DMRBG asked for a diagram of my improved system over the original one in Van Gorders book. I thought I'd post it here in case anyone else can use it.
Sorry about the "on a napkin look" but that's the way I operate.
The first pic is the system set up in a local high school with the RBC on the opposite side of the fish tank than in the diagram. The u tube siphon is not show in the following pic nor in the diagrams. It simply sits in the clarifier tank and the fish tank.
This is the fish system including center drain, clarifier, and RBC in a seperate tank.
This is a diagram of the homemade spray bar that provides the centripedal flow that moves the settleable solids to the center drain. The diffuser also aids in this and provides oxygen. This spray bar runs off of the same 30 watt pump that runs the system. The only pump btw.
Here's a u-tube siphon in use on my very first set up. Notice it in the clarifer tank and the fish tank. This was when I used another u-tube siphon to run water back to the fish tank. I now set the RBC tank above the fish tank and run the water back via gravity.
If you have any question feel free to ask. If you have a WT* attitude keep your mouth shut.
