Carey's Final Reef Upgrade- 180g

[carey]

I found a y fitting at marine depot, I need the fitting to be barbed.....I didnt go with pvc for the plumbing.

 

[mrbee2828]

I appreciate the input Mrbee

The only is issue I would have in taking it out is that the ball valve is totally almost flush with it so Iwouldnt be able to hook the ball valve back up to the tubing. I guess i could just buy another ball valve though....

Did some water tests and its looking good! Maybe a trace of ammonia , no nitrites at all and trace nitrates.

Just remember that YOU titled this thread the "Final" build Do it right now or you will just have to do it again later.

Also, I didn't see if anyone replied about the sump but you had said something early on about no baffles and not messing with DIY. Just make sure that you have at least one baffle to create a return chamber. When you step up to this size of tank, the last thing you want is to have a clog in the drain allowing 50+ gallons of sump water to be pumped back and overflow into the house.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Just remember that YOU titled this thread the "Final" build Do it right now or you will just have to do it again later. Also, I didn't see if anyone replied about the sump but you had said something early on about no baffles and not messing with DIY. Just make sure that you have at least one baffle to create a return chamber. When you step up to this size of tank, the last thing you want is to have a clog in the drain allowing 50+ gallons of sump water to be pumped back and overflow into the house.

Final build? Baloney. Carey is a young gal with many years of reefkeeping ahead of her. I would bet my right leg this isn't her last build. Nice try Carey. "Careys absolutely final reef upgrade-1000 gallon" You might end up sounding like one of those shops that are perpetually going out of business...

 

[carey]

HAHA Greg, this will be the final "big" build...I will be setting up at least one more medium sized tank to house my tiny fishies that are in the 60g and 29g cube. I just dont think i want to add clown gobies and the mandarin to this tank, they do fine in a small tank and I dont want to jinx anything. lol

The sump is a homemade 3 chamber setup in a 40b I believe. I have a huge intake chamber, then the skimmer chamber, two baffles and the huge return section. I hope to be doing this right the first time, I hate messing with plumbing after the fact.

Soooo, if I get one of those barbed slanted tees and one of those better check valves should I be good? What kind of return gph would I be looking at if I replaced the existing setup?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Was there a reason you didn't use the twin return pumps?

 

[carey]

I thought that it wasnt the right way to go, lol, not sure why. I'm just used to a single return pump I guess. Would that be a viable option? I have the two mag 9.5's I could use.

 

[TheTodd]

That's the one I've used for over 20 years.

That is good to hear. I'm thinking of adding one to my big drain pipe too.

Carey-the link you posted is what I have.

 

[Dav3]

I thought that it wasnt the right way to go, lol, not sure why. I'm just used to a single return pump I guess. Would that be a viable option? I have the two mag 9.5's I could use.

What are you using for your single pump? The recommended minimum ID for maximum flow of a mag 9.5 is 1.5".
I typically at least double the output diameter of the mag pumps.

 

[Gregcoyote]

The previous owner already went thru this, so it would make sense to me to start there. A single return pump isn't a bad thing, but neither is having two. Just wondering.

 

[carey]

The return line is 3/4 inch ID, thats the size of the output part of the mag 18.

I'm wondering if i can forego the check valve and just rerun the hosing. Now the question would be use the two mag9.5's or use a split slanted tee like posted above with the single mag 18

 

[Sniperhank]

Use the kiss effect IMO.

 

[carey]

Thats what I tried to do, lol, but it isnt working as well as I had hoped.

 

[Dav3]

Correct that the mag 9.5 and 18 have a 3/4" mpt. However, manufacturer recommends minimum 1.5" ID after that for max flow. Can you maybe do 1.5+ PVC up to a Y or T and then split lower ID tubing after that?

You are basically having reduced flow with the initial 3/4" and then essentially just splitting that lower flow in half at the T or Y

 

[mr_X]

1.5" return? that doesn't sound right. I use a 5'8" I.D. flexible hose for my mags and have no trouble with them.
That's something that's always puzzled me. How can these pump manufacturers say that even though the outlet is 3/4", and you can only put so much water through a 3/4" hole, if you connect a larger pipe, more water will come out of that 3/4" hole? Sounds like it defies the laws of physics.

 

[Gregcoyote]

You can't increase the flow or pressure by increasing the diameter of the feed line above the diameter of the pumps outlet, BUT you can reduce flow rate by adding restrictions, like 90 degree elbows. If you reduce the feed line diameter you reduce the flow but increase the head height. So the idea is to reduce restrictions to increase the efficiency of the pump. In your case it may be more efficient to use a pump on each of the return lines. Basic hydrodynamics can get complicated.

 

[mr_X]

You can't increase the flow or pressure by increasing the diameter of the feed line above the diameter of the pumps outlet, BUT you can reduce flow rate by adding restrictions, like 90 degree elbows. If you reduce the feed line diameter you reduce the flow but increase the head height. So the idea is to reduce restrictions to increase the efficiency of the pump. In your case it may be more efficient to use a pump on each of the return lines.

But, they state this not knowing your application. They have no idea about whether you will have 90's or head height.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's correct. The pumps are speced with no restrictions in the line and the supply and feed lines are same diameter as the pumps. That's why I suggested going with the original working setup.

 

[carey]

So, Mr X, what do you think of my issue with low flow coming out of the outputs? You can see the pictures of what I have set up what do you think?
Thanks

 

[Dav3]

It is counter intuitive but increasing diameter of plumbing does increase flow. you would be surprised by the difference.

Now 1.5 is bulky but would be best used at least up to a T or Y.

 

[mr_X]

I just looked at the pics again and it appears tht the other line is going back up to feed a second return which I would expect with a large tank. If that's the case you have 900 gph going to each return with almost 4.5 feet of head loss (3ft stand plus 20" high tank i think) so that puts 450 coming back into the DT at each return. This would also explain why the prev owner had 2 mag 9.5s, one feeding each return. You will be supplementing flow in the tank with powerheads so you could leave it, or an alternative is to come over the back with one overflow and use locline and a Y to spread it out. This would give you closer to 1300 coming back in.

Something like this, combined with the "T" fitting slowing you down. I would drain all water to the sump and return all water back to the DT. Trickling water back to the sump is unnecessary.