filtering a chinese fish bowl

[sleasia]

I think ultimately, I will have to hand build a sort of nice stand because if you look closely at the wood chinese stand, there is a wooden ring which is screwed into all the legs, this prevents you from sliding the sump out from under the stand. the only way now to get the sump out is to empty the bowl lift it off the stand, and then lift the stand up and off of the sump.....Not too big of a problem if you have to do this only once a month, but it would definately be better to have access to the sump. so Likely next week, when the kids are away,I will design something else and just build it myself. Also my pump is a bit wimpy, I think I will get another, maybe try using a "Quiet One" which I have now mixing my saltwater for my other tank...I'm worried about the back siphoning problem because the return enters low in the tank to act as a reverse undergravel filter...it wouldn't be a problem if the return climbed up the inside of the standing drain and emptied back into the tank from the top of the standing drain...but then it would cause surface agitation, which I was trying to avoid... :thinking:

 

[sleasia]

I just reread your thread again...Yeah, If i am strong enough to lift the bowl off the stand while it is filled with water, then I can do as you recommend...but I'm probably going to have to eat 50 cans of spinach first....its pretty heavy...I'll try.

 

[sleasia]

well of course the other simpler plan is to get a glass cylinder vase which is just shorter and allows more clearance, say 4". I could probably find one somewhere.

 

[turningtim]

sleasia, I usually don'recommend this but I really don't see any other way. Could you find a check valve (urggg) to place inline with the return? Just trying to fit the restrictions you have on this system and can't think of another way to defeat gravity.......
Looks Great!
Tim

 

[sleasia]

Hmm it would have to be a tiny check valve...but you know, maybe I'll just go back to your original idea of the fountain head return....the pump came with a small one which can be adjusted so that the"spray" diameter can be adjusted. If I just bring the retun up through the standing drain and adjust the spray head to just over shoot the diameter of the drain pvc (which is only 1" anyway) I should be ok, because with a high return I will not have a back siphon problem...(by the way I tested it today by turning off the pump and there is a back siphon, slow, but nonetheless definately going to be a problem if I am away and the electricity goes out.) I tested the pump also with the return having the provided spray head and it really doesn't agitate the water too much since the pump is not so strong.... I've got all the kids doing all kinds of things this weekend, so I will rework it this week and post the results next week....then I can cycle and in a month or so post a pic with the fish. Also....I'm an idiot... I have my own pottery studio in the basement. It should be quite easy for me to make a "sump" to exactly the specifications I need....You can do anything with clay!!!Probably it won't need the extra filtration of an undergravel filter...its probably more important to have access to the sump and not have a back siphon problem. but just in case I will look for a check valve...good idea! Thanks for all the help ... I really love this thing and can't wait to get some celestial goldfish!!!!

 

[sleasia]

Ok Fishbowl finished, working, no leaks, no drips on the wood floor, has a threaded line with valves made out of old fluval stuff (this was a good idea sharkbait because I can also regulate flow with these easily) and went back to turning tim's original standing drain with fountainhead idea to avoid problems with gravity.....right now, though a bit tacky, i'm using a plastic lilly pad for a fountainhead...(the kids like this as well as the shiny marble substrate) . I could actually custom make a ceramic fountain head in my pottery studio I guess...that would also be cool...here it is

 

[sleasia]

I threw in some bio spira (freshwater) and fishfood to cycle and will post pics as soon as I get fish, probably in a month or so. I'm so excited...I love my fishbowl

 

[sleasia]

I just hope the stand will hold up. I tried to build one but it looks so dumb that I went back to using this one.

 

[sharkbait9]

WAY TO GO, LOOKS GREAT

. No I don’t think it looks dumb. Maybe wrap some kind of veil around it or oriental type fabric with scotch guard for water proofing to kind of close it up, if you will. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together :thinking: . Been waiting to see if you actually got it done or gave up.

 

[delira5cal]

That is very nice. Hey I would love to see your tank, the one you have as your icon up close. Is there somewhere you have a pic of it?

