Plumbing Ideas for a Room Divider

[kris4647]

Thanks again Mike, take your time. We have a month or so to come up with something. I told Brian about the end "returns" but kept it kinda vaugue for now untill we come up with specifics. I have a two inch perimeter [square tubing] to take into consideration there.

The island overflows will be around 34" apart. Each one starts 22" from each end. The supports [cross bracing]on the top of the stand [2" square tubing] are 22 1/16" to the center line of each from the end for a total of three [one every 21 1/16"].

Its early so let me know if that made sense. I'm just throwing it out there so maybe you can get a top-down visual of the stand and the supports we have to work around.

Reef Kid that is a consideration, thats also one of the reasons I've gone acrylic. There was a btm glass failure on a RC member's tank not too long ago. He had holes much like the ones we are using. Bulkheads are always a concern I will probably use the sched 80 type from savko.

 

[kris4647]

Okay got the xtra ampmaster secured. Will run two on loops and one for return. Working on the Oceansmotions. Are they only available from the manufacturer?

Ive seen a price for $279 but on their website it says $309.

 

[Stang69]

Sorry to maybe throw a monkey wrench in it the plans but why not drop some of the plumbing down from the top? Maybe the return perhaps

Just an Idea


Jeff

 

[kris4647]

you gotta remember this is a divider so there is no way to plumb anything from above withou going through an overflow or the btm of the tank. Jeff what do you think I'd gain from that? Open to ideas.......

I'm really considering building ducts from acrylic into the sides of the overflows [For the Loops]. And routering outlets into overflow it self for them to return to the tank. Mike, this spark any ideas for you? Imagine three sets of horizontal lines cut into the square duct for discharge ports. Gentle flow, no locline. Bulkhead into the btm of the duct with our OM outlet

 

[mojoreef]

Thats pretty close to what we have already except the way drawn is with the blinds on the outside. Would be alot of plumbing inside that overflow.


let me know


Mike

 

[kris4647]

Yeah its the exact same concept. Even with the "ducts" I'm proposing. Are you getting a visual on that?

To me its an awesome idea. Wouldnt even have a visible bulkhead in the tank. Only thing that concerns me is access to these ports, and the bulkhead that leads to them. I would have to use the Savko b/h's which require a pretty big hole. It would increase the overflow size but include everything. I have 38" to work with....


Pumps secured still looking for a good deal on an OM.

Kris

 

[mojoreef]

I think I got the concept with the ducts, but do you think it would matter if they had BK's showing?? I would imagine that you are going to aquacape over the and up the overflow right??

MIke

 

[mojoreef]

Kris where we at?? you want some details or do you have a modification


Mike

 

[kris4647]

Still got your pencil out?

First I apologize Mike, been a busy few weeks.

-When I tore down the sheet rock on the wall I found a bunch of unexpected wiring, so I'm working on that.
-I have a deposit with the folks at Innovative and to my knowledge I'm "in line"

-The pumps are secured [three Am3k's] , the oceansmotions are on their way. So I have all the equipment in the original drawing secured. Here's where it gets complicated.

The support wall on the right of the tank is going to come down I think, we have been looking at what a beautiful room it would be without it; so now I have to plan for moving that end overflow.

Hope that isnt too frustrating for you, the scope of the project just keeps evolving and that changes the tank design. Luckily nothing needs to be set in stone yet.

 

[mojoreef]

No sweat Kris. I was holding out until I got final confirmation, so I could do the details. When your ready let me know.


Mike

 

[kris4647]

Okay the curve ball I alluded to is here. What if we lost the overflow/return that we were previously going to use for loop return. In my mind its on the right side.


I think that wall is coming down for full three sided viewing. The other wall remains in place. [5" wide].

Sorry and agian thanks for your ideas.

 

[Scooterman]

One question comes to mind here, what size holes are needed inside each tower? I have an idea I wanted to throw out there, may not be practicable but here goes, you could make a coast to coast also if you decide to make end towers also, you could go straight across the top center from the center towers to the end towers. These center towers would look cool if they were two black 8" cylinders. I just scaled the basic drawing in Cad just curious & that & I have a time right now lol

​

 

[kris4647]

The cylinder idea is cool, implementation cost worries me a little. Do they make 8" acrylic in black? I havent ever seen that before.

