possibilities, but they'll require the assembly of a filter system that IS designed for the job. This application is exactly what modular canister filters were originally designed for. You have two good choices: Lifegard, made by Rainbow Plastics, or Ocean Clear, now made by Red Sea.

You can use one or several modules in series, with the entire array driven by a good external pump. The difference between modular filters and regular canister filters is that modular filters have screw-on (Lifegard), or lock-ring (Ocean Clear) tops that are designed to resist enormous back-pressure. Unlike regular canister filters, they do not depend primarily on an o-ring and side clips to prevent water leakage.

To view examples of modular filters, click on the "Filters" link on the left of this page, then select "Modular Filters" from the drop-down menu. We currently sell Rainbow Lifegard, but will be adding Ocean Clear within the next week or two (I just have to find the time to up-date the store!).

I will be coming back to this tomorrow morning with more details on set-up and plumbing. Right now I'm working on about two hours sleep in as many days, and I want to make sure I describe a good system for you. This will give you a starting point and something to chew on tonight.

By the way, I very much agree with FinAddict about the undergravel filters in this application, though I do advise UGFs for smaller tanks (20 - 40 gallons), especially if funds are limited and all one has is a small power filter. They are a hassle in some ways, but they do work. However, you should not use one here. What you'll wind up with when I finish this description will be far superior to anything you could do with conventional filtration, and will be very easy to maintain. Cost will be a slightly higher, but if you shop wisely, you will be pleasantly surprised.

In this case, you do not have much choice. ;)

[ February 28, 2002: Message edited by: aquariumpro ]

[ February 28, 2002: Message edited by: aquariumpro ]</p>

[PaulC]

You are dead on about the tank. It is a used tank and I think the overflows were removed. I overlooked the pressure factor on the filter, good thing someone is paying attention. I appreciate the help very much. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.

[AquariumPro]

Hi there again!

First off, let me say that our moderator, FinAddict, was the one paying attention. I can't take credit for that at all. Our moderators are excellent, and FinAddict took the time to notify us that he needed some help with this topic. That's the way it should be, and I'm very proud and grateful that when our moderators aren't sure about an answer, they go out of their way to find one. Our staff and I do not work these forums, we answer 100s of emails for our free aquarium support email program, so we are very happy that we have great moderators. You got me by the way, because I'm the gearhead of our company.

OK: Now on to the system and the plumbing. You are going to want to make the 1" bulkheads the intakes for this system and the 3/4" bulkheads the returns. The intakes will feed into the external pump of your choice (Little Giant, Iwaki, etc.). Naturally you will need to tee the two intakes together at the pump. The pump will feed the modular filter system, and at the end of the modular system, you will add another tee that feeds the 3/4" bulkheads.

It will make it very easy to plumb this system if you buy a pump that has a 1" intake and a 3/4" return, so that you don't have to bother with reducer bushings. Most modular filtration systems have 3/4" threaded inlets and outlets, so this will provide some continuity in the plumbing. I would recommend getting a pump that has a flow rate which will turn the tank over at least ten times an hour, as the modular filters will provide a fair amount of resistance. That way, when the system is running, you'll be turning over the tanbk about five to seven times an hour when there are cartridges and media in the filter(s).

I'm going to be very general about sizes and types of PVC plumbing parts here, as I would need to know which system and pump you are buying before I get more specific. I will tell you that inside the tank, you will want to extend the intakes up about 6" using PVC pipe, and equip the ends with strainers so you don't suck your fish into the pipes (Called a "fish hickey" - OUCH!). The 3/4" returns may be equipped with any type of pipe and/or nozzles you wish, but most folks use LocLine piping examples of which may be viewed by clicking "Plumbing Fittings" on the left, and selecting "Modular Pipe/Fittings from the drop-down menu.

