New System Design want to try, need advice

[weslucky]

Hello all I am in the processing stage of taking my system to a different level and need to know if it has anything that will make it not work correctly or be a major pain to keep up. I have made a hand sketch of what I am thinking of doing. I was trying to use google sketch but it was more work to learn will get back to that later. I am wanting to use this system with the fish tank being the highest point and the water flow is all by gravity to the media beds then the sump then onto the DWT friendly style with one pump pushing the water back up to the fish tank to start the whole process over again. I am not sure if this will work with the auto siphons in the loop but if it does this setup to me gives you the best of both worlds and keeps the fish tank super clean with the gravel beds being the first thing the used fish water goes into. Please let me know if this looks like it would work or is there something else I need to think about before I take my system apart to set this up. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

[Jens UK]

hi Wes,

I dont see why you would need a sump in that position, I would put it where the pump is on your drawing.

cheers

Jens

[weslucky]

It was a collecting point for the flood and drain from the auto siphons from the gravel media beds which then feeds by gravity the DWT raft system which is next in line in the system.How else would you keep a constant flow from the media beds to the DWT??? Thanks for you reply this is the kind of insight and oveview I need before I take this puppy on and tear my existing system down to re-create this setup.

[Mr. Mik]

When the pump goes out, your DWC tank will flood and overflow. The sump needs to be the lowest point - and large enough to hold all the water when all GB's drain simultaneously and the pump goes out.

I think you might also need a filter between GB's and DWC tank, because too many fine solids make it through the GB's and then attach to the roots.

[weslucky]

Thank you for your insight and help.

[Murray]

I think you might also need a filter between GB's and DWC tank, because too many fine solids make it through the GB's and then attach to the roots.

If there is enough grow bed this does not actually happen, in practice. There will be very fine solids deposited on the bottom of the DWC anyway. This is not a problem if the DWC beds are deep enough.

[plumberdale]

My system is similar but I have a gravel bed with worms to act as a filter mounted above my FT that then feeds my DWT (which doesn't exist yet). Everything then goes to the sump which is at the lowest point in the system. All built with IBC's w/ 7 grow beds, 250 gallon FT, and 2 tanks tied together for the Sump tank. It's a new system so I'm not sure about long term yet.