plumbing ?????

[redswi]

I'm designing the plumbing for my new tank...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=91209

The tank is about 40gal. and will have a wet/dry with a 10gal.sump...(The filter design is still in my head, but is based on combination of DIY and commercial filters)...I want everything hidden, yet easy...this type of filtration is new to me, and I want to get it right

My overflow will be part of the tank, and will siphon water(in therory) from the lower section of the tank(I was looking at overflows from "ALL-GLASS")...

I'll be using a 1" "Stockman" style standpipe(thinking I can adjust flow with the shut off),

and a "RIO1100" pump for the return with 1/2"PVC spraybars

I also have this idea of placing another shut off between the main 1" shut off and the wet/dry... reduce this down to a 3/8 barbed fitting to connect a flex line for a gravel washer...

??? #1 is my thinking right?

??? #2 will the siphon from the gravel washer pull so much water that I'll have to adjust the main shut off everytime I use it?

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[Sicklid]

Looks good to me, but I am no expert. The only thing I am wondering is if the gravel washer attachment is going to work as planned... I don't see why not, but maybe putting it in a "Y" connection instead of a "T" would increase the flow, kind of like how a dishwasher hooks into the drainpipe of a sink? Just a thought...

 

[tropicalfish]

I never understood the concept of a sump. Why not a canister?

 

[Sicklid]

Sumps add to the total gallons of your tank, allow you to place heaters and stuff in there, allow for big areas of bio-media and mechanical filtration, provide a place for denitrifying algae to grow or a refugium if you want, top off your water easily, disperse chems... The list of benefits is long!

 

[roka64]

Sumps add to the total gallons of your tank, allow you to place heaters and stuff in there, allow for big areas of bio-media and mechanical filtration, provide a place for denitrifying algae to grow or a refugium if you want, top off your water easily, disperse chems... The list of benefits is long!

I agree. A filter will add to the water volume, but not as much, depending on the size of the canister. It also eliminates some clutter in the main tank, like heaters and other things.

 

[redswi]

as for the gravel washer.... Ill try both the Y and the T and keep whatever works best...

as for the sump ...I want to eliminate all the clutter from the tank....besides I can build the wet/dry sump combo cheaper than a canister

 

[Sicklid]

This is what I meant with the "Y"... it seems like this would give you a faster flow of water, less restricted path. I am just not sure if there is a PVC part that would do this easily of not.

 

[redswi]

I was thinking the "T" will be horizontal and I could angle "45" up from that

 

[theotheragentm]

I design and sell industrial steam and hydronic systems for work. You're not going to have much difference between a Y-pattern and a standard tee. The throughput should be almost identical, because water is fluid.

 

[Sicklid]

Well, I am sure the sytems you design are either pressureized (steam) or pumped (hydro-whatever) and the system I am chiming in about is a gravity-fed one... one in which I am sure has to suffer some benefit fom being pointed towards the sky, which is where gravity would be a factor. I have to beleive there is some turbidity at the T junction which would not be present at a Y. Also, the inlet of the T would be pointing out at a horizontal plane, which could only mean the hose would droop just before it enters the inlet, further adding resistance to the gravity fed system since it would have to travel uphill... I know what you mean, these factors are probably minimal, but why not maximize what you've got?

 

[tropicalfish]

well, it all depends on how you arrange the piping in the end, if T and Y does not matter.

 

[redswi]

easy now guys...
what i'm looking at is installing the "T" in line with the the stand pipe, before the wet dry, to take advantage of that siphon...it will work the same as hooking up a "python" to your kitchen faucet...