Cheap PVC canister manifold for two tanks

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CWO4GUNNER

USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
I honestly am not sure this will work as I have never tried it except on paper but in theory it might work, its also cheap enough to make with mostly whats on hand that I think its worth a try. It will make much better use of my FX5 currently overkill for just one of two 80 tanks, all without expense, special tools, parts and aquarium down time required in drilling a tank.

I need your sanity check. Any problems overlooked, missed considerations anyone sees or think they might see welcome.
 

Rbishop

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Lets say the input from the tank on the left is 100% BLOCKED, SO ALL WATER TO THE fx5 is from the right tank. But the return is to both tanks. If the discharge pressure exceeds the height difference, there will be no equalization of levels and the tank on the left will overflow.
 

CWO4GUNNER

USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
But even though the discharge pressure (head pressure) exceeds the height difference which it always has and will, the added pressure of the of the tank height or lack there is cumulative or subtractive in the return pressure chamber which remember is 10 times the volume of the 1.5 inch hose from the pump pressure side. Inside the mixing chamber resistance and or the lack thereof is felt just like the line junction in an electrical circuit.

So is the water inside the mixing chamber going to flow to the to tank with more resistance more water/more resistance or less water/less resistance? Well just like trying to blow air underwater with a hose, the deeper tank is the much more difficult, and if you had a straw with a T junction one end in a glass half full and the other full, when your mouth being the mixing chamber blows, all the air would go to the the glass half full.

However you raise the same question I asked myself and I was thinking of installing 2 additional hoses from each the manifold to the tank, but when you think about it additional hoses to equalize flow are not needed as the chamber should do it all. Just like additional straws would not help off the T to get bubbles or liquid in the other glass, it only can equalize.
Now if a discharge hose got plugged which is almost impossible, then I would be in trouble and a second set of hoses would be wise or overkill depending on how you look at it.

In any case its cheap enough and so non invasive I think its worth a try don't you, or do you have a more full proof and low cost method?
 
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RodInCALIFORNIA

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my soultion would be do a shared wet/dry filter seems easier and less complicated.
 

CWO4GUNNER

USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
How can that be true when a wet/dry system is predisposed to the possibility of flooding, one becasue it uses a marginally controlled siphon system that dependent on water level which equates to gallons potentially spilling before stopping, and two becasue a sump inherently is a unpressurized open system that potentially can flood uncontrollably just for that fact alone. Which has happened countless times on this forum and will continue to happen as long as sumps are what they are.

Whereas a pressurized canister systems is far less likely to flood and far more easier to control given that fact.

You have to excuse me I may have had one too many turkey servings and egg noggs LOL.
 

mott

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I see a lot of threads trying to run multiple tanks off of one canister but none ever actually work, I will be following this one closely.
 

CWO4GUNNER

USN/USCG 1974-2004 Weps
OK so I'm being a little facetious and understand that a wet/dry sump cant be beat for its economics on large central systems for multiple tanks and growing plants out if it makes it even better on large scale operations. Goodness know im in the process of building my own sump out of sterility containers and wood frame support.

But there has got to be a way to do this simply and cheaply with a canister and Im going to try, maybe first on a 1/4 scale modle.
 

Rbishop

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I don't have a better idea as of know, Gunner, vice a sump wet/dry. To me, with what I see in your sketch, the discharge pressure from the FX5, minus head loss up to it, will be felt equally in the return chamber. That pressure is definitely going to be greater than a height difference of water levels between two tanks, and the height of that water in the one tank with the blocked suction will not overcome the discharge of an FX5.

The only way I can see it working is to have a hose for equalization (or drill them for a pvc equalization line).
 

SubRosa

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OK so I'm being a little facetious and understand that a wet/dry sump cant be beat for its economics on large central systems for multiple tanks and growing plants out if it makes it even better on large scale operations. Goodness know im in the process of building my own sump out of sterility containers and wood frame support.

But there has got to be a way to do this simply and cheaply with a canister and Im going to try, maybe first on a 1/4 scale modle.
No there really doesn't have to be a way to make this work cheaply and simply. A far more accurate statement would be that you want it to work out cheaply and simply.
 

FISHSHROD

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Aug 18, 2005
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I used to run multiple tanks and fuges and all with sumps and things and there is always going to be some sort of flood down the line no matter how hard you try to prevent it , kaka happens.

I want to see you do this, now get to work.
 
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