I am in the process of building my new tank. It’s a 36x36x31 cube with three 1.5 holes drilled in he overflow. My stand is 36x36x30. I am going to run Triton Method. I am having trouble deciding what plumbing method I want to use. Im very conflicted so I am going to turn to you guys for advice!
Option 1 is to use a 30x24 sump that I have. Its acrylic and I will add baffles for a custom design. It will have b/a overflow into the sump, then flow into a 3in filter sock (Just for occasional polishing) and then into a 20 gallon fuge. It will then flow into a large skimmer reactor section then into a return pump chamber. This will not leave much room under my cabinet for food, tools, dosing, apex, things like that. This will have a turn over of approximately 2200gph. This will not leave much room for the skimmer either. According to my measurements I believe I will be able to get the skimmer head off but I doubt I will be able to remove the skimmer easily.
Option 2 is to use a 29 gallon tank and do a herbie overflow in. Then flow through a 3in sock when needed. Then water will flow into a 20 gal fuge area and then out through a herbie to a 40 breeder in the basement. The tank is over a large platform that divides the crawl space from the full basement. The 40 breeder will only be 34in below the 29 gallon fuge. The 40 breeder will house skimmer, reactor, heaters, and then a return pump section. The basement will have a drain and is where my mixing station/rodi setup is. This will give me the basement self for dosers, chiller, apex, ect. Turn over will be around 1700gph.
Option 3 is to go to the basement and do everything down there. This could be either system or a combination of the systems.
My issues with option 2 and 3 is that I will have to cut large holes in the wall and floor. I would use herbie style overflow to reduce the size of the holes but its wood paneling walls. (approximately 3 inches thick, and the floors are 180 year old American chestnut wide plank floors. Neither of these are things I want to cut massive holes into but I could cut the pine paneling and not loss too much sleep.
Is the reduced flow and downgrade to herbie worth the extra space and convenience of the basement?
Option 1 is to use a 30x24 sump that I have. Its acrylic and I will add baffles for a custom design. It will have b/a overflow into the sump, then flow into a 3in filter sock (Just for occasional polishing) and then into a 20 gallon fuge. It will then flow into a large skimmer reactor section then into a return pump chamber. This will not leave much room under my cabinet for food, tools, dosing, apex, things like that. This will have a turn over of approximately 2200gph. This will not leave much room for the skimmer either. According to my measurements I believe I will be able to get the skimmer head off but I doubt I will be able to remove the skimmer easily.
Option 2 is to use a 29 gallon tank and do a herbie overflow in. Then flow through a 3in sock when needed. Then water will flow into a 20 gal fuge area and then out through a herbie to a 40 breeder in the basement. The tank is over a large platform that divides the crawl space from the full basement. The 40 breeder will only be 34in below the 29 gallon fuge. The 40 breeder will house skimmer, reactor, heaters, and then a return pump section. The basement will have a drain and is where my mixing station/rodi setup is. This will give me the basement self for dosers, chiller, apex, ect. Turn over will be around 1700gph.
Option 3 is to go to the basement and do everything down there. This could be either system or a combination of the systems.
My issues with option 2 and 3 is that I will have to cut large holes in the wall and floor. I would use herbie style overflow to reduce the size of the holes but its wood paneling walls. (approximately 3 inches thick, and the floors are 180 year old American chestnut wide plank floors. Neither of these are things I want to cut massive holes into but I could cut the pine paneling and not loss too much sleep.
Is the reduced flow and downgrade to herbie worth the extra space and convenience of the basement?
