[Prev][Next][Index]
Re:Kevin Conlin's tank design
Way back when, Paul Krombholz wrote:
> Kevin Conlin <kcconlin at cae_ca> described this tank design in Digest VI #55:
> >
> > Aeration chamber
> > | |
> > --------------- Nutrient ---------------
> > | _____________ -> Water Flow -> _____________ |
> > | | |____________________| | |
> > | | ^ | |
> > | | | chamber water| | |
> > | ------- level set here| | |
> > |--- | | ------- Water Line --------------------- | | ----|
> > | | | | | |
> > | |______ | | |
> > | | | Powerhead | | |
> > | | | | | |
> > | | | | | |
> > | | | | | |
> > | | | | | |
> > | | | | | |
> > |----- | | ------------2" Gravel -------------------- | | ----|
> > | | | | | |
> > |_ _ _ | |_ _ _ _ _ _ _ Fine Mesh _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ | |_ _ _|
> > | |
> > | 2" Root Growth Area (no gravel) |
> > |_____________________________________________________________|
>
> The pathway of the nutrient water flow above the tank water level will have
> to be completely air tight. If air can get in, the weight of the water
> column above the tank water line will force the nutrient solution up
> through the fine mesh and through the gravel into the tank water.
Am I missing something? My EE brain figures that because the water flow
up the riser tube on the left is exactly matched by the flow down the
tube at the right, there won't be any mixing between the plenum and
the main tank water (to a first approximation). Water level in the
aeration chamber (which must remain open for oxygenation) is set by
the height of the outflow tube.
Since, as Paul Sears mentioned, there will in fact be low pressure at
the base of the left riser tube due to the powerhead, there might be
some water sucked down from above, but the amount of mixing should be
negligible at low flow rates.
--
Kevin Conlin Montreal, Canada "We're Canadians. We HAVE to be polite"