"Pressurized" Aquarium

[MikeYQM]

I have my setup in my basement in a corner between the wall and a door to my fish room behind. I'm brainstorming on ways to add a second tank on the other side of the door. The problem is, the plumbing would have to run through the wall to the fish room, up over the door into the sump.

So I got thinking, what if I built the tank like a big media reactor - seal the tank completely (with some sort of access) so that water could be pumped in from my existing sump, up over the door into the tank causing the pressure to force water in the "overflow" line back up over the door & into the sump.

Has anyone looked into or done something like this? I can imagine the pressure being extreme and I would obviously build out of acrylic. Any thoughts?

 

[tektite]

It would be far simpler to simply have 2 systems than do something like that. So many failure points, super hard to clean, low oxygen from being enclosed, etc. If you're already running the plumbing through the wall, why do you need to go over the door and not simply continue through the wall to the other side?

 

[MikeYQM]

The door separates the 2 display tanks. The sump is directly behind the main display.

To answer why? Because I'd rather have my systems tied together and don't have much space in the back room for a second sump.

Regardless of method, I would be building this from acrylic so developing a lid system shouldn't be much harder than a simple eurobrace.

Again, the goal is not to create any set amount of pressure, simply to allow it to overflow UP.

In my vision, it would function like a large closed loop or media reactor, neither if which are riddled with failure points.

As for gas exchange, I have plenty through my existing display tank and 3 tier sump setup.

 

[triggreef]

you sound crazy. Why not through the wall? Or even through the door? IE the hinge side. Just cut away enough for the plumbing to sit next to a hinge, and still be able to open/close the door.

Or remove the door altogether. Or if you dont want to ruin the door, take it out and replace it with a cheap door and put the good one in storage.

 

[MikeYQM]

Crazy?

The problem is that with a gravity fed overflow, the plumbing would run across the opening of the door. When you opened the door, there would be plumbing blocking the entrance way.

 

[MikeYQM]

Picture a wall with a door leading to a back room in the middle. Current tank is on the right side with the sump directly behind the wall in the back room. The new tank is going on the left side of the door. I obviously can't run the plumbing ACROSS the door opening so I want it to run through the wall, into the back room, up over the top of the door, then across into the existing sump.

 

[redfishblewfish]

I’m hurting my brain just thinking of all the issues with this type of system.

How about putting in a false floor and running the pipe down below this floor. You’ll just need to step up a few inches into your fish room.

 

[username in use]

You need a removable lid that will hold the significant pressure you are talking about. What are you plans for getting a lid that will seal against that kind of pressure. If you figure that out the rest is easy.

 

[d2mini]

How about putting in a false floor and running the pipe down below this floor. You’ll just need to step up a few inches into your fish room.

Exactly what I was thinking.
Best way I can think of. And still may not be a great solution.

 

[Allmost]

false floor is the best option, but regular overflows might not work, as the pipe needs to go down to floor level and then back up to sump ... which will trap air inside, regular durso might fail.

 

[C Dog]

Go through the wall or keep separate systems or a false floor. I dought any one will agree on a pressurized system. Why go through all the hassle building this, using it and spending the extra $$ to archive the same thing as stated as above?

 

[MikeYQM]

The finished side of the basement is porcelain tile on the foundation. The fish room is unfinished concrete. The false floor would cause a substantial tripping hazard and I doubt it would allow the water to run back up into the sump.

If I so this, it'll be to do something unique, I already have a nice display. With as much brainstorming as possible, I think I'd be as interested in the challenge as anything else.

 

[MikeYQM]

As for the lid, I'm not sure how I would do that. But ill do a little research.

 

[Allmost]

only way to actually pressurize it is to make a Cube with acrylic, to just hold water.

any lit would mean one day it will turn into a sprinkler.

 

[MrClam]

Im confused as to how you plan to create this pressure and deal with the side effects. You would have to create a sealed acrylic box (which I believe you could easily do) but then how would you gain access to the inside? You would have to install a drain valve in the box that lead to a storage container so that you drained the water in the return/drain pipes that ran above tank level. This could be done, but it would mean draining water any time you needed to feed the fish, add/remove anything from the tank ect. Seems like a hassle.

 

[MikeYQM]

Yeah, I'm thinking acrylic cube 24x24x24 with a opening on top. I'm not sure how to seal the lid yet though. If I put a ball valve on the inlet, this some sort of pressure release, wouldn't the outlet line allow a siphon to drain the tank enough before opening? When I close the ball valve on my media reactor, I can open it without losing water. In my mind the fluid dynamics are similar.

 

[gbru316]

just something to think about:

your lid seal WILL fail eventually, probably when you aren't home. WHEN this happens, your sump will run dry, quite possible taking both tanks out at the same time.

 

[coralsnaked]

Build it exactly like a reactor only larger. problem is it'll costs you more than setting up a separate system w/ a new sump ! Can't you put a sump beneath the tank in a casbinet eliminating the space problem.

Not really a pressurized system just as a reactor is not really pressurized. Think about it as an upsidedown tank or a sealed tank with a top overflow line out up over the door and into a sump, I'm thinking large cube with an acrlyic top with seal and screw down clamping system. This could be manufacuted easy enough DIY if you have some skills. And I would utilize acrlyic tubing and be sure to pump the water in from the top as well or a pump falure would lead to catastropic water loss. That will be quite a head pressure on the pump to calculate and you better have quite a large sump to facilitate the needed air exchange for pH. Definitly utilize a very oversized skimmer running very dry to facilitate some air exchange for you. And as far as tank maintenance...well it'll be a bear !

Good luck. You Canads I swear.

Show me some finished pics when your all done

Merry Skerry

 

[Kawi9_cf]

I dont think your idea is crazy I think it is cool. I have thought many times about a cool way to build a presurized system. If nobody ever went out of the box things would never change.

I dont think it would be cost effective but I think if you could find a way to pull it off it would be awesome!!!

Some things i have thought about are:

-It may be necesary to have a threaded john guest fitting on top with a valve so you can relieve or pump out any air that may accumulate in the tank. It could also be used to depressurize the system.
-You could have an aqualifter pump hooked up and have the other end of the line running to your sump. It can pump air or water so you could always keep the system free of air and primed.

-I would still put the return and drain lines right at the top of the tank so when its deppresurized you dont loose tons of water from the tank.

-It would probably be a good Idea to have a way to pump air into the tank if it is having oxygen problems.

-I will try to explain the idea I came up with for the lid but I may have to draw it on sketchup for it to make sense.

My idea is to make a box that is roughly 2" tall that is just big enough to slide over the top of the tank. Then put a flange (your flange would probably need to be pretty thick acyrlic to make sure its solid) around the tank roughly 1" lower than the box would fall or 3" down the side of the tank. You would also put a flange all the way around the outside of the lid.

Then you would need to make a gasket my idea was to try and find some sort of rubber sheet that I could cut the gasket out of so it was one solid piece of rubber all the way around the lid. The you could tap the flange every few inches around the tank for nylon bolts so you could tighten down the lid and create a good seal. I would think to be succesful that you would need quite a few bolts so you get a good even seal. I dont think you would have to tighten the bolts very much either.

Goodluck! and if your interested or care I can draw that up on sketchup

 

[Devil Man]

the idea sounds insane and like someone else said your seal of the pressurized tank will fail one day (and of course while you arent there)

2 separate systems is far safer. And if you have an issue it will stay in the one system vs both systems.

but if you insist on hooking the 2 tanks together. why not have a pump connected to the drain of the further tank set up to suck water then pump it to the sump. then pump the water back.

just ideas lol. sometimes the easiest solution is the best and that is 2 separate systems