If you don't understand anything here, email us at support@aquariumpros.com or post again here and we will try to help you out. However, please do not do so until you have purchased the pump and system you will use, or we'll all be guessing what parts and configuration you'll need. I will define some terms for you before I get rolling:

"MPT" = Male Pipe Thread (Also called FT)

"FPT" = Female Pipe Thread (Also called MT)

"Slip" is the female side of a fitting into which you glue PVC pipe using PVC cement.

"Socket" refers to the male side of a fitting that looks like PVC pipe, which can be glued into a slip fitting (using PVC cement) instead of cutting a short piece of PVC (called a "socket nipple") to join together two female slip fittings.

"Insert" refers to a barbed side of a fitting, over which you slide vinyl hose which should ALWAYS be secured by a hose clamp.

"Threaded Nipple" is a PVC fitting that is threaded at both ends so that two FPT fittings can be screwed together. A "close" nipple will join to fittings close together.

"Socket Nipple" is something you make youself by cutting a piece of PVC pipe to join together two slip fittings using PVC cement. For reference, the length of a socket nipple to be close is twice the diameter of the pipe you are using. To join two 1" slip PVC fittinmgs close together, you will need a 2" piece of PVC.

"Teflon Tape" is used to wrap male threaded fittings so that they won't leak when joined. The tape should always be wrapped clockwise around a fitting, and we usually use five wraps for PVC parts. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to make sure you wrap the first threads of a PVC fitting, or you will not be able to screw two parts together all the way and will probably get a leak.

"Bulkheads" are divided into components as follows: There is the main body, which is comprised of the "flange" (the lip of the bulkhead), against which the gasket rests, and the "shank" which is always threaded on the outside but may be either designed to receive a slip fitting or or threaded fitting on the inside. Then there is the gasket, and finally, the nut. It is very important to remember to place the gasket between the flange of the bulkhead and the glass of the tank, or you will have a leak.

I assume those are standard Oceanic bulkhead return and intake kits you have, and if that is the case, the bulkheads are slip on the "tank" side, and threaded on the shank side where you will connect your plumbing to the pump and filter modules.

You will use an MPT x Insert adaptor on the bulkheads. On the pump, you will equip the pump intake with an elbow (type depends on the pump), then a tee, and on the ends of the tee, you'll screw in a 90 degree MPT x Insert Adaptor on either side. You'll then connect the insert adaptors on the bulkheads and pump together using vinyl hose and hose clamps.

You'll also equip the output of the pump and the inlet of the first module filter with an insert adaptor (type depends on the pump - could be MPT or FPT). You'll then join the output of the pump to the inlet of the first module with vinyl hose, secured by hose clamps.

The outlet of the last module in the system will be equipped with a tee, and you will probably want to use two 90 degree MPT x insert elbow adaptors on the tee so they point up to the insert adaptors on the 3/4" bulkheads. You will then join these insert adaptors to the insert adaptors on the 3/4" bulkheads using vinyl hose, secured with hose clamps.

The only issues that remain are: which system (OceanClear or Lifegard) you go with, and how many and what type of modules (mechanical, chemical, heater, UV, etc.) you want for the system. You will need at least one mechanical and one chemical module, if you go with Lifegard, or in the case of OceanClear, at least one combination mechanical/chemical module. Lifegard offers the advantage of a heater module (OceanClear does not have this type), which allows you to place your heater in-line, instead of in the tank.

Depending on the brand of modular filters you use, you can either join them together using MPT x insert fittings, vinyl hose and hose clamps (for OceanClear modules), OR in the case of Lifegard modules, you may join two modules together using the threaded close nipples that come with each module.

That's it! The rest is up to you. You need to make some purchase decisions. Good luck and ask more questions here if you need help.

<small>[ March 02, 2002, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: aquariumpro ]</small>

[PaulC]

WOW, what a reply! You make perfect sense. I will be purchasing the filters and pump very soon. I'm going with the modular mechanical/chemical & heater set-up. What is the right size for these? 22 inch vs 11 inch? What heater wattage will keep this tank warm enough for cichlids? I hope the income tax check comes soon. Thanks for the awesome reply. Talk to ya later.