Flow through experience/suggestions/ideas and most importantly PICTURES!!!

[lifeoffaith]

I would like to see information on flow through systems that anyone has put together including filtration or lack thereof. I know there are a number of differing opinions on flow through and would like to see what has worked for others out there. I'm pretty sure I've settled on an indoor tank setup at 1000-1500 gallons and will be a DIY plywood tank with viewing window, for somewhere around 10-15 koi. I know I will need to filter more or flow more through with that many fish, but I plan on doing a bottom drain to a settlement chamber to take out some of the fines from the bottom as well as a skimmer which may be where the overflow is housed along with a small pump to a shower tower or bog/flow through/moving bed type filter. I have also thought about the overflow being inside my settlement chamber as discussed in another thread. I really would appreciate detailed pictures, plans and suggestions!!!

[lifeoffaith]

Here's what I'm thinking so far...I will be adding support crossbars at the top to either side of the glass, and from what I hear I don't want to go deeper than 36 inches or something with the glass. Because there are less tanks here and more ponds, I've been hanging out at Monster Fish Keepers Forums to get their insight on the tank side of things, but I'd like your opinions on filtering, since you guys are the koi rockers!

[Allinkdup]

Lifeoffaith...shame you arent closer to memphis...i have a dozen pieces of glass 4x2x1/2 thick...i've just been giving them away....as someone that has built a wishing well/viewing tank for my African cichlids, I will tell you that straps and banding underneath everything that is facial is a must....I blew apart a 600 gallon project by not banding...thinking lag screws and 3" wood screws would hold...NOT .I rabbeted out the double thick 3/4"plywood to seat my glass into don't forget that tip... and i used Vulkem, a polyurethane sealant to seal my glass into the wood and the second time with marine silicone to bond the wood to the glass as unlike surfaces are hard to secure a seal with sometimes...good luck and i hope these tips help you with your project...and sorry this isn't any help on your filtration questions Billy

[lifeoffaith]

Thanks Billy! Is there a thread on your Cichlid tank?

[Allinkdup]

that was 20 yrs ago when i only had cichlids...in a time far far away...when i had money to blow on frivolous projects...lol...i thought it was a good idea and i learned it isnt as easy as siliconing some glass together....i drove by the house it was at and believe it or not, it is still there sans the canopy top....but that neighborhood has gone awry....and it really didnt look inviting enough to knock on the door...btw...that monster fish keeper blog has some brutes...lol...i'm really interested to hear some ideas for your project....when i start the next pond in the back yard soon i can see my wife asking me to pare down tanks again...lol...I like your lava rock trough idea...maybe not just lava rock though...pretty plants getting great fertilizer action...maybe you could plant some watercress or other edibles in it if you have enough natural light in the area.....letting your fish give back to you ...or some carnivorous plants that like alot of natural light...just an idea...still thinking...would you have this in a basement or an out front room....the reason i am asking is i didnt see any drain to the outside or an inlet for the water going to the pond if you are planning a continuous flow thru...was wondering where the water would go besides the s/c...or are you considering the water cycling itself as a flow thru system...I am still trying to figure mine out too...don't feel bad??...Billy

[birdman]

Most people use flow through system to complement their basic filtration, not replace it. A flow through is only as good as the source water, so 1st make sure your source water is good.

On a tank your size I would take the BD water and send it to a shower for biological filtration. Take the skimmer water and send it to a DIY Sand/Gravel filter for mech/fines filtration. Then supplement that with your flow through.

The easiest way is to have an overflow with a constant pencil stream coming in. The other way is to use a float valve to keep your tank topped off.

[lifeoffaith]

The idea is to have the bottom drain flow to the S/C which will fill up to a standpipe in the middle which will also act as a clean-out with a removable pipe so that I can remove it and allow all the build-up to flow out. I'm thinking that the settlement chamber will be outside or at least drain to the backyard. I did actually plan on filling the lava rock with all sorts of plants which could include some watercress or others. The tank would be located in my walk out basement, so I'd be able to run pipes outside and such. I also thought about running the flow through drain overflow into my home's main drain system so that it could drain through my septic field. Wouldn't the lava stone trough supply some bio filtration sort of like a shower? I could probably add a trickle tower to feed into the trough too if you feel that would be necessary. I would probably have the water feed to the trough/trickle tower from a skimmer though. The question then would only be where to put the flow from the well? Would it not be advised to run it through the trough too? Or would that be ok to run it through the trough along with the water pumped from the skimmer?

[Oakridge]

Several things to consider here. You need to know what the KH and pH from your well water is and decide on how much of a flow-through you want. Water coming from a well will be low in oxygen and needs to be aireated before it reaches the pond. The source water for my pond is low in KH and pH. My flow-through is about 7% per day which really helps out the water quality but I have to keep a close eye on the pH and KH. My source water being low in oxygen goes down a 60 foot stream with five waterfalls to make sure it is well oxygenated for it reaches the pond. Having plants in the stream will help keep the nitrates low but a flow-through accomplishes the same thing. I would not have the flow through water going to my septic tank because it could overload your system and have to be pumped frequently. Good luck

[Allinkdup]

I wish i had a WELL......it sounds like you about have it figured out Lifeoffaith....