The coast to coast, I dont know. If I undestand you correctly it would go down the center of the tank directly under the lights? Would kill your access ways. Love to see your drawing though.

I need to look into the exact size holes for the bulkheads. I'd love to use the sced 80 Savko's but they take up a lot of room. We're talking about 5 bulkheads per overflow. I was thinking about dropping down to 1 1/4 for the return piping, only if it would benefit me in the space department.

Its coming down to crunch time and I'm still kicking stuff around..... Startin to worry me a bit...


Thanks Again for Everyone's ideas

 

[Scooterman]

Now that you mention it the coast to coast would shadow, I wasn't thinking you needed a wide trough, maybe a few inches wide. They make cylindrical tanks, guess an 8" cylinder may be a challenge, in black I don't think would be a problem, IAP would know that answer. I can add more details to the CAD drawing, right now I just made basic dimensional views, you would need AutoCAD to see it, I can try and convert it to jpg but it looks very terrible. Now flow, the way I think I understand it from Mike is the output 2" PVC pipes would be drilling 4, 3.5" holes (not sure what size for a 2" heavy duty BH) inside the box or maybe so, I'm not clear on that. Then Tee it all the way up and use 3/4" lock line threaded connector through the box to hold it together. I'll have to draw a detail of that if I can do it easily, it would be precise.

 

[mojoreef]

Kris I can draw it up for you buddy, I was just waiting for your final choice. The way I was thingking on the CL inputs was with no piping in the tank, Just make them out of acrylic, large enough to house 2 x 1 1/2 BK's. the return idea was the same, no pipe in the tank just made of Acrylic with holes drilled in and then a BH in the bottom matched to the return pump output.

Kris I will shoot you a PM with my phone number so we can talk quickly prior and then I will draw it up for ya.

Mike

 

[kris4647]

YGM

Mike!!

 

[mojoreef]

Ok Kris some details.

First is the overflow and cl return system. I have redone done it to try to allow for access to the CL BH's for servicing with out having to srain the tank. Now these measure are ball park but pretty close. What we are going to do he iis to eliminate all piping in the tank, so wat I have created is basically a closed box made out of acrylic for each return that will be about 3 1/2 inches square and glued to the overflow box. At the bottom of the box will be a drilled out 1 1/2 inch BH, at the top will be like a shelf like square that will slide into a routed out groove. This will act as a cover/top for the return so that if servicing is required you can slide it out and use a pipe to remove the bh. On the side of this unit I have gone with three 3/4 out puts, make sure IAP taps them for 3/4 so that you can screw in locline. Place the first about 3 inches off the bottom and the equally space the balance.
On the height I am ball parking 28 inches for the over flow and 24 for the return boxes. Positition the overflows as needed for your stand braces and make it so the overflow corners face the flat sides of the tanks. This would make them diamond shape? and allow for the flow from the returns to not face the sides of the tank but be off set.

Mike

 

[mojoreef]

OK details for the cl inputs and the sump return system.

We are going to go with the same concept here with no pipes in the tank. Basicall we are building a 12 by 4 inch box out of black acrylic. In the box it will be seperated into 3 chambers. the center chamber will be for the sump system return, with two 3/4 hoes drilled and tapped. One will be as close to the top as possible and the second one a few inches deeper, we want to use these for surface flow and again they will have a shelf like top as in the CL returns.
The outside chambers will be for each CL input, same concept with the 1 1/2 BH on the bottom and no piping and the shelf on top. Have IAP drill two holes in each to acomidate two 1 1/2 drains screens, make the holes lower but still acessable.
I was think to have this whole unit only 24 inches high so that you can still get down to the BH (if needed) with the euro bracing in play.

I will try to do up a total drawing with the 3 sump scenerio you asked for this weekend when I get a break.



Mike

 

[sryder]

just a post from another board. thought the idea was kinda cool.

 

[Scooterman]

your tank is looking good kris, can't wait to see it in place!