Custom 4ft tank design (feedback/advice please!)

[Actual Human]

Hi all, this is my first post here so if I'm screwing something up let me know :p.

I've been designing a custom tank with some fairly unique features so wanted some input. It's going to be a 1200x600x600 mm (4x2x2 ft) tropical freshwater planted system with a basic sump (read: chilly bin with a DIY filter, nothing fancy). My weird additions are triangular overflow boxes in either back corner, one for the return flow and one for the drain (I want to hide pipes); and an under substrate return manifold that will percolate a small amount of return water through the substrate in the hopes of keeping it oxidised and relatively clean, almost like a reverse flow under gravel filter but without the filter plates that plant roots will mess with and minus the 'filter' part (It may contribute a bit but I will have more than adequate filtration in the sump).

Any advice or feedback is welcome, I've attached some CAD screenshots that are hopefully clear enough to show what I'm trying to achieve.

[Aiken Drum]

Liking the CAD skills. What package are you using? One of the benefits of lockdown was me having time to transition from AutoCAD to Revit.

[Actual Human]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Liking the CAD skills. What package are you using? One of the benefits of lockdown was me having time to transition from AutoCAD to Revit.

I downloaded Fusion 360 because it was free and have been stumbling through trying to teach myself. It's not a fast process but I've been enjoying it

[Aiken Drum]

You made a very good job of it.

If you are into that kind of thing, Google Sketchup is a very good, easy to use package. There is a free web version, thats OK, the Pro version is now annual subscription, but you can find older versions of sketchup available to download from when Sketchup was free. Sketchup 8 is an excellent free 3D package if you can still find it.

Weirdly, Sketchup Pro wont run on my new office laptop, whereas Revit runs fine. I would have expected it to be the other way around.

[Aiken Drum]

Im going to start with, ive never done a sump or undergravel filtration, but I'll throw my opinion in the hat. Maybe its relevant, maybe its nonsense.

The undergravel pipework is perforated? So this will allow some water into the substrate? Whats to stop substrate getting into this pipework and blocking it?

Could this lead to the overflows stopping draining the tank, the return pump still filling it up from the sump, and you flooding your house?

In which case would an overflow be useful, bypassing the undergravel part in case of emergency?

[Actual Human]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

Im going to start with, ive never done a sump or undergravel filtration, but I'll throw my opinion in the hat. Maybe its relevant, maybe its nonsense.

The undergravel pipework is perforated? So this will allow some water into the substrate? Whats to stop substrate getting into this pipework and blocking it?

Could this lead to the overflows stopping draining the tank, the return pump still filling it up from the sump, and you flooding your house?

In which case would an overflow be useful, bypassing the undergravel part in case of emergency?

Should've added some more detail I suppose, I'm thinking of aqua soil in mesh bags as my base substrate layer so both the flow through the under gravel pipework and the bagging should prevent complete clogging. Even if that did occur this entire manifold is just split off from the main return line with valves controlling the ratio of flow going to each (otherwise I'd probably be coating the ceiling with aqua soil). This way the primary return also acts as a siphon break as it's very near the surface so as soon as it starts aspirating a significant amount of air any back-siphoning of the entire return system should stop. The valves also mean if as an experiment it completely fails it can just be shut off, though I do hope it works!

Edit: I just realised you're under the impression the under gravel pipework acts as a drain rather than a return, sorry perhaps I confused this slightly as my return line does also come in via an overflow box which isn't typical. Hope that helps.

[nashihoude]

I like your design, and it seems too complex for me, after all, I just get water changer to change the water, and some decorations.