Plumbing my Water aging tank

[TW]

Below is a picture of my 1,000L water aging tank. Haven't filled it yet & now want to install a tap, so that pump can run in-line.

Hoping some of you who have done the same could say where is the best spot to put the tap. My first thought is it should go right down the bottom, just high enough off the ground to allow the pump to connect without kinks.

I bought a brass tap with a hose cock that goes on the outside wall of the aging tank, held in place with washers & a separate black plastic hollow screw type thing that passes through the aging tank's wall into the interior.

I thought I would try to join an extra piece of hosing to the end of "black plastic hollow screw type thing" long enough to sit right on the floor of the aging tank’s interior, so that all the water can be siphoned out.

To do all this, I have to cut a large opening in the top of the tank, which I hope to do neatly enough so I can use the cut off as a lid to protect from dust etc. When all is done, I’ll check out the Insulating Thread & figure out what’s best for retaining heat.

Am I forgetting anything that I should be doing?

Thanks, Robyn.

[revkev]

Why not buy a eheim submersable pump that will fit through the top opening no need for a tap.
I use the same pump to empty and fill my tanks.

[TW]

Hi revkev

I have two submerisble pumps. The one to be used for the aging tank is eheim submersable or in-line. The other pump I use only for the dirty water. I have the two, as it makes the job quicker when doing multiple tanks. One pump can be filling, while the other is dealing with getting rid of the dirty water.

My reason for wanting to plumb it, is because I am thinking that every time the pump needs to raise the water, the speed of the water it can pump slows. If I drop the pump inside the tank, the water must climb up & out of the tank, travel from the garage into the loungeroom & then climb again to fill the tank.

'Cause I have a few large tanks now, I want to get the water back in as quick as I can. I don't really know if it will make that much difference to the speed, but that's what I thought.

ILLUSN suggested to me wayback that I need to cut a bigger hole in the top anyway, as being clear, I will need to be able to get inside it to give it a good internal clean semi regularly, as it will/may get algae - so I'm thinking I have to cut it anyway, so may as well do the tap.

Plus, I have bought the tap & fittings now, anyway.

Any tips from those who have plumbed a tap before would be appreciated. This is my 1st attempt at something like this.

Thanks, Robyn

[revkev]

I have the same sort of setup as you I pump water from my shed to the house approx 25 mtrs but my aging tanks are the black 200 ltr pickel barrels. I installed taps in them but hardly use them as the pump through the top works ok.
It will depend on how big the hole in the top of your tank is to what size pump you can fit through.Cover your tank with black plastic to keep the light out.
ie: Eheim Universal Pump 1250 Dimensions L x W x H (mm): 180 x 95 x 120
Delivery head: 2,00 m/wat.col

[TW]

I have the same sort of setup as you I pump water from my shed to the house approx 25 mtrs but my aging tanks are the black 200 ltr pickel barrels. ATM I'm using 200L pickel barrel until the 1000L is ready to use. My pump sits inside the barrel.

I installed taps in them but hardly use them as the pump through the top works ok. I may find the same, I guess. But now's the time to install them, while it's empty. Did you put the tap at the top or the bottom? Any tips??

It will depend on how big the hole in the top of your tank is to what size pump you can fit through.It has a largish screw top lid, plenty big enough for pumps, heaters, etc to pass through - but a proper clean without a bigger opening would be hard. My black pickel barrel recently had to emptied & scrubed - as I was getting little bits of floaties on the water surface (assumed algae). This got me worried about how I would ever be able to give the inside of the 1000L a good inside scrub if needed. Shame to cut it, when it has such a neat little opening, but I don't see how else to ensure I can clean it.

]Eheim Universal Pump 1250 Dimensions currently pumping from pickel barrel with eheim universal pump submerged. It is a little smaller (don't remember which one). Does the job, but have ordered eheim Universal pump 1262 to speed things along.

Cover your tank with black plastic to keep the light out. Thanks. Why didn't I think of that! Thought of black cloth - but plastic is such an obviously better choice. I'll get some of the stuff the landscapers put down under garden beds.

Thanks for the help

[TW]

I've plumbed it now, insulation it with bradford bats & covered it all with black plastic.

I know there are a few members who have the same aging barel as me. How long before a water change would I need to turn the heater on? Will 24hrs do it?

Thanks, Robyn

[ILLUSN]

Depending o the wattage of your heater, mines only 1/2 your size (500l) it takes 2 300w jagers 24hrs to heat my barrel from sydney winter cold to 28C.

[TW]

Thanks ILLUSN, is yours insulated with bradford bats (or equivalent)?

[ILLUSN]

its wrapped in a thermal foam bout 2 inches thick, suppose to be better. but I'm skeptical, the top isn't insulated but its housed in an insulated fish room thats always 26C

[TW]

Mine is insulated on top (but not the bottom). Your's has a head start on mine, as mine is sitting on carpet in the garage, which is not heated at all.

Surprised you need 2 x 300W jager heaters to heat 500L, as I thought each 300W jager was rated for 600L alone.

I put the eheim powerball powerhead I asked you about earlier in the ager tank. It's rated for 600L p.hr. Unless I put my hand in front of it to feel the flow, there's nothing to see to show the water is being moved around - but I guess I will just assume it's doing the job keeping the water moving enough to stay healthy???

Thanks ILLUSN

[ILLUSN]

Have you got the venturi above the surface, the airline like hose? you should see a stream of super fine bubbles exiting the power head.

[TW]

It has to be above the surface:?: That would mean almost as soon as I start to do a tank fill from the aging tank, the powerball will be exposed & no longer under water?

To prevent that, I put the powerball sitting on the base of the aging tank.

Is that wrong? Do I need to have the venturi above the surface & turn it off whenever I am doing a fill?

Cheers, Robyn.

[ILLUSN]

LOL, just get a meter or 2 of airline and extend it out, that way you'll have VERY good airation in addition to VERY good circulation. :)

[TW]

Hi ILLUSN, I have the airline extended now & the venturi is hanging outside the tank itself (otherwise, it would be smothered by the insulation). Before I took it all the way out, I had it resting on the water surface & even then, no bubbles.

I had expected to see either air bubbles, or some evidence of water agitation, but I see nothing. It's working, 'cause if I touch where the water is pumped out, I can feel it.

I'm wondering if I have the wrong idea of what this is meant to be doing. Is the venturi sucking the air in from above the water surface & then, way below the surface, on the bottom where the powerball itself is, the air is being pumped into the water??? Is that why I see no bubbles, but get good aeration????

Just making sure that either I haven't set something up wrong, or it's not working properly????