99 Gallon Tank Journal

Some more testing yesterday. Still no issues. Tried various inlets & outlets in the sump. Basically variations to reduce the toilet-noise as well as the amount of air coming down with the water.
Findings:
1. If I use 1 hose (1 inch dia.) down into the sump with two 1" syphon-tubes and an almost closed top on the stockman standpipe, then the flow is fast enough to have almost 0 air coming down, resulting in watermovement only without 'cavitation' in the sump.
2. With setup as above, no need to restrict flow on the pumps in any way. It balances...victory...
3. The CO2-reactor is running flawless. Air buildup is sucked up by the Venturi line and I currently see a pattern of water-air-water-air going up and back into the feed-line.
4. Since the setup under 1 is working fine, I think it will result in switching back to the original idea of
- Having 2 syphon-tupes coming into 1 box with an (emergency) overflow-drain into the sump.
- The level will overflow into the standpipe box and go down.
- In the sump all as per normal and back up with the pumps.

More testing to be done and I need to build a level-switch for the pumps. Got the scrap-parts, but need to put it all together.
Gonna be some type of float-switch connected to a 220V relais to switch on and off. Will make pictures in the process.

When I can have the water running on Sunday all day without hickup, I can start moving to the next stage.

cheers...
 
Very pleasantly surprised that with 1 return-line still to finish, the level between running and power shutdown is just 3 to 4 inch.
That means I can still up the level a good 8 to 10 inch...
 
Thanks, your Aro's are looking good too. Friend of mine is always pushing me to get them but I'd need to get a proper tank for that first. I'm all for the 'complete picture' and proper habitat for a fish. No bare bottom fish-display for me.
Love to get started on a project like yours though.
 
Quick update, no pictures today but been test-running the sump all day yesterday.
Still don't dare to run 24/7 because I dont have safety-switches installed on minimum water-level in the tank.
Will be soon though.

CO2 reactor is working perfect. Like DrVader's commercial unit (and Coy's unit as well), with the difference that the bleed-line is running back into the water-loop before the reactor and this just takes any air-buildup after a restart away in a couple of minutes.
It might be worth considering this on the commercial unit DrVader, Coy.....Just loop the bleeding valve, plump it in a Y fitting to make sure it 'pulls' air, not pushes water in...then runs into the reactor-chamber again.
Never any gas-buildup during operation, even with a power-drop and restart, it will automatically calibrate itself.

Cheers,
Luc
 
Yep, there is basically no difference between 1 minute and 1 hour because the syphon-break on the line pulls a lot of air into the reactor. (about 2 inches) before the back-flow stops completely.
Quite some violent water and air movement in the last few seconds and then it just stops.

Restarting the pump (switching them on only) will then start with some additional air between the pump and the reactor getting in. After that, give and take 10 minutes, it's all gone...
As for the CO2 bubbling, I'll have the CO2, chiller and pumps on the same electric line that will be controlled by a low-water switch. Anything goes too low, switch will break electricity and stops adding more CO2 or freezing the water.

Same for long switch-off though, not running overnight yet because that low-level switch is not in yet.
But switching off previous evening and starting the next morning gives the same results...
 
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