Behemoth planted tank

theotheragentm said:
How do water changes work in a large tank like that? Do you just let the plants take care of bioload and just dose ferts regularly?
Click to expand...

Easy as pie.
Turn a switch to turn off the UV/pumps, turn a valve(you can turn 2 of them if you want even faster draining) that's 2" PVC. Takes 10 minutes to drain 700 Gallons.

There is a 700 Gallon RO tank in the back and a 1000 gpd RO unit.
We use that to fill as well as a tap line(3/4"). The tap is carbon filtered for the entire home.

We can also use a gravel vac and hose into a drain in the side filter room for spot cleaning if need be.

One thing that can mess with you, not remembering to turn the valves shut after draining, you waste all the water in RO and it can take much longer then.

Otherwise, water changes are easy, likely easier than folks with a 55 gallon tank and lugging buckets.

For my own tanks:
I use 1" flex line and go right outside to the lawn for draining, and simply place the same hose on the bath and run the 1" U shaped hanger for the refill.
I'll go hard plumbing once I move into my own home.

You can automate the water changes also and run the drain/fill inside the walls using hose, PVC, 1/4" or 1/2" lines etc.
Add a solenoid on a timer and a float switch.

Just like an automated toilet flush.
Add a carbon prefilter to the line so you do not need to dechlorinate etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Beautiful tank.Talent at most!!!
 
Wow. Very cool. How often is the water changed in a tank that large?

I work for a company that has all the equipment necessary for automating a huge tank like that, but our equipment is designed for industrial applications. That means PVC ball valves, pipe, fittings, pumps, and the works. While more rugged, we can't even get into OEMs in the fish tank business. Their float switches are like a dime a piece. Still I'd like to try building my own large tank sometime.
 
thats an aquatic eden. mr barr, if you create something like that in the house you are planning to build someday, you would have a slice of heaven. i had a similar idea for the pattern of my own home to what you desrcibed a few posts back. i thought of a roman style home except with the center having a large square fish tank. your post just made me think of it again.
 
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theotheragentm said:
Wow. Very cool. How often is the water changed in a tank that large?

I work for a company that has all the equipment necessary for automating a huge tank like that, but our equipment is designed for industrial applications. That means PVC ball valves, pipe, fittings, pumps, and the works. While more rugged, we can't even get into OEMs in the fish tank business. Their float switches are like a dime a piece. Still I'd like to try building my own large tank sometime.
Click to expand...

It can be automated but why?
It's easy to change without all that and adding a solenoid system and there's already a float switch for top off in the sump.
It's mainly a 2" PVC system as is and 1" or 3/4" for fill.

While the tank fills/drains, you work inside on it or clean etc.
Add ferts and that's it.

Easy.

Pruning and getting inside is a chore though.
But that's why I will not own a 4ft deep tank:grinyes:

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
ditto on no more pics.

how about Mr. BARR has a a sticky on all the tanks he does? lol
 
Hell froze over:
resizedbehemoth2009.jpg


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Enjoy. I still hate the ugly discus in here. Rather see a school of some nice natural looking fish, but I'm not paying the bill either:)

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
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