Plumbing conundrum

[pitkat]

I am in the process of setting up my new tank, The guy that built the tank drilled holes on the bottom of the overflow for 2 x 1.5 bulkheads and a inch bulkhead. At the top of the overflow he put a hole on for a 3/4 bulkhead. I am guessing the pump conects to the inch then to the 3/4 back to tank.
The tank is 60 x 27 x 40 deep. The main pump is a Barracuda gold and taking into account the head of water it will be pumping i expect about 3400 gph. The pump has 1.5 inch conections for suction and delivery.
My question is - will i be better using one of the 1.5 bulkheads to supply the tank or will reducing the plumbing down to an inch be ok.
The next question is - will then reducing it to 3/4 be ok?
I have thought of drilling the top of the overflow for a second 3/4 bulkhead and T the inch into 2 x 3/4 feeds. The problem is i am unsure of what flow and pressure to expect from the pump if i leave it as it is.
Any thoughts or help would be very appreciated.

 

[eww]

Our 180 is set up with two 1" drain bulkheads and two 3/4" return bulkheads going through the bottom of the tank. We are running a Reeflo Dart for our return pump with about 4' of head loss. It is 2" inlet and 1 1/2" out on the pump. We have reduced this down to a 1" manifold with two 3/4" return lines going up through the bottom of the tank because that was how it was factory drilled. Since it's glass we didn't want to mess with trying to drill them larger. Up at the top of the tank both 3/4" returns tie into another full tank length manifold with four 3/4" outlets. Each of those outlets are split into two 3/4" locline nozzles for eight total outlets. We can run our pump wide open with no issues and good flow spread throughout with the drains keeping up just fine.

IMO I would do the "T" at the top of your return and split that 1" into two 3/4" returns. This will help reduce the force coming out of the return line while keeping the same flow in gph. You could then do as we did and split each of those 3/4" returns into two using locline or whatever you want. This will also give you lots of direction you can aim the flow and direct it where you want it. We are running four direct nozzles and four 3" fan nozzles and it's giving us plenty of coverage. Individual ball valves are also nice to incorporate so you can turn up or down each return as desired.

 

[Scooterman]

I think your going to get way more than expected flow, so that said splitting off with a second 3/4" BH isn't a bad idea. If you get time or can, sketch up something of what you have planned.

 

[Myteemouse]

HI,
I would get a different pump. once you reduce to one inch through the bulkhead then split to two 3/4". bulkheads you'll still only get the 1 inch flow..
I would make the one inch bulkhead hole, bigger to a 2 inch bulkhead, then split it to two one inch in the overflow.. if you have your heart set on the barracuda. this will give you the flow of the 2 inch bulkhead.

 

[Scooterman]

Our 180 is set up with two 1" drain bulkheads and two 3/4" return bulkheads going through the bottom of the tank. We are running a Reeflo Dart for our return pump with about 4' of head loss. It is 2" inlet and 1 1/2" out on the pump. We have reduced this down to a 1" manifold with two 3/4" return lines going up through the bottom of the tank because that was how it was factory drilled. Since it's glass we didn't want to mess with trying to drill them larger. Up at the top of the tank both 3/4" returns tie into another full tank length manifold with four 3/4" outlets. Each of those outlets are split into two 3/4" locline nozzles for eight total outlets. We can run our pump wide open with no issues and good flow spread throughout with the drains keeping up just fine.

IMO I would do the "T" at the top of your return and split that 1" into two 3/4" returns. This will help reduce the force coming out of the return line while keeping the same flow in gph. You could then do as we did and split each of those 3/4" returns into two using locline or whatever you want. This will also give you lots of direction you can aim the flow and direct it where you want it. We are running four direct nozzles and four 3" fan nozzles and it's giving us plenty of coverage. Individual ball valves are also nice to incorporate so you can turn up or down each return as desired.

Big difference in pumps, the dart isn't pressure rated as his pump is but agree splitting it off is a good idea. There will be much more pressure with the Barracuda pump. I'd suggest calling sequence themselves and see what they have to offer, they have great service!

 

[eww]

Big difference in pumps, the dart isn't pressure rated as his pump is but agree splitting it off is a good idea. There will be much more pressure with the Barracuda pump.

Noted Scooty. I did not know this.

 

[pitkat]

Thanks for the advice. The problem is the pump is already bought, To drill the tank bottom to widen the hole would mean drilling through 3/4 inch glass. The tank weighs about 700 lbs so moving it around to drill it would be a problem. I thought mybe to use one of the 1.5 bulkheads as supply from the pump and then split it into 2 x inch into the tank, i could ferther split the feed into 2 x 3/4 at each end of the inch using locline. That would give me a 1.5 and an inch return to sump.

 

[Scooterman]

Thanks for the advice. The problem is the pump is already bought, To drill the tank bottom to widen the hole would mean drilling through 3/4 inch glass. The tank weighs about 700 lbs so moving it around to drill it would be a problem. I thought mybe to use one of the 1.5 bulkheads as supply from the pump and then split it into 2 x inch into the tank, i could ferther split the feed into 2 x 3/4 at each end of the inch using locline. That would give me a 1.5 and an inch return to sump.

Run one of the 1 1/2" BH's up with 1 1/2" pipe, plumb the pump underneath to the 1 1/2" using reducers from the outlet of the pump, (I think is 1"). From there you can split somehow at the top of the overflow into two 3/4" as you said. This pump will move a lot of water very fast, you you will need the left over 1 1/2" and the other for the drains, I think it will take both, I could be wrong but it wouldn't hurt to drain through the both. This pump has a lot of pressure so you may need to put a valve on the OUTLET of the pump and close it off some, this if fine to do with the Outlet of this pump.

 

[TJL]

One more option for you is to 'T' off of pump outlet to a SeaSwirl or similar over the top return. This way you still have (2) 1-1/2" drains, a 1" return through overflow and another 1" or 3/4" return supplying the SeaSwirl or ???

Cheers, Todd

 

[sandswhitson]

I agree with TJL I would do over the top returns with either seaswirls or an oceans motions device.

 

[pitkat]

The tank is going to be tight into a corner of the room so i dont want any over the top pipework, I would rather drill the tank. I have thrown togeather a drawing with hole diameters. I was going for heavy duty bulkheads but could use cheeper ones and have larger pipework. Just a thought.