[APD] re: Sumps and CO2

["David Grim" <grim1214 at bellsouth_net>]

Chris wrote:(snip)I had a 20 lb CO2 tank that lasted years on a 55 and a 20
gallon tank (about
a year of the 55 and a couple on the 20).  I switched up to a 75 gallon tank
w/ AGA overflow and I've gone through 3 20 lb CO2 tanks in 9 months.  I'm
thinking long and hard on how I can switch back over to a canister filter
setup.  I've got a tight fitting lid for the sump (20 gal high) and it's
still sucking down the CO2.

Sure CO2 is cheap, but dropping $25 for each refill, 4x a year, plus the
time it takes to go and get it refilled gets very old, very quick.  My tank
has enough driftwood and plants in it that a wire from a dark blue co2 probe
and black heater will go unnoticed for all reasonable purposes.  They will
at least be LESS intrusive than the current overflow that takes up a 6"
quarter circle out of the corner.

So if anyone has any experience cutting out an overflow - in a tank that
will be drained down, but still stocked and planted - let me know.  Yes, I'm
THAT serious about switching back over to a canister.  All of the above is
IMHO and YMMV.

Chris, in Winston-Salem.
www.aquacharlotte.com(snip)Hi Chris,You do not need to cut your overflow out
at all. In fact, a drilled tank isa great setup for plant keepers, IMO. I
had drilled tanks at my house whenyou visited before you moved from Atlanta.
Why not plumb your cannister touse the intake and return bulkheads from the
overflow? That is what I did. A couple reducer bushings and threaded x
barbed fittings and you are done. You also need double disconnect valves so
you can remove the cannister for servicing without losing water.Another
advantage to this type setup is if you develop a leak in the filter,you only
lose water to the top of the overflow inlet slots, and not 3/4 down the tank
to the bottom of the intake J tube.If you have the All-Glass Overflow Kit
you may need to replace the intake tubewith an Oceanic intake so as not to
impede the flow of water into the cannister.Your intake bulkhead can also be
used for a standpipe type drain system if you wanted to do automatic water
changing. Just use the intake J tube from the cannister and place that in
the overflow to free up the bulkhead. My system you saw used this method.Put
your heater in the overflow, as well as your pH Probe, and you derive two
other benefits of a sump without having to have one.This use of your drilled
tank eliminates offgassing you get with a sump, puts you back into cannister
filtration, and hides your heater and pH probe.Another thing I did with the
overflow is cut a small opaque plastic piece the same size as the overflow
top (1/4 circle), and just place this on top of the overflow. This will
eliminate light shining into the overflow, and the resulting BBA that can
get into the inside of the overflow and the pipes.Regards,Dave



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