large tank set up

[gardentoad]

I have just purchased a used 215 gallon tank and wet/ dry filter.
Not all of the parts and plumbing is there.
The tank is drilled on the bottom, 3 holes one on each side and 1 in a column in the middle.
The pump is external and the w/d filter is a 55 gal. tank with an eggcrate shelf on one side and 3 vertical slots on the other side about 3' apart and a hole drilled on this end. I got bioballs and an external pump with the filter but nothing else.

I would like to set it up as a terrarium/ aquarium. I would like to have the water circulated in reverse of the normal way. Instead of the column in the middle skimming the surface then returning the water to the filter, I'd like it to be a waterfall. The tank would be 1/3 full of water and the land area trays of soil (planted) setting on plastic milk crates with rock beach areas.

i would prefer the water returning to the filter to come through an undergravel filter plate.

My problem is that if the pump goes out or we have a power failure my tank would drain.

Is there any way to set this up so the tank wouldn't empty?If I use tubes on the return holes I can't use a UG filter plate. I also don't care for skimming the surface because it sucks down the fish food or you need to turn it off at feeding.

I know once I set the land area up it would be very difficult to clean under it. That is why I wanted an undergravel filter so debre wouldn't collect where I can't reach it.

I had a similar tank (200 gal) before set up like this but it wasn't drilled. I used powerheads on lift tubes and an aquaflow500 filter hanging off the back so I know how difficult it is to reach the gravel under my land area in the back.
It seems a shame to not use the filter and pump that came with the tank.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'm sorry that I can't help you out with this, but I would love to see a pic of it when it's done. It sounds interesting.

 

[beblondie]

Did it come with overflows? or just holes drilled in the bottom of the tank?

 

[greenmaji]

if Im understanding you intentions.... you could have 1/3 of the tank high standpipes..
your output woud need to come up to the water level and then be plumed down to the UGF filter plate so you can make a break in the sypon on the output of your return plumbing just below the water surfase (to avoid the draining sanario your worried about).. HTH

 

[greenmaji]

To make a break in the syphon I ment a hole in your return pipe near the surfase of the water.. Sorry if that was confusing..

 

[gardentoad]

greenmaji,
I don't suppose you could draw a picture of that, could you?

I'm picturing a pipe from the filter plate up to the surface and then doing a 180 degree turn back down through the hole in the bottom of the tank to the filter.

If I have a hole near the surface, what would keep the water flowing through the gravel instead of just feeding through the hole in the return pipe?

How big of a hole would be necessary to break the syphon? If it is small enough it might not effect the pull through the gravel.
Or, is there a way to put a little check vale there that would open only if the pull from the pump stopped?

 

[Guest]

It sounds very interesting, but its gonna be a lot of work maintaining an UGF in a tank that size... If there is anyway you could do it without the UGF plate, i would do that. JMO

 

[greenmaji]

btw. this is not like using a UGF in the traditional sence for those that are reading this post, its more like using a part of the UGF for water flow reasons.. kindof like a undergravel jet system (if anyone else knows what that is LOL) its just to keep the bottom of the tank cleaner not trying to make a bacterial bed out of the gravel (that would be done with a wet/dry or similar filter in the sump) HTH

It would depend on the filter plate that is involved and how you want to plumb it, in other words would you like to distribute the incoming water to more then one of the holes in the filter plate.. you could use a 3-way fitting at the top and use flexible plumbing for getting the water into the filter plate (im assuming the filter plate isnt the size of the entire tank just the open water portion.) In other words if you would like for me to try to design this for you click on the email button below my post and send me some more details. btw. it wouldnt need to be a very big hole to break the syphon, tiny would work, just so air can get into the tube if it becomes exposed to air.

 

[greenmaji]

btw. I think you were asking a question about check valves for water.. the swing check valve comes to my mind.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8242/cid/2083
they make clear ones as well (they are a bit more expensive
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/8254/cid/2114
you have 6 pipes, other then your overflow, how big are they?
I re-read your post and it says that you want to do a water fall feature with your center overflow.. do you really want water falling all the way from the top of the tank down to the 1/3 level? if so there should be plumbing in it that you can divert some of your output flow to the overflow box.