Re: My killifish rack

[TomPayne <paynedds at voyager_net>]

Ronnie,

The system I built has a similar approach. All my tanks are on the
upper shelves and the drain gravity feeds to a 1/2" PVC spray bar
(holes in the PVC drilled at several angles to distribute the spray).
The bulkheads are 1/2" CPVC made with threaded fittings and hose
washer gaskets. The spray bar is over a Sterilite "Show-Off" box that
has lava rock in it and outlet holes drilled in the bottom. That box
sits over a hole in the lid of a larger (25 gal) plastic box which is
the sump. I pump the water out of the sump with a RIO 1700 (I think
that's the model) pump that supplies 1/2" PVC manifolds. The manifolds
have the black drip valves that JEHMCO sells that supply the tanks via
airline tubing. I run the supply lines at a rate that is not a
continuous flow but is a very fast drip....have to play with it a
little. I have a  bypass valve in the supply  manifold system so I can
pump the sump nearly dry to change water. I use 1/2' CPVC Tee fittings
for over-flows with paint strainer (Al's suggestion) netting to keep
the fish in the tank. The Tee's (Jim Robinson's video showed me this
idea) give me two overflows, at different water levels. If the lower
one clogs then the upper overflow takes over until I notice the change
in water level and blow the net strainer out with a shot of air from a
can of computer cleaner air attached to some rigid airline tubing. So
far, the leaks have been manageable and the floor stays relatively
dry.

I had fun designing this and making it. There are as many ways to do
these systems as there are creative people making them. I keep java
moss in mine and they are lit 12-14 hours. The fry grow very fast with
twice a day baby brine shrimp. I have some pictures I'll bring to
Xenia if I can remember. I really gotta get a digital camera...... I
just missed the one Wright was touting on E-bay a month ors so ago!

Tom Payne
Galena, Ohio



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