The Filter Thread

wanna see the pics once you're done plz??

 

I will study it a bit later, but strait away I can point out that you will need an extra valve between the inlet and outlet of O and P, to force the water thru them if you open their inlets. If not, the water will take the route of least resistance straight past them.

 

Nice, I will borrow from your plan. I just do not agree with the down and up waterflow thru the filter. What is a Refugium? Where will your heaters be and will you have a controller on them?

 

You're right, I completely forgot to add those. I kept thinking I'll just add them later and never did... I'll add them on the offline pic.

The heater is located in the first compartment in the sump where the water from the overflow flows in. A refugium is a part in the filter that can be utilized to keep smaller fish to recooperate away from other tankmates.

 

aah, good one.

Bacteria function better in warmer water, so I like the idea of heating before the bio chamber, maybe even over heat, so by the time it got to the tank, it is the correct temp. The size of the heater could however be a problem. Can one put it inside the bio material?

 

I am set for 40 posts per page. Can you repeat the drawing, so one do not have to go back to page one to view it?

 

Gladly, with the discussed cutoffs added:



I would not put the heater inside the bio material for two reasons:

a) Although the heater may be set to 28 degrees, it can only either be on or off, thus giving maximum output when on. The surface temperature of the heater goes WAAY higher than the set 28 degrees. This high heat will kill the bacteria.
b) Seeing as the flow of water through bio material is restricted, the water surrounding the heater will quickly reach 28 degrees, thus causing it to turn on and off in rapid succession, not having any effect on the entire water volume. Heaters need to be placed in flowing water to ensure that the entire volume is heated and not just the water surrounding the heater.

To see this effect, run a bath one tap at a time (hot first, then cold) without ever stirring... ;-)

 

I hear you. Find the solution.... haha We need hotter water in the bio compartment and the intake is too small, bar you go buy a lot of small heaters...

 

Technically you can add a small heater in each compartment between the water surface and the bio material (i.e. reduce the material so that there is a water-only area above it) but that would be wasting electricity imo. The water in my sump is about 30 degrees and settles at 27.5 in the tank. I don't think you need any higher than that.

 

That is all I want. Where in the sump is your heater? First compartment?

 

Yup, right where the fresh water arrives. Heats it up before it goes downstream...

 

Great.