I saw the thread about a clarifier barrel and I had some questions too. I didn't want to change the subject of the other thread so I started this one.

I want to build a funnel shape in the bottom of my 55 gallon barrel. I have a shower drain installed in the middle of the bottom, but thought a funnel (or rounded bowl) in the center of the barrel would help guide the fish poop to the drain.

I've been brainstorming about what to use to seal off the funnel or bowl. I came across "Great Stuff Pond and Stone" expanding foam. Once I got it home, I read that it says it's fish safe "As evaluated for residential pond use containing fish not intended for human consumption"

Does anyone have any other ideas what to use that is fish safe for fish you intend to eat? I was thinking of using it and maybe coat it with something that is safe?

Here is a link to the foam I'm talking about.

http://greatstuff.dow.com/products/pond-and-stone/

I would probably use a food grade silicone sealant.

What you got for a shower drain? Is it one of those residential bath/shower units, or is it more like a floor drain?

It's a 2" residential shower drain. I ended up calling the company and they said the product isn't meant to be continuously submerged in water. So, I'm back to needing some sort of resin, cement, foam, etc. to form the cone shape.

With all the talk of clarifiers lately, just a simple suggestion.

It would be much easier and less hassle utilizing a bag filter.

Here is an example from the web:



I believe this is a 4 x 12 or something in that range.

The nylon mono-filament are pretty easy to clean and reuse. A 100 micron size would be a good starting point.

Nice thing, They are cheap!!! Anywhere from 3 to 12 bucks each.

I'll be using the size #2, which is 7" diameter x 32" lg. 50 micron pre filter and a 25 micron post filter after the MBBR. You can also swap a 2-5 micron filter in for a day to do some water polishing!

Yes, you can use these in a gravity situation without the pressure housing!

Bullhead could pump directly from the tank into the filter and not have to worry much about chopping the stuff up. Although, I would use a finer filter doing that.

Pretty simple! No need to make cones, having flush out valves, wadding up deer netting and having to clean it.

It's all a matter of control!

Anyway, my two cent's.

I was actually just thinking about something like that.
Do you have a good source for the bags other than Aquatic Eco Systems?

I did mention bag filters in previous post's, but nobody listens to me

Quite a few online places to get them from other that AES.

I am surprised that Grainger lowered their prices to what they are.

I have a couple cases of them that I got at an auction for nothing, but not the ones you would want to use. They work Fantastic, just that they don't clean very well. They are actually for liquid process control and not fish poo! They will certainly trap fish poo and such, but not very cooperative on the cleaning side. I'll burn them out, then get the mono bag's.

Shop around. Hey, I ain't doing all your work!

You may be able to pick up some tip's on YouTube and get some ideas as how to implement.

Bag filters clog very rapidly. Been there done that.

Not really Cecil. Did you really know what you were doing?

I'm thinking of running it without the cone shape and just leaving the barrel alone. It's a 51 gallon barrel and it has a rounded shape at the bottom anyway.

I guess it's just the perfectionist in me that always wants to go one step farther. It's probably a lot of work and expensive material for little effect.

Probably so.

If you have the drain I am thinking of, or similar. (one with a couple screws holding the perforated plate in) An easy thing to do with that is remove the plate. Make a solid disc about an inch or so larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the plate.

Use several washers under the new plate to stand it off a bit. You generally start with the perimiter area gap about the same as the area of the ID of the PVC pipe.

This will draw water off the bottom of the barrel/tank rather than just go down the drain.

You can close this gap up a bit and it will increase the surrounding velocity of the water being drawn in.

It won't get everything, but it sure will help a bunch.

You can apply this to circular tanks as well so that on every revolution, of the stuff on the bottom per revolution of the stuff on bottom, it gets sucked out. Did I say that correct???

A note on bag filters and mechanical (micron rated) filters in general. 100 microns is going to be 100 microns, no matter who measures it. Difference is what you are trying to filter and the how the filter media is manufactured.

To make this really short. I assume you all have screens on your windows, or at least some. Good!!! In a fish situation, you would want to have a pattern similar to that and only one layer. If you used a spun bonded, felt, fuzzy multi layered media, then sure, it will clog pretty quick. Fish poo should be classified as a state of matter, all on it's own

Rotary Drum filters are what the big boy's use, and are self cleaning, but are quite EEKspensive!!! If you selected the proper bag filter, and yes, gravity, it is not much different than that. Big exception tho, "YOU" are the self cleaning mechanism.

Funny thing tho. It's much more work to clean the clarifier in the book. I am sure they did not have the filter media types we have today. That has to be well over 35+ years ago. Good book tho.

It's not like any one of us are trying to cram 2.5lb of fish per gallon and feeding 3% body weight per day!

You sent me the bags remember!?

Have you actually used the bags or are you getting this out of a book again?

I'm still waiting for you to actually raise some fish and report back to us.

Everything is out of a book, or some fictitious resemblance of reality, thereof!

Still in the same box Cecil that you sent back and out in my garage.

Not the best choice for a bag filter with fish poo.

Sorry about that, but it is live and learn.

Hope you can understand that concept!

I know you have to jack me, but that is understandable, and OK!

What about dealing with the nut's and bolt's of the the rest of the stuff?

I still have one Phil. I meant to sent them all back but found one later.

Sorry I'm just telling you what has worked for me and what has not. And yes I'm teasing you a little as I'm still waiting for you to actually set up a tank with fish in it.

I'll have a couple set up this coming spring, as I have said in a PM. Matter of priorities! Besides, I have done enough R&D to have a good enough idea on what's up You wont like them tho.

Anyway, you and esshup coming up here next month to get this stuff is good timing for me.