[TundraGuy]

I know you know what your doing. I in the past had an issue with bubbles in my sump popping and splashing creep on a metal stand I was using this did not appear to be a problem till I took down the stand after a couple years and noted holes that had been rusted away into the stand. I thought I painted it well enough but found out this was not the case.

The FX5 runs in the 925 gph when running ideally. Your running this to the top of the tank then allowing it to drop from one tear to the next I was thinking if I build something of this nature I would build small overflow boxes in the top corner of the tank with 3 drain pipes each. One would serve as an emergency the second would have a valve to set a siphon feed to the next tear and the third would have a dorso to feed any excess off the siphon to the next tear. This would be the bean animal method. People are always terrified by using a valve but the fact is this is safer than a normal overflow when built correctly. I have used a few of them now for years and can say no drain is as silent as these, they also produce zero micro bubbles when dialed in, the drain can be aimed for flow in the next tank, and the overflow box can be made smaller then you think as long as you can fit the two (dorso and the valve drain) elbows and only the elbows the rest of the plumbing is exturnal. The emergency can be placed outside the box for it serves only the purpose of allowing drainage in the event of the other two failing. This has yet to happen to me. Having the ability to actively use your drain to create the flow for lower tanks may put you in a position of using less power heads i.e. less power heads equals less power draw and equipment to clean and less plugs to deal with.

I have a feeling what you’re going to run into using your current design is a constant water gargle sound from each drain and micro bubbles from each drain into the lower tank. Now micro bubbles are not a big deal only minor affecting the clarity of the water below. My fear however is on a system using no protein skimmer if a snail is killed by one of your smashers this increase in hydrophobic molecules released by the dying animal will move through the water to a place where air and water are churning i.e. your drains. This may be an extreme over thinking on my part but what I hypothesis is post drains your going to get a foam fractionation affect causing a buildup of nasty nog. This nog will of cores end up in the lowest level tanks due to your having up turned elbows. This may be a minor issue that I have way over thought but I figured I would share with you my thoughts.

I am so jealous that you get to build this in your home. One day my friend I will be able to follow in your footsteps. By then I am hoping you stumble on the tricks to make breeding mantis a piece of cake.