pumps and parts

[ellisz]

Hi all,

Currently I am running a Mag7(main pump) and a Mag5(skimmer) in my wet dry. The area I have to put the pumps is just big enough for the two pumps. I noticed after running the skimmer pump for a few days that the water temp was higher than my other tank. It hovered at 82F.

From the box, the Mag7 can be ran externally but I am not sure if I should drill the acrylic wet/dry box or just run the hose over the side? I currently have the hose for the skimmer going over the side to the skimmer inlet.

Do you think I will run into problems with heat with the 2 pumps in there and if so, where do you get the bulk head fittings and such if I drill the sump box? I never can find anything at Home Depot and have had most luck at a smaller Ace Hardware store. At went to 2 home depots and a 1 pet store looking for 1" ID hose for the overflow drain. Everybody has 3/4"...

 

[sumphead]

marinedepot.com has it. Look at thier plumbing, I was happy and will order from them within the week.

R-

 

[ellisz]

Thanks for the link but how do most people situate their pumps? All external, all internal, mixed?

We built our stand with 2x4 framing and are finding it hard to find a rubbermaid container to fit will under the tank. I would like to have the everything in a container to help prevent getting the bottom the stand from getting wet.

 

[loganj]

You can run any of the Magdrive pumps externally. I would watch them closely for a few days though to make sure the o-ring seal in the front cover doesn't leak. Some of the older ones will leak a little. I wouldn't run the intake hose over the top edge of the sump. In order for this to work, you'll have to start a siphon to get the water to the pump. If the pump ever loses it's prime, it won't reprime itself and will run dry until you check it.
Assuming your sump is 1/4" acrylic, here is how you can do a DIY bulkhead. Get a 1/2" PVC female conduit adapter (the gray stuff). Get a 1/2" x 1" male PVC adapter. Get some of the red gasket material from the plumbing section at Home Depot/Lowes. Drill the sump so that the 1/2 end of the male adapter will just go through. Cut a gasket to fit it. Put it through from the inside of the sump with the gasket on it. Screw the female adapter on tightly from the outside and you should have a watertight bulkhead...remember to use teflon tape on the threads. The reason for using the 1/2" x 1" is to give you a larger sealing surface for the gasket. You can try using an o-ring, but they won't always seal.
You will see some drop in the amount of heat transferred to the water, but not a huge difference. Mag drives are water cooled and will warm the water slightly even if they are run external. It may be enough to solve your problem though.

 

[fishfreek]

Mag drives are water cooled and will warm the water slightly even if they are run external.

I was about to make that point.

If you ask me 82F is not that big of a deal. I run my tanks at that as a base temperature. You could bump your heaters up a little to try to maintain that temperature or you could increase the cooling capacity of the tank by adding a fan blowing over the sump.

 

[ellisz]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will let it ride abit to make sure 82 is as high as it gets. If I can get more LR in the tank, I was to hoping to free up some space in the filter by removing some of the bio balls.

My stuff still smells and I am getting a little ammonia readings I just hope the Nitrites don't have to spike again ...