? About freshwater filter. Need help please..

[Demonkegman]

So I went to a Dentist in Mo Val and one thing lead to another, and to save money I offered to clean their 150 G freshwater tank for dental work. Trading services I guess... I had fresh water all my life and it's not hard.. BUT he hits me today with a problem. He wants to redo his system cuz it sucks. He has that Rainbow Lifegard aquarium filter.

But it's old and out dated, what other kinda of filter can he/we use that still filters from under ground. he has 3 holes drilled into the bottom of the tank. 2 to filter under the screen he has below the gravel and one to return up through. If you can think of a better way to filter let me know please. I wanna help him with this project even though I don't HAVE to...

 

[gumbii]

wet/dry sump...

 

[Demonkegman]

Why do they call it wet/dry btw....

 

[gumbii]

i dunno...


what gets wetter as it dries...? a towel... hey, i've been had...

 

[cdc84]

With the holes being drilled at the bottom of the tank you can't have any type of sump, if the power goes out it will completely drain all the tank. The only other type of filter I can think of is a canister filter, I had a FX5 on my 300g freshwater the good think with those is you can close the valves to remove the canister for cleaning.

Are there ball valves on the current input/output pipes to allow for cleaning the current filters? If there is could they also be turned off and you could put the canister filter pipes over the back of the tank?

If he changes his current system he will also lose the build in heater and UV.

 

[Demonkegman]

yes.. but they are kinda poorly places. was going to re do it..

And holy carp, you're right!!!!! I have been looking into wet/drys all day...

 

[Demonkegman]

Wait isn't their a type of valve the will stay open if water is going one way, but if power fails and pump turns off and water comes back in the other way it will close?

 

[cdc84]

The problem is you can't alter the pipework before the ball valves without removing the water from the tank.

Was the the problem with the current setup?

 

[cdc84]

Yeah there is a one way valve but they only work is there on the return pipe as the pressure from the pump hold it open when the power goes out the pressure from the tank will push it closed. I have had bad luck with those I had to alter the pipework on my current tank due to the ball valve not completely closing, if it went off over night it would overflow my sump. I have never used the flap type valve though only the ball so maybe they are better.

But if it fails after you have changed it he may hold you responsible.

 

[Demonkegman]

Yeah we are going to remove all water/fish/gravel. Because there is gravel getting in the undergravel plates and clogging up the filter lines/pipes/tubes whatever.. So he wants to remove it all. make sure plates aren't broke. clear the lines. and get a better filter that isn't cold and out dated. then get rid of his few HUGE fish and get more smaller ones... live plants. better rock.

 

[cdc84]

If it was me I would cap the pipes off and use a canister filter with the pipes over the back of the tank as long as the tank is not euro braced. If you use the holes in the bottom of the tank whatever filter you use will have to be a pressurized system.

The other way would be to use a hang on overflow box and have a wet dry filter and have the return pipe into the top of the tank.

That's the only things I can think of right now, other members might have some better ideas than me.

 

[Demonkegman]

Tank is viewable on both sides. can't have anything blocking the view....... This that is why they did under on the bottom...

 

[gumbii]

you can route both holes on the bottom of the tank all the way up with PVC from the bulkheads... it's gonna look icky, but it will work with a sump... it will look better than an overflow box...


too bad i don't work at A&Z anymore, i could've made some stainless steel or titanium piping... man, i should've taken pics of that tank we built a couple years ago...