DSB in a bucket for nitrate control

[SRVDVM]

Ok,
New Years weekend is here and I would like to get my DSB started. I have a 90 ga reef with 30 ga sump (w/about 20 gallons of water) I have a 5 gallon reef salt bucket

Couple of questions:
1) How are you drilling the holes in the bucket - hole saw?
2) What size pipe are you using. I was thinking of a maxijet pump and I believe their out let is 1/4 inch external diameter (I saw someone is planning on a maxi jet 1200 will a smaller MJ work?)
3) placement of the holes in the bucket - I was planning on the inlet on the side and closer to the top of the bucket and the outlet lower - just above the sand bed
4) I was thinking of using the diverter (is that the correct term?) that comes with the MJ pumps on the inside of the inflow hole to direct the water upwards to decrease possible sand stirring

Thanks all

Scott

 

[steve9k]

After following this thread for a while I decided to try it myself. But in setting up my remote DSB and ran into a bit of a puzzle. I'm using a 5g bucket with 2 holes drilled in the side, 1 input and 1 output, the output about an inch lower than the input. Using a powerhead rated at ~280g/h to pump the water in. Here's the puzzle: the water level can't seem to stay above the output hole, so the water starts sucking air as it drains and makes awful gurgling noises. But if I reduce the output flow a bit (e.g. with a ball valve) there's always the danger of overflowing the bucket. Any way out of this quandary? Thoughts, anyone?

 

[grochmal]

I tried to set up a remote refugium a while ago in a similar fashion.
I had a plastic bin that I put a bulkhead in for the output and fed water to the bin from a pump in my sump.
The problem I had was unless I had a very slow amount of water feeding into the fuge, the water level would rise up too high - like the bulkhead couldn't keep up.
And it was a 1" bulkhead.
I could never figure out why.
I also had a gurgling noise like you do, and I put a length of airline tubing down into the output pipe, with the other end exposed to the air.
This seemed to solve the gurgling.

 

[akhanf]

Yeah I'm still wondering about the mechanics of where to put the holes, what piping etc; I'm not totally comfortable with aquarium plumbing.. Is there someone who has built a 5gal bucket rdsb willing to write up a little diy help? Thanks!

 

[SRVDVM]

After reading Steve's post I am thinking that the outlet hole should be higher than the inlet. If I am using a MJ1200 with 1/4" inlet line I would think a 1" outlet should keep up with the flow

Does this make sense. I am also aquarium plumbing challenged so thanks for any help

What are you guys using to drill the holes in the bucket? What type of drill bit?

 

[Marcelog]

For the holes, I just used a dremel. Traced the outline of the home made bulkhead and away I went. Took all of 30 seconds to make the hole, and another 30 seconds to make it nice. I have the inlet coming in through the lid, and the outlet a little lower.

I used a fluval 404 caniter filter that I was using for carbon as the pump, and have it throttled down a bit.

Marcelo -

 

[skjardel]

Just setup my RDSB. Didn't have room in my cabinet for 5g bucket so purchased 16 quart rectangle plastic trash can from Kmart. Fitted 3/4" bulkheads at each end. Input hole as high as I could manage and output hole approx 2 inches below input. Filled with oolitic aragonite sand about 2 inches below output hole. Used 30 lbs of sand. Not sure if this will be enough but its all I could fit. Using powerhead at 160gph but had to throttle back a little in order to not overflow container at start-up. When started the water level rises to about an inch from the top of the container and then the drain picks up speed - I guess as a siphon since the bottom of the output pipe is below the sump water level and the water level in the RDSB then drops to the top of the output drain.

 

[prezioso73]

I am having that sucking noise too... I am going to try the airline tube in the output...

My input is 3/4 and the outpt is 1in. It still cannot keep up. Hopefully adding the airline tube will help.

Overall my hope is to bring nitrates to 0 to kill some hair algae. It has to be nirates.

This is day 9 of my remote deep sand bed. I will keep everyone posted.

 

[steve9k]

I tried the airline trick, but it constricted the outflow enough so the rate of water coming in exceeded the rate flowing out, which would eventually cause the bucket to overflow.

So my current solution is this: I'm adjusting the outflow with a ball valve to match the inflow as close as I can, and I drilled a third hole at the very top of the bucket to serve as an emergency drain, just-in-case. I got it all set up & running this morning, and so far, so good.

