Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

  1. #1
    ndame88
    Guest

    Default Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    So ready to purchase a a Exo 36x18x36, build a false bottom and about a third of the bottom being water. I have zero experience with aquarium plumbing and filtration so please let me know if this sounds right.

    - Drill a hole for a bulkhead that will drain in to a 10 gal sump tank with a ball valve to control the rate of drainage to the sump
    - Canister filter(thinking Zoo Med 511) pulls the water from the sump tank, puts it back into the enclosure through a water fall
    - Misting system(mist king) pulls from sump tank and puts it back into the enclosure

    so here are my questions:
    1. Can you drill Exo Terra Glass? If so, what size bulk head?
    2. Should the hole for the bulk head be in the bottom under the false bottom or on the back at the max height I want the water level to be?
    3. Is a Zoo Med 501 or 511 filter the right choice and is the pump strong enough to pull the water from the sump under the enclosure all the way back up to the water fall?

    Thanks in advance for any replies

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
     

  3. #2
    J Teezy
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    i just typed out a big explanation and lost it so i'm not going to do it again but basically this is it

    1. Do not use water from the sump for misting. Mister should run off its own reservoir with distilled or RO water not water that has traveled through the viv in same fashion

    2. Having water drain to a sump and then pulled from the sump with a canister filter is doing too much. If you are going to use a canister filter than put the intake for the filter in the viv to pull from the water under the FB or drainage layer.

    3. if you want water to drain out of the viv into a sump then make a sump filter where you would have the water come out of the viv through the bulkhead into the sump that has some kind of filtration and returned to the waterfall via pump that is also in the sump. What you are describing is not really a sump system, you're describing a holding tank of dirty water.

  4. #3
    kevinp
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    what are you putting in it ?

  5. #4
    ndame88
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    Kevinp, RETFs

    Josh, that makes sense now, so really only reason to have a bulkhead is to drain into a sump is for water changes. So would you recommend drilling into Exo Terra glass? by the way I am following your 29 build, really looking great, thinking of doing a background like that.

  6. #5
    J Teezy
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    if you are going to run a canister filter you don't need a sump is what i'm trying to say. One thing you could do is have your bulkhead in the bottom of the tank (but you'll have to drill a hole in your stand as well) and attach a ball vlave to the plumbing so you can drain out what you want when needed or you put in the side or back at the height you want the water to drain out to maintain a constant water level for you filter to draw water from

  7. #6
    TheFroggyDragon
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    I set mine up with a little tube on the bottom of the tank. I can hook it up to a pump and syphon all the water out from the bottom then put the tube back in tucked down until the next time I need to drain water out. I use a misting system with distilled water. Personally I don't like drilling any tank since it usually reduces the value and you only have one shot to get it right. If you do drill it practice a few times on inexpensive glass.
    Let us know how it turns out!

  8. #7
    J Teezy
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    i dont think you can drill the bottom of exo terras now that i think about it, think its tempered, so if you drill the back or side this is what i would do

    If i was doing the back set it on its back on a couple pieces of 2x4 or something to getit off the ground. Fill the tank with water so that the drill bit is sitting in the water, put enough in to make a water height of about 1/4" maybe. always best to drill from the inside out if possible so that the chip out if you get any is on the outside of the tank

  9. #8
    TheFroggyDragon
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    Reread my post and its a little confusing. With mine there was no drilling.. the tube end is in the center of the bottom of tank and runs to the front of the tank. I open the doors hook up the little pump, plug it in, and out comes the water into my bucket that I can discard.

  10. #9
    ndame88
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    Thanks for the replies, I think I want to put it at a heigth on the back that I want the water level to be, I dont plan on drilling it myself, I know you have to be patient and go very slow, something I struggle with, so I am going to contact a couple of glass shops.

    Any suggestions on the size of bulk head to be used?

  11. #10
    J Teezy
    Guest

    Default Re: Sanity check on my plumbing, water feature, filtration idea

    I'd probably use a 1/2" bulkhead

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. 20 gallon long with a water feature?
    By Rukufox in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: November 28th, 2011, 12:35 AM
  2. Water filtration systems in lagoon based vivarium?
    By Planaria in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: November 11th, 2011, 09:25 AM
  3. Water feature for a small vivarium?
    By killerecho in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: July 5th, 2011, 03:34 AM
  4. Removable water feature,
    By laura in forum Introductions Area
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: February 27th, 2011, 01:34 PM
  5. Mixing Substrate and Water Feature Water
    By MikeM670 in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: January 11th, 2011, 09:25 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •