Alrighty, bare with me, as this may be a bit confusing to type, probably even more so for those of you reading...lol.
As some of you know, I'm setting up a 200 gallon Marineland Deep dimension, dual corner overflow, with Starphire front glass.
In talking with Barbie, and then another hobbyist who recently set up this same tank, we came up with an idea, that seems crazy, at first...but more feasible, the more I think about it.
The overflows come with Marineland Dursos and returns, 1 Durso and 1 return for each overflow. The overflows also have a removable "plate," at the front, that has a "grill" cut into the bottom of it, and a grill cut into the top. The top grill works as the overflow preskimmer. The bottom grill has no purpose that I can see, as the are no holes behind it......yet!!! Oh boy, I can see this is going to require pictures.
Here's a picture of the overflow, front plate installed.
Front plate removed and plumbing setting in place.
Front plate.
So, here's our thoughts, yes, Barbie's included in this possibly insane idea!!!
One of the overflows will serve as a typical overflow, as designed, draining to a sump/refugium and then returning.
The other overflow will be modified and used as a closed loop feed. Here's the plan:
Remove the plate and drill 2X 1"-1 1/4" holes in the overflow, in about the area of the lower "grills." The removable plate will be reinstalled over these holes. These new holes will then be plumbed to the bulkheads, using spa flex. PVC would be used from the bottom of the bulkheads onward... This will give me 2X1" lines, draining out the bottom of that overflow. These 2X1" lines would be combined, using a Y, into a single 1 1/2" line, which would feed a large pump, like a Dolphin 3000/4000. The output of the pump would be 1 1/2" or 2". The output would be split into either 2 or 4 return lines, which would return over the back. My first thought, is 4 return lines, 2 feeding 3/4" Seaswirls and 2 feeding 3/4" locline with penductors. Each return line would be plumbed with a ball valve, to fine tune flow. Ball valves would also be plumbed before and after the pump. If needed, I would also plumb a diversion line, to divert some flow to the sump, but I don't think this would be needed.
It was also suggested, by the other hobbyist, who recently set up this same tank, that I could incorporate this same pump, as a sump/refugium return. This would eliminate the need for a second return pump, in the sump. He explained to me how this would be accomplished, but in the confusion of typing this post, I've lost it....lol. The other option would be to leave the original overflow alone, draining it into the sump/fuge, and installing a return pump in the sump/fuge, that would return through the original overflow.
This would give me one overflow that's plumbed to the sump/fuge and the second overflow being modified for the closed loop.
My original concern was that the 2X1" lines would limit me to only about 1200 GPH of flow. Then it was brought to my attention that the 600GPH per hole, represents gravity flow, NOT flow forced by the large pump.
Soooo, does any of this make any sense at all??
As some of you know, I'm setting up a 200 gallon Marineland Deep dimension, dual corner overflow, with Starphire front glass.
In talking with Barbie, and then another hobbyist who recently set up this same tank, we came up with an idea, that seems crazy, at first...but more feasible, the more I think about it.
The overflows come with Marineland Dursos and returns, 1 Durso and 1 return for each overflow. The overflows also have a removable "plate," at the front, that has a "grill" cut into the bottom of it, and a grill cut into the top. The top grill works as the overflow preskimmer. The bottom grill has no purpose that I can see, as the are no holes behind it......yet!!! Oh boy, I can see this is going to require pictures.
Here's a picture of the overflow, front plate installed.
Front plate removed and plumbing setting in place.
Front plate.
So, here's our thoughts, yes, Barbie's included in this possibly insane idea!!!
One of the overflows will serve as a typical overflow, as designed, draining to a sump/refugium and then returning.
The other overflow will be modified and used as a closed loop feed. Here's the plan:
Remove the plate and drill 2X 1"-1 1/4" holes in the overflow, in about the area of the lower "grills." The removable plate will be reinstalled over these holes. These new holes will then be plumbed to the bulkheads, using spa flex. PVC would be used from the bottom of the bulkheads onward... This will give me 2X1" lines, draining out the bottom of that overflow. These 2X1" lines would be combined, using a Y, into a single 1 1/2" line, which would feed a large pump, like a Dolphin 3000/4000. The output of the pump would be 1 1/2" or 2". The output would be split into either 2 or 4 return lines, which would return over the back. My first thought, is 4 return lines, 2 feeding 3/4" Seaswirls and 2 feeding 3/4" locline with penductors. Each return line would be plumbed with a ball valve, to fine tune flow. Ball valves would also be plumbed before and after the pump. If needed, I would also plumb a diversion line, to divert some flow to the sump, but I don't think this would be needed.
It was also suggested, by the other hobbyist, who recently set up this same tank, that I could incorporate this same pump, as a sump/refugium return. This would eliminate the need for a second return pump, in the sump. He explained to me how this would be accomplished, but in the confusion of typing this post, I've lost it....lol. The other option would be to leave the original overflow alone, draining it into the sump/fuge, and installing a return pump in the sump/fuge, that would return through the original overflow.
This would give me one overflow that's plumbed to the sump/fuge and the second overflow being modified for the closed loop.
My original concern was that the 2X1" lines would limit me to only about 1200 GPH of flow. Then it was brought to my attention that the 600GPH per hole, represents gravity flow, NOT flow forced by the large pump.
Soooo, does any of this make any sense at all??
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