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Sand / rock filter?... Opinions

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Mr.Gray View Drop Down
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    Posted: November 08 2012 at 1:31pm
Ok, so I am setting up my new system which is going to be 150 display, 30 frag, 45 qt, 40 sump (equipment only), 20 macro (chaeto), and the last 20 tank I am thinking of turning into a large sand/rock reactor of sorts.

It is a 20 gal acrylic tank so drilling is easy. My plan so far is to plumb it with 2-3 1" pvc pipes that run the lengh of the bottom. I am then going to drill many holes in them so the tank would fill evenly from the bottom and drain at the top. I would then fill tje tank with about 6" of sand and the remainder with lr. My theory is that by having the water filter through the sand and rock it will provide a ton of surface area for bacteria while also removing larger particles from the water.

Please lmk if there is a negative effect to this and or if you have a better idea. Btw this is plumbed to my garage that is how I am able to have four different tanks for filtration.

Thanks
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Molli View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Molli Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 08 2012 at 3:31pm
I've read about trying that with PVC Pipe for return lines in display tanks (I think they call them spray lines), and there seems to be a common problem:  you won't get the flow of water to be even thru all the holes in the pipe.  You will get a lot more flow thru the initial holes and little to no flow thru some of the remaining holes -- this will depend upon the water pressure going thru the pipe of course.  Some articles I've read suggest a trial run in a bathtub and start with really small holes and then adjust the hole size along the pipe so that you will end up with an even flow of water coming out of all the holes in the pipe.  If I understand what you are doing, you plan to put those 1" pvc pipes beneath a 6" sand bed.  How do you plan to keep the sand from entering and plugging those holes when the water flow is cut off?
 
On using the sand bed to remove the larger particles from the water, it seems to me that a sock is a whole lot easier!  Plus, those larger particles will be removed from the system when the sock is removed instead of having them build up in the sandbed.
 
I assume your QT tank will not be plumbed to/from any other tanks?
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Mr.Gray View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mr.Gray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 08 2012 at 4:18pm
You are probably correct Molli. But, it just sounds fun to try something different haha. I am going to be running filter socks as well because I do agree with your statement of being able to remove and clean it easily.

What do you think pros and cons would be of filtering down throufh the sand or up through it?

And the qt will have the ability to be ran completely seperate from the main system. It is also being plumbed for easy water changes.
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Lewy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lewy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 12 2012 at 11:48am
almost sounds like a fluidized sand filter.
one way of getting even flow is to reduce the pipe half way down.
40 gal w/ 20 sump
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mr.Gray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2012 at 1:18pm
Bassically would be a reactor. However, I can't think of enough benifits to do it so I will stick with a little mor traditional approach. I think i'm going to do 20g of macro, 20g of rock, then the sump for equipment. Still keeping the 45 qt the same.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bmac2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 20 2012 at 1:24pm
ok this is simply Bernoulli's law.  What you have is the further down the pipe  you go the lower the pressure on the flow due to volume leaving, and at the same time you will have an increase of friction per inch of pipe.  Someone said it before, if you calculated it exactly and increased the size of hte holes as you moved away from the inlet you would get a laminar flow and identical flows.  NOW, as someone with 2 degrees in engineering, it isn't even worth trying to figure it out.  if you want to do it easy, get your drill bit set and start with a really small one and move to the bigger ones about an inch apart allthe way down the pipe.

Or just ignore the flow differences and play with trial and error!
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