Tank Journal Archive
Actually this is relatively easy thinking about it last night.
A giant bulkhead in the centre of the tank (say 50mm) that is plumbed straight down into a sump. In the tank this has a riser that becomes your weir.
In the sump, have a return pump with say a 20 or 25mm return. This is fed straight up the centre of the overflow pipework and comes out past the top. Then it's just a matter of splitting the line into 3 or 4 return lines. As the main display rotates you will eliminate dead spots as the return outlets remain fixed, the tank spins around them. Something really over powered like a laguna 11,000 LPH or similar would be ample as in tank flow (as an example, I run this pump through 25mm plumbing. The outlet into the tank is Teed into 2 returns (both 25mm). 1 of then points the length of the tank and has enough push to move soft corals 8' away - remember this is only 1/2 of the output).
In essence nothing in the DT has power cords or similar and nothing is "fixed" to the stand, only to a rotating "Lazy Susan" with a hole in the centre for the 1 Bulkhead to pass through. The lights could be fixed to hang from the stand.
Just need to calculate the flow through the big pipe minus what is unavailable due to the smaller pipe being passed up the centre. Also how would you stop the gurgling sound? Tuning could be done with 2 bulkheads (the fixed being central and the second being offset with a valve, but that's a heap of room missing in the centre of the tank now. Hmmm - or not. It's only 2 pipes and the second needs only be 25mm with a value for tuning.
Interesting concept, but the curved glass/acrylic would distort the view I guess. Still pretty cool idea.
A giant bulkhead in the centre of the tank (say 50mm) that is plumbed straight down into a sump. In the tank this has a riser that becomes your weir.
In the sump, have a return pump with say a 20 or 25mm return. This is fed straight up the centre of the overflow pipework and comes out past the top. Then it's just a matter of splitting the line into 3 or 4 return lines. As the main display rotates you will eliminate dead spots as the return outlets remain fixed, the tank spins around them. Something really over powered like a laguna 11,000 LPH or similar would be ample as in tank flow (as an example, I run this pump through 25mm plumbing. The outlet into the tank is Teed into 2 returns (both 25mm). 1 of then points the length of the tank and has enough push to move soft corals 8' away - remember this is only 1/2 of the output).
In essence nothing in the DT has power cords or similar and nothing is "fixed" to the stand, only to a rotating "Lazy Susan" with a hole in the centre for the 1 Bulkhead to pass through. The lights could be fixed to hang from the stand.
Just need to calculate the flow through the big pipe minus what is unavailable due to the smaller pipe being passed up the centre. Also how would you stop the gurgling sound? Tuning could be done with 2 bulkheads (the fixed being central and the second being offset with a valve, but that's a heap of room missing in the centre of the tank now. Hmmm - or not. It's only 2 pipes and the second needs only be 25mm with a value for tuning.
Interesting concept, but the curved glass/acrylic would distort the view I guess. Still pretty cool idea.
These don't rotate but might provide inspiration:
http://reefbuilders.com/2010/03/29/reef-bowls-think-outside-the-glass-box-115-gallon-reef-bowls/
http://reefbuilders.com/2012/10/05/azoox-fish-bowl/
http://reefbuilders.com/2010/03/29/reef-bowls-think-outside-the-glass-box-115-gallon-reef-bowls/
http://reefbuilders.com/2012/10/05/azoox-fish-bowl/
Time to update your Sketchup @Buddy - include the 2nd offset pipe down out of smaller pipe with a valve and run the return pipe up through the centre and split it into 4 outlets. ;)
Those tanks are amazing.
Well as it looks il probably be using a hex tank as they are more available but im keeping my eye out.
I don't think I will bother with a second over flow. my 4ft only has a single drain and I went to a lot of effort building a hang on, uninterpretable overflow which i tuned to be dead silent and use the stock as a emergency overflow. However as time went on the main siphon got some air in it and stopped working leaving the emergency over flow to do all the work. I didn't notice the sound due to my massive external skimmer. but after a few weeks enough algae grew on the edge of the over flow to make it completely silent, despite being a straight pipe. so perhaps if i try to emulate this I will be able to make a silent overflow. maybe by making a soft fabric insert for the 1st inch. anyway for the time being i will keep it as simple as i can get and il work that stuff out later.
I really like the idea over using a over stocked return pump to do all the work. I think if I can find a good external pump that would make life pretty easy.
Well as it looks il probably be using a hex tank as they are more available but im keeping my eye out.
I don't think I will bother with a second over flow. my 4ft only has a single drain and I went to a lot of effort building a hang on, uninterpretable overflow which i tuned to be dead silent and use the stock as a emergency overflow. However as time went on the main siphon got some air in it and stopped working leaving the emergency over flow to do all the work. I didn't notice the sound due to my massive external skimmer. but after a few weeks enough algae grew on the edge of the over flow to make it completely silent, despite being a straight pipe. so perhaps if i try to emulate this I will be able to make a silent overflow. maybe by making a soft fabric insert for the 1st inch. anyway for the time being i will keep it as simple as i can get and il work that stuff out later.
I really like the idea over using a over stocked return pump to do all the work. I think if I can find a good external pump that would make life pretty easy.
Members online
No members online now.