 

[Bill Shultz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6380478#post6380478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SRVDVM

What are you guys using to drill the holes in the bucket? What type of drill bit?

For drilling my holes I use one of two options. I usually try a hole saw but I've run into problems with the bucket cracking/splintering because of the plastic being too soft or brittle. When this happens, I just find a piece of pipe that is the perfect fit for the hole I'm trying to make and I heat it up (either with a heat gun or a torch) and then use it to melt through the bucket.

 

[ZenMan]

Here is a picture of my RDSB. If you use a bucket with a watertight lid, you don't need to worry about it overflowing.

I used 1 1/2" Hole Saw to make two cutouts. I used the PVC bulkhead fittings from Ace Hardware.

My nitrates are out of control. Hopefully this will solve that problem!

 

[Bill Shultz]

ZenMan,

Setup looks great. Give it some time, and I'm sure you will begin to see some results.

How big is that container and where did you find it?

 

[ZenMan]

My container in the picture above is 5 gallons. I have a 65 gallon bow front with a 15 gallon wet/dry sump.

I got the container from a local business that purchases a lot of soap products (car wash). It seemed a nearly perfect fit for this application as it is watertight, rugged, and was pretty easy to drill out.

 

[Spuds725]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6380478#post6380478 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SRVDVM
After reading Steve's post I am thinking that the outlet hole should be higher than the inlet. If I am using a MJ1200 with 1/4" inlet line I would think a 1" outlet should keep up with the flow

Does this make sense. I am also aquarium plumbing challenged so thanks for any help

What are you guys using to drill the holes in the bucket? What type of drill bit?

The 1" out is probably good but 1/4" hoses fittings is pretty tight for an MJ1200 -- I'd go with 1/2" in and see what you flow you end up with-- a 1" should be able to handle whatever an MJ1200 can throw at it.

I'm plumbing my goes out an inch or so above my goes in to prevent any bubbles....

I cut my holes with a dremel tool (I used a drywall cutting bit and it cut right through)---

I need to redo mine though as I didn't position my holes very well, and I also found a taller bucket to use so I can put in more sand.

I do like the "air/water tight" conainer above--- excellent job on that-- but I'd spend another $1 and add some hose clamps...

 

[Bill Shultz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6397946#post6397946 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spuds725


I do like the "air/water tight" conainer above--- excellent job on that-- but I'd spend another $1 and add some hose clamps...

It would be well worth the piece of mind that they provide if nothing else. This caught my eye as well.

 

[captbunzo]

You know, this makes me think about the 5 gallon water containers that we often use to get water from LFS, etc. They are cheap ($7.50 around here) and are obviously watertight. Plus they will make better us of space then a round container.

I will give this a try sometime in the next month or two.

 

[prezioso73]

I added the airline tube to the output hose to lessen the gurgling...It worked.

 

[Spuds725]

I just started mine up-- maxijet 1200 through tubing feeding a 3/4" bulkhead in--- a 1" bulkhead to a 1" PVC pipe out-- works great--- no gurgling--- about 3" of water above the sand---

I used 50 pounds of Quikrete premium playsand (silica based)-- $3.15

 

[jefathome]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6241058#post6241058 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spuds725
A picture of your buckets inside the stand (without plumbing) might help see this (your plan). It sounds like it would work but you obviously need enough room to service your skimmer-- might be a problem if that bucket is elevated.

Also, any considering using buckets for sumps, RDSBs, etc-- the square plastic kitty litter container buckets they sell will more then likely help you utilize space better then traditional round buckets..

This is a shorter one, but they do have taller ones

I've decided to go with this exact container (actually, it is "fesh step" )

Here is my question... I'm running this in-line, and I need to figure out the best way to seal the top on. Should I use silicone, Epoxy, or some type of solvent-sealer (like for Acrylic)

Anyone know the best product to use for this? Be specific...

 

[jefathome]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6414263#post6414263 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jefathome
I've decided to go with this exact container (actually, it is "fesh step" )

Here is my question... I'm running this in-line, and I need to figure out the best way to seal the top on. Should I use silicone, Epoxy, or some type of solvent-sealer (like for Acrylic)

Anyone know the best product to use for this? Be specific...

OK... I'm an idiot...

Why go through all the trouble with this thing when I can get one of those 5g water jugs and jsut use that. The top is water tight, and the opening is big enough for me to fit in the bulkhead 'backing".

Luckily I have a cat as well, so the litter isn't a total waste.
:lol: :bum: