Frag tank

[Schplitter]

I want to add a frag tank in my basement but I have a couple of issues.

1. I want to keep the sump upstairs where it is.

2. I can only run 1/4' lines up and down to supply the water to the tank frag tank via gravity and and back by a pump. I have the pump and I have tested it to make sure it can push through the 1/4' tubing all the way up to the tank. It's not a problem. The flow is not bad at all for exchange purposes and stability in the frag system.

3. How do I keep everything form flooding? Obviously the pump and gravity will not be the same flow rate. Even if they were I would not trust it long term.

So how do I get this done?

Thanks!

Ben

 

[Pife]

A sump in the basement too and a airhole in your drain to prevent siphoning.

 

[Schplitter]

A sump in the basement too and a airhole in your drain to prevent siphoning.

Yes but how do I keep the pump from pumping up to the main tank if there is too much water or how do I keep the draining from above from draining my entire sump?

 

[Pife]

Float valves. You use an apex?

 

[Schplitter]

Float valves. You use an apex?

Yes. I would have to run power from my Apex down to the frag tank sump. Not enough space for that unfortunatly.

 

[Pife]

Yes. I would have to run power from my Apex down to the frag tank sump. Not enough space for that unfortunatly.

Or a USB cable and get a eb8 to run your lights and pumps ect.

 

[Schplitter]

Or a USB cable and get a eb8 to run your lights and pumps ect.

Hmmm. You are a smart kid!! Time to hit up amazon to see if they make a 50 foot cable.

 

[Pife]

Hmmm. You are a smart kid!! Time to hit up amazon to see if they make a 50 foot cable.

They do and I own one for my system.

 

[Schplitter]

So I did some testing just now. It takes about 45 minutes to fill up a 5 gallon bucket completely by letting water gravity drain from my 1st floor down to the basement, through 50 feet of 1/4" line. I rounded that up to 5gal/50min to get 1 gal for 10 min or 6 gal an hour. With that frag system being about 40 gal that's just over 3.2 times turnover give or take a couple of decimal points since I added 5 minutes in the beginning.

Is that worth it or should I just do water changes upstairs and use the water from those water changes to replace the water downstairs each week? Obviously I would have Powerheats and heaters in the frag tank any way but I did not want a completely separate system to have to mess with.

 

[kegogut]

I would use a dosing pump like a DOS. You might have to put a heater in the frag tank but you could get exact exchange with it .

How big of a frag tank are you wanting?

 

[Mr D smack]

What's wrong with the K.I.S.S method:headwally:

 

[Schplitter]

I would use a dosing pump like a DOS. You might have to put a heater in the frag tank but you could get exact exchange with it .

How big of a frag tank are you wanting?

I'm thinking about 40-50 gallons total or so. The plan is to make three 36"x10"x6" tanks with a small sump. I have shelving under the stairs that those dimensions would be ideal for. I also have 3 lights, the sump, heaters and the pump to circulate and pump the water back to the main display.

Actually I'm hoping that the cooler temperatures from the basement will cool the main display down a little. It's making me nervous at 80F.

 

[Schplitter]

What's wrong with the K.I.S.S method:headwally:

That's really what I want but I can't come up with a simple solution. Originally I was thinking float valves upstairs and downstairs but how do I ATO then?

 

[Schplitter]

So I was thinking. If I eliminate the ATO upstairs all together and tie in the frag tank. Then have the frag tanks water ATO'd... does anyone see a problem with that setup? Would the SG vary?

 

[Pife]

How is your sump sectioned?

 

[Schplitter]

How is your sump sectioned?

Fuge, skimmer then return chamber and that's where the ATO goes.

 

[Schplitter]

1. What if I eliminate the ATO upstairs on the main system all together? Then have one downstairs on the frag system? Instead of the ATO upstairs I would just let that water in the 110 gallon tank and sump circulate.

2. I would have an ATO in the frag tank system.

3. To tie the two systems together I would pump water from the frag tank sump to the 110 gallon sump through a float valve. This would make sure the water level is always steady upstairs.

4. To return the water to the frag tank I would let water symphony from the upstairs sump down to the frag tank sump at a slightly slower rate than the refill from downstairs.

5. For extra security I would add a float switch and solenoid to the symphony line along with a level float switch in the frag tank and in the main sump to make sure the tank does not overflow. Control that backup with my Apex.

 

[Pife]

I'd have a second system. It sounds like a flood waiting to happen.

 

[Neurovet]

Have you considered the following:
Gravity siphon drain out of sump to frag tank downstairs with a herbie or bean animal drain. A main siphon with emergency drain would be essential to prevent overflow from return pump should outflow become obstructed. Obviously if you have pump failure you'll need a means of minimizing outflow from the upstairs sump to frag tank, Ideally you would place an overflow in the sump with the herbie/bean afferent about an inch under the water surface. You would need to test to make sure the frag tank could handle residual water flow from the sump overflow.
With this KISS/traditional method you shouldn't have to worry about floods and you can also keep it dead quiet.

 

[Neurovet]

""You would need to test to make sure the frag tank could handle residual water flow from the sump overflow. "
..When the return pump is turned off.