 

[shiby1510]

Just an idea.... maybe get some submersible lights to put at the bottom.. would probably look really neat!

 

[popnfrresh]

Originally Posted by sharkbait9
honestly I may have, I can't remember. Between giving my opinion and selling my old equipment to people, I can't keep up any more. But I won't take credit for it unless I know for sure I did good or bad. In this case, I wish I could. Any way, have you gone to that ***** on RT1? I stopped up in for some dog treats ( had my dog in the car coming home tonight) and they sell corals!!!!!!!! Got an awesome blue maxima and maze coral for 80.00 buck. I almost s**t my pants when I saw they sold corals and the prices. I know where I’m going for corals for now on. Any advice I may possibly need, I’ll come on the board and shoot the dodo with and get the info I need any way.

Which ***** on rt 1? Would that be the edison or princeton store. I used to work at the edison store and that store is a "traditional store" which means its not supposed to carry corals. It still has NO lights, and only one bulb. The princeton store is a pisces store which focus more on fish, with there central display. I know for a fact the edison fish mngr knows his stuff. Im a good friend of his. He will try to do custom orders for you as long as he can get them. Sharkbait, if you shop at the ***** more let me know. I have a pretty nice way of you getting more for your $ and is still legal. Send me an email. popnfrresh - gmail dot com.

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by popnfrresh
Which ***** on rt 1? Would that be the edison or princeton store. I used to work at the edison store and that store is a "traditional store" which means its not supposed to carry corals. It still has NO lights, and only one bulb. The princeton store is a pisces store which focus more on fish, with there central display. I know for a fact the edison fish mngr knows his stuff. Im a good friend of his. He will try to do custom orders for you as long as he can get them. Sharkbait, if you shop at the ***** more let me know. I have a pretty nice way of you getting more for your $ and is still legal. Send me an email. popnfrresh - gmail dot com.

The princton store, I found out its called a pisces store. The one by me on rt 9 in manalapan has a good fish guy still learning but is learning. The ***** in princ still has poor lights for the coral, but on wen when the orders come in i go and check out the new coral now.

 

[sleasia]

sharkbait...this stand looks ok because it is the real stand....the one I built is out in the garage and looks like Shrek built it....I'd show you but too embarrassing and all my pic cards are full...now I have to figure out how to download pics to cd....waiting for the teenage brains to return from school and teach me. Also I can't give up...this is one of my problems. When I get an idea, I just have to do it.

 

[sleasia]

Delira5cal I will post some pics of my tank on the photo thread in a few seconds for you...

 

[crox]

Slesia
did you put any goldfishes in your bowl?

 

[sleasia]

Yes! I'm at work and can't get a pic to you. they did not have any celestial eye goldfish so I put only one small bubble eye in and ordered celestial eyes from the lfs. you apparantly should not put celestial eyes in with fantails and other "normal" goldfish because they say they cannot see so well, and have a harder time getting, locating their food. but they say they are ok with bubble eyes since they have the same problem. so I will keep the one little bubble eye in there. I put in bio-spira enough for a 90 gallon tank. Its been several weeks and no ammonia spikes at all. So at this point, as soon as they get the celestial eye guys in, I will begin adding them slowly. Also I left it running while I was away this last weekend, NO LEAKS, NO PROBLEMS.. Its soooo coool!!!

 

[sleasia]

crox, sharkbait9, turning tim....the lfs still did not get in the celestial eye goldfish I ordered yet...they are hard to find!!! but the tank (oops I mean bowl) is all cycled, or never cycled, because I put in enough bio spira for a 90 gal tank...Its been a month now with no ammonia...so I did put in one little bubble eye ...here he is.

 

[sleasia]

I am still waiting for the celestial eye goldfish...as soon as I get them I will post more pics...still no leaks and no stand collapse...I'm really happy with it, its the coolest!!!

 

[coachklm]

that is truley inspiring sleasia good job and you are this months AMERICAN INVENTOR

awesome