Resident plumbing pro needed

[DaBrowns]

The new tank comes home today...and is going to be plumbed filled and pumping water before bedtime...hopefully The drains are partially plumbed already...the returns are ready from the bulkheads up. (minus the nozzles) I want to use flexible hosing to minimize the head loss from the mag 18. My concept is also to drain into the right side of the sump where skimming will take place...then across to refuge chamber where spaghetti algae and clamp light will live...then to the return chamber @ the far left and back to the tank. I also think I'll be putting a 250W heater in each end chamber and a 150 in the center (these will all depend on the light heating generated)

I'm trying to put together a shopping list of parts...but would really be helped if someone could mock up a diagram. I did one but don't really trust myself yet??

IDEAS...comments...advice...HELP

 

[prbhasson]

What size tank? What are you planning on keeping? What size is the sump? Skimmer? answer some of these questions and we can try to help you...

 

[Scooterman]

As simple as your planning, you basically have it, drop in a submersible pump & run the outlet to the top return, the rest can be tweaked as you go. The overflow will require a stand-pipe of some sorts, to quieten it down. Do a goggle for stockman standpipe.

 

[DaBrowns]

sorry...tank is an AllGlass 150 with twin mega overflows, 1" drains, 3/4" returns, sump size is 55g standard. The pump is a mag 18. Skimmer is an Urchin Pro with a mag 3.

 

[Meche]

I'd say go with your gut. Its going to be really hard to communicate what exactly you have and what you are trying to do. Although, pictures might help. Maybe you could open them up in paint and label points a, b, c... etc. and then describe which points you want to plumb together.

 

[Krish]

Cool!! For starters, how is your sump setup for incoming water? Are you planning on just resting the hose in the sump or hard plumb it in? That way, we can tell you how to go about plumbing that part.

As for the return...Now I've never seen the mega flow pieces in person to know exactly what you are dealing with, but going on the diagram on all-glasses website with the breakdown of the megaflow, the return has a 3/4 fitting on the end which looks to be threaded from the pic (a male) so you'd need one of these
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...ROD&Product_Code=1435-007&Category_Code=Barbs which will thread onto that fitting and provide you with a barbed fitting for the 3/4 hose to slide on and I'd use a clamp there. The mag18 has a 3/4 output so you can use the same part to turn the pump's male threaded output into a barbed fitting or some people just slide the 3/4 hose right on the pump, but be careful if you do it that way that the hose you use won't pop off Also, seeing you have two outputs, you will need to put a "y" in there to split the output from the pump so that you can send one line to each overflow. You can use a "Y" like this, but in a 3/4 http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...OD&Product_Code=P-0738013&Category_Code=Barbs Or if you only want to use one output, just cap off one of the returns

 

[DaBrowns]

As simple as your planning, you basically have it, drop in a submersible pump & run the outlet to the top return, the rest can be tweaked as you go. The overflow will require a stand-pipe of some sorts, to quieten it down. Do a goggle for stockman standpipe.

here's a sideview of the overflows. What the guy did...and I've seen this before...is drill a 1/8" hole in the top cap of the drain which sucks in air and quiets it down. Is that what you meant?

 

[Krish]

Here's a little something that may help with the drain. This is how I had my cube set up. If you look at the first shot, you can see how I have the drain done with the flex PVC and a union incase I needed to seperate the tank and the sump and in the second pic, you can see how I have it plumbed into the sump. I mostly used the flex pvc because that way, you don't have to use 100 fittings to make a bend and add restriction to the plumbing, but can get a gradual smooth bend with just the pipe and can still glue to pvc fittings if you need to use any. The drain for the tank enters the sump on the right

 

[DaBrowns]

thx krish...in the beginning i will probably just rest the drains in the tank...provided they don't behave like a fire hose and flop back and forth. also shouldn't the drains have check valves to prevent a flood...or will the overflows only drain out the top couple of inches as the picture illustrates?

 

[Scooterman]

Yes, you have it, that looks like a factory design, you can make them rather easily!

http://www.dursostandpipes.com/

http://www.rl180reef.com/pages/standpipe/standpipe-ken_stockman.htm

 

[Krish]

thx krish...in the beginning i will probably just rest the drains in the tank...provided they don't behave like a fire hose and flop back and forth. also shouldn't the drains have check valves to prevent a flood...or will the overflows only drain out the top couple of inches as the picture illustrates?

Naw...You don't need check valves. They will only drain the water that is above where they are set

 

[Meche]

also shouldn't the drains have check valves to prevent a flood...or will the overflows only drain out the top couple of inches as the picture illustrates?

There would be nothing gained by putting a check valve on a drain.

 

[DaBrowns]

but ball valve on the return line? Good or bad? Would allow for "throttle-back" of the return pump? Also I've never used a skimmer before. The pump on the Urchin suck water in, which goes through the injector spray nozzle...bubbles for in the main chamber...skimmate goes to the cup @ top...clean water flows out the square notch in the side of the housing?? that's the way it looks like it works anyway.

 

[Krish]

but ball valve on the return line? Good or bad? Would allow for "throttle-back" of the return pump? Also I've never used a skimmer before. The pump on the Urchin suck water in, which goes through the injector spray nozzle...bubbles for in the main chamber...skimmate goes to the cup @ top...clean water flows out the square notch in the side of the housing?? that's the way it looks like it works anyway.

You can if you want to control the flow, just make sure it is actually on the output of the pump and not the input

About the skimmer, you got it! You'll have to mess with the collection cup a bit setting the height to the type of skimmate you want. Some like really wet skimmate (done by lowering the cup) and some dry (by raising the cup). In any event, it will take a few days probably to break in and start functioning properly so don't worry if you don't get skimmate right away

 

[DaBrowns]

ok...last question for awhile...I promise. what's everyones opinion on seperate drains into the sump. Should they remain seperate, be joined together via a "Y" and the new single drain be more diameter...is there a reason to send one drain somewhere else?

 

[NaH2O]

I have separate drains to my sump. They drain into the same compartment of the sump, then the skimmer picks up the raw tank water for processing

 

[Krish]

IMO, either way is cool...Whichever is easier and works best for you.