Hi fellow hobbyists! I am planning to build a tank with an overflow drilled directly into at the top tank. From my understanding, all weir or overflow setup takes water from the top part of the tank and send to the sump for filtration. But what about the water at the bottom where most heavy waste and dirt lie? I know that canisters intake pipes reach the bottom half of the tank and may help in suck in waste at the bottom. However, i want a neat setup and do not wish to have tube inside the tank, thus drilling holes. What would you advise to help clean the bottom? I plan to go bare bottom and drill bottom drains for easy removal of waste and also quick water change. I could connect my fluval 407 directly to the bottom drain with a bypass to flush the tank for water change. Or i could drill the bottom sides of the tank to connect my canister and use the bottom drains mainly for flushing and removal of waste and there may be too much and the canister will be clogged faster with waste. Your inputs would be much appreciated!
Overflow/weir sump setup
- Thread starter CICL
- Start date
Although many people think the bottom and substrate contains most waste, because that's where the turds end up, and is obvious .
The air water interface (waters surface) is where the most detrimental chemical wastes tend to collect, and prevent one of the most important factors in keeping an aquarium healthy, gas exchange.
Just because it's invisible to the naked eye, doesn't make that chemical waste any less detrimental.
This is why constant skimming of the surface is usually recommended by experienced aquarists.
The best way to remove those unsightly turds, is simply vacuuming them up during frequent water changes.
In many ways, collecting turds in a filter is like sweeping dirt under a rug. Unlesss they are cleaned out of the filter they remain in the tank, their chemical residue being circulated over and over.
This is why protein skimming (fractionation) is a great filtration method, because it provides a way of collecting waste at a separately created air water interface, and removing it from the water column before it gets into and rots in the filter.
Below a video of fractionating a small freshwater pond.
The billows of foam that fall on the ground, are from invisible waste products in the water column not removed by simple filtration (fats, proteins, DOC, microscopic particulate, etc etc)
koi pond fractionation
The air water interface (waters surface) is where the most detrimental chemical wastes tend to collect, and prevent one of the most important factors in keeping an aquarium healthy, gas exchange.
Just because it's invisible to the naked eye, doesn't make that chemical waste any less detrimental.
This is why constant skimming of the surface is usually recommended by experienced aquarists.
The best way to remove those unsightly turds, is simply vacuuming them up during frequent water changes.
In many ways, collecting turds in a filter is like sweeping dirt under a rug. Unlesss they are cleaned out of the filter they remain in the tank, their chemical residue being circulated over and over.
This is why protein skimming (fractionation) is a great filtration method, because it provides a way of collecting waste at a separately created air water interface, and removing it from the water column before it gets into and rots in the filter.
Below a video of fractionating a small freshwater pond.
The billows of foam that fall on the ground, are from invisible waste products in the water column not removed by simple filtration (fats, proteins, DOC, microscopic particulate, etc etc)
koi pond fractionation
The poop is going to go some where - to your sump or your Fluval. I prefer not stirring things up so the poop and debris have to make it to the top of the tank and into the weir. We have vertical uptakes just off the floor of the tank "poop suckers" They work really well, and there has never been anything on the floor to vacuum. We noticed that the debris tends to eddy in the tank and settle in certain places. That's where the poop suckers were placed. It works really well for us. While we have a separate mechanical filtration using RTL-25 filters via a Reeflo Hammerhead pump, other members on MFK have extended their uptakes of the canister filters to just off the floor and had the same results. I have a real aversion to drilling the back and sides of my tank, so all the holes are drilled on the top. The beauty of our system is that we use it exclusively for our water changes. There is a pipe running under the house to the back patio. Just opening a valve will drain the tank dry. (I accidentally did that once). We also have a 55 gallon tank on a high shelf in the equipment room with a water line to the utility sink. (the uptake of this holding tank is also a vertical pipe just off the floor) We open the valve, and the water is quickly pumped into the main tank. easy peesy.
Since you are going bare floor, vertical uptakes should work well for you if they are placed in the right spot.
Old pic of one of our poop suckers
back of the tank
I wouldn't consider a tank without poop sucker pipes. Big tank has is not done yet, but the poop suckers will be the only "decoration" in the tank when it is set up. (Yep, I had 11 holes put on the top of the tank during fabrication)
Very big fan of vertical uptakes. The sump tank on the big system will have a vertical uptake also.
Mechanical/water change system
Tall pipe on right is from the 55 gallon holding tank (fill pipe). Behind it is the a pipe going down and under the house (tank drain pipe)
Since you are going bare floor, vertical uptakes should work well for you if they are placed in the right spot.
Old pic of one of our poop suckers
back of the tank
I wouldn't consider a tank without poop sucker pipes. Big tank has is not done yet, but the poop suckers will be the only "decoration" in the tank when it is set up. (Yep, I had 11 holes put on the top of the tank during fabrication)
Very big fan of vertical uptakes. The sump tank on the big system will have a vertical uptake also.
Mechanical/water change system
Tall pipe on right is from the 55 gallon holding tank (fill pipe). Behind it is the a pipe going down and under the house (tank drain pipe)
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