I finally figured it out! I have been having success for a little over a month now so I thought that I would show what I am doing in a graphic and further explain some of the details. I originally posted a version of this in the DIY section but I thought that this is a better place for the project.
(On top left, ATS with 130G main tank below it. Center, critter tower. Right top, peristaltic pump with 55G sump below it.)
I want to grow different kinds of critters in my garage. Right now. I and trying to grow rotifers.
I bought a 6 foot acrylic tube, for another purpose, that is 6 inches in diameter. I also bought a funnel from Grangers for about 3 bucks and after six tries I figured out how to affix it into the end of the tube. It was made of a plastic that doesn't lend itself to being glued but it was the right size and shape. I expect that the solids will settle to the bottom and go out to the main tank where it can be processed.
I attached a set of reducers and connectors to the bottom of the funnel that takes a ¼ inch tube. Since the tower is taller than the main tank, I plan to let the water from the tower, drain back to the show tank using gravity.
I ran the tube from the funnel, up to the desired water line in the tower before letting it descend to the tank. Hk855 suggested that I add a "T" connector at the high point of the tube to allow air to get into the line so that the siphon can not empty the tower if the tube falls to the ground or something like that. That will allow for this point to be a spillway for the water. I put a filter on the tower's inlet line to keep larger critter from getting into the rotifer tower. The pump lifts the water up and over the lip of the tower.
When I pump water into the top of the tower, the same amount comes out of the bottom, up and over the spill way, on its way to the tank, from the garage where the reactor is. If I change out 2 to 2 ½ gallons, I hope that the water quality will stay within acceptable limits. I plan to split it up into 8 or more 1/4 gallon, one minute periods, throughout the day and night with that peristaltic pump and a timer.
I won't have to turn off the skimmer at feeding times because I use an algae scrubber instead so that food will stay suspended in the water column longer. The pump will chop up some of the plankton but I can't do much about that right now. I have designed a high volume non-traumatic pump but that will have to wait for a while.
I have been able to grow the rotifers in the tower using liquid food to get started at the suggestion of a friend but the food is dead just like the powder so it will fowl. That means that the water changes are important. As I said earlier, I have tried using powders three times and they crashed quickly. I think that this success is a result of my cutting back on the food. As I get the tower to work with liquid food, I will try to see how much I can supplant with powders. My tank already handles more food than what I plan to use for culturing.
P.S. I just talked to someone at Reed Maricuture and he said that I should turn up the air flow quite a bit. Additionally, I had already planned to do this to finish up an almost hands free system but he felt that it was important that I implement continues feeding with a peristaltic pump. This should greatly increase the density of the culture.
I would love to have feed back on my wacky ideas. I hope that I can grow other forms of critters in more towers with basically the same method.
Something about growing things seems so much fun. This other thread might be of use, although more for feeding corals than fish... but it seems to be the way the ocean does it...
