Setting up a "flow through tank" system

[Ben]

I am thinking about setting up a 4x14x18 tank with a flow through system.
Where the water is continuously goes into the tank and out through an outflow pipe. The water in the tank will get changed 5 times every 24 hour period.

For those that own a copy of Andrew Soh's book, check out page 45, this is what i would like to set up. It will principally be a grow up tank for discus to the 12 week stage.

My main concern is the temp of the water.
Let’s say the tank will hold 180 litres of water, and this gets changed 5 times per day with a total of 900 litres every 24 hours.
Water will be going into the tank at a rate of 625ml per minute at a temp of around 18.c.
So will 2x 400 watt heaters maintain a temp of 30.c all the time? If placed strategically near incomming water?

I would love to hear about your thoughts on this as far as setting it up goes, and not the fact there is a lot of water wastage!

Cheers,
Ben

***below is a diagram taken from Andrew Soh’s book.

[tank]

Ben why cant u heat the water before it goes into the tank eg an inline heater

[Dave76]

Hi Ben

Have you thought about a mixing valve before the filter ? Where you can set how much hot & cold water enters the filter & tank ?

If you've got lots of money to spare you could look at a hot water system where you can set the temperature of the water coming out directly before entering.

Hope that helps...

Dave

[piranha-discus]

i think hot water system not safe due to the copper etc may be toxic to the fish. otherwise evey one would use a hot water system i say. etc gas due cheaper cost to run.

[mtchye]

You can also do this very nicely without drilling your tank. Found this interesting site on how to set it up. I've never heard of a chloramine meter and how to treat the tap water is probably the hardest thing about this kind of setup.

http://waynesworldangelfish.com/automated_water_changes.htm

[aquafrogstuff]

Given that we live in country where treated water availability is low, it would be good if the discharge from the tank was used for other things such as watering a garden at least. This would turn a good idea into something that considers the environment.

I also agreed with Dave76, domestic water temp controllers for hot/cold water systems would allow you to set the temp, then all you need to worry about is chloramine/chlorine.

[Ben]

Great thoughts peoples, keep the ideas comming!

Thanks mtchye for the link, but after reading the link a few times, some thing i could not work out.
This will simply change the water, what about debris on the bottom of the tank? how is that taken out?

as far as hot water units go, some of the pricy ones are stainless steel and not copper.

cheers
Ben

[Dave76]

If you're running the warm water through a charcoal filter this should remove any residual copper.

You could get your water tested to check how much copper is present straight out of the tap - either with a copper test kit, or professionally done - you may find there isn't any residual at all.

I've been playing with a similar drainage / recycle system for keeping tnks cleaner - if you stick a couple of airstones in the gap between the 2 pipes it really helps suck all of the crap out of the water - I've cut the time of my tank bottom cleaning duties by half. The only flip side is make sure you feed the fish on the opposite end - or they don't get enough time to eat it :D

HTH

Dave

[Benny]

i think hot water system not safe due to the copper etc may be toxic to the fish. otherwise evey one would use a hot water system i say. etc gas due cheaper cost to run.

LR uses this setup, so i cant imagine it being harmful at all, given the great sucess, and extremely rare fish she keeps..!

[Ben]

Ok, with out blowing the budget...
I would like to set up a storage tank/drum that will have heated water that will be used to go into the tank.

Now....
If i set up a 200 lire holding tank/drum, what’s the best way to get the water into the tank with fish, and what’s the best way with putting filtered water into the drum...i.e.

How do i work out the dynamics with filling the holding drum with out it over filling whilst it continually fills the tank with fish?

Seems very tricky! Any ideas on this one peoples???

Ryan, you will be able to help here mate!

Cheers
Ben

[Benny]

use a plastic toilet cistern valve in the drum!!!

It will fill it to the max level, then shut it off

[kalebjarrod]

go get a continuous hot water system

you can set the temp for perfection

that would solve the heating problems

.................................................. ...................

as for 200lt drums thats tricky, i'll think on it
:wink:

[Ben]

Thanks for the chat on the phone Ryan!
you gave me lots of ideas and things to think about!

cheers,
Ben

[Merrilyn]

Ben I have installed a stainless steel hot water system and a hot and cold mixer on my taps, with the temperature set to 30 degrees, so that I can do waterchanges straight from the tap in my fishroom.
I let the first lot of water flush thru the pipes before using anything to fill the tanks.

There is no measurable trace of copper in the water. I wouldn't like to try this anywhere else except Melbourne, but our water comes out of the tap at 1 - 2 dGH and a pH of 7. Almost perfect for discus, and all my grow out tanks are kept at those parameters.

I do have tanks that require a lower pH, and for those tanks, the water is adjusted in a barrel before being pumped into the tanks.

Now this works for me, and has done so for a number of years, but if you live anywhere other than Melbourne, I suggest you age your water first, before putting it in the tanks.

[Ben]

thanks Merrilyn for the Info.

Ryan and others,
below is a diagram of the idea i have to set it up.
been on the phone all afternoon doing research!

because of the presure into the filtration unit, i will need a "presure limiting valve, so i am told.

tell me what you think.

cheers
ben

[Ben]

there is only one problem as you mentioned Ryan, and thats if the power goes out.

Is this a risk?
but someone is home most of the time, just incase of a power failure the water can be stopped.

(watched the news last nite and they already predict power failures this summer!)

[Davo]

I don't wish to harp but as Aquafrogstuff said, where will the water go?

900l x 365 days = 328500 litres which is a lot of water down the drain.


Dave.

[Ben]

Dave you are right, it is a lot of water wasted! for only one fish tank!
328,500 litres is a lot when you look at it over one year!

I have taken this into account and will run it out on the lawn, but i will get it all set up and make sure it is all running smooth before i look at what to do with the waste water.

Cheers
Ben

[tank]

man your gonna have the greenest lawn or even a swamp

[Benny]

given the fact the water will be immaculately clean... can you not reuse it on say a community tank, or something?

[chrissyoscar]

Ben set up a vege patch and have some of the waste water going into it.
You'll have the biggest and best watered vege's in Melbourne. Just imagine what all that fish waste (fertiliser) will do to the veges and the soil.

[Ben]

Picture update.

Flow through tank is working very well.
I have put an airstone between the 2 pipes and this lifts the heavier debris up and out the oulet pipe.

Pictures below, mind the floor as they were fed 30 minutes prior to takening pictures.