plumbing help !! PLEASE

[medican]

Hey guys......

Its time to redo my plumbing on my 90gal. I will try to explain what I have come up with and you tell me what you think. To start with aprox. 30 gal sump, I will build 2- 1.5ft parts so I can get it into the limited space I have under the tank. one half will be fuge and the other filter, the fuge will drain into filter via x2 1in bulkheads.

Now for the plumbing......

From the exterior pump(I think aprox 1200GPH) it will go to a baffle type set-up, a 1in pvc running the lower back of the tank. From there a 90 on each end then by flex hose up to x2 3/4 sea swirls(I can change the output size of these if need be). From the baffle up the middle then 90 over the top of the tank to a T then 45s and then to ball flex pipe going each way(thinking 1/2 in) then another T off the baffle line back to the fuge at a much slower rate.

The one over the top and the one to the fuge...should I keep it 1in or drop it to 1/2in ???

I think I need a preasure rated pump for this?

hoping to get rid of all powerheads

what do you think

thanks for the advise
Richard

[medican]

any thoughts...

good or bad

[BMW Rider]

I'm trying to understand exactly what you are planning, but I'm not exactly clear on it. Is it possible for you to post a diagram to help explain what you are proposing to do.

As for needing a pressure rated pump, as long as your plumbing layout is sufficient to carry the water volume without excess friction loss, then there should be no need. If you have not restricted the flow with too small of pipe (or too many elbows tees etc.) to carry the volume then the friction loss will not be significant. It will depend more on how high you are trying to raise the column of water in the pipe. If you are returning from a sump, the water colum height would be from the surface of the water in the sump to the height of the outlet in the tank. Generally a sump in the stand should not need a pressure rated pump if the plumbing is done well. A basement sump deffinitly would.

[muck]

Id run a seperate pump for a closed loop. You will get lots of circulation and water movement without having powerheads in the tank.

From your overflow I would put the drain line(s) into the filter side of the sump. Have a pump returning the water from the sump to the tank with a T fitting and Ball Valve to regulate water flow into the Fuge side of the sump. You could also put a T to the 2 seaswirls as well. I'll up a diagram in a minute...

[medican]

Red...inlet from pump
Blue....flex to sw
Green...up the back to top of tank to a T loc-line each way
Yellow...back to fuge

Looking at dual overflows with durso type pipes

Hope this clears things up

Thanks for your help
got the pic to work.....thankyou

[Quinster]

photo help

[medican]

I see your point with the T after the pump back to the fuge, but, will it make a big difference if it T's after the pump or off the back line (yellow).

Thanks guys this helps keep it comming

Quinster.....thanks for the pic help that was driving me nuts.....

[BMW Rider]

Basically your plumbing layout looks reasonable and should work. I would use nothing smaller than 1" pipe for 1200 gph of flow. You will have some head loss, so if 1200 gph is you desired flow, you will need to oversize the pump a bit to acheive that due to the head losses. A Mag 18 would probably give you what you want. I too would tee the refugium line off just after the pump, but its mostly a case of where it will best fit. I would also rather have two pumps in the system. One for return from the sump, and a second on a closed loop just for circulation. That lets you seperate the returns between the two pumps, making it easier to balance the flow from each one. You will not need as large a pump for the return pump in this case, and you will probably be able to get even more flow with two pumps than you could with one. Another bonus is it provides you with a backup system in case one quits.

[Delphinus]

Ok, think finally something went "click" upstairs and I'm understanding the diagrams. (That only took 3 days .. I ... never ..... . said...... I ...... was............ swift .......... )

Do the seaswirls run off the water pressure or do they have an independent motor? I can't remember.

I don't -think- you need a pressure rated pump for this, but I'm guessing you do probably want at least a Little Giant 4 or Mak4 for this, given the multiple outputs.

BTW, Muck has a good suggestion of going with a separate closed loop if the goal is to remove the need for powerheads. I find that there can be an upper threshold with flow through a sump (before you start to get microbubbles), but with an independent closed loop you can increase flow beyond that without having to worry about touching the sump return. The only real drawback (I think) about closed-loops is that pumps tend to use a lot more energy than powerheads.

[medican]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Do the seaswirls run off the water pressure or do they have an independent motor? I can't remember.

Yes...they have there own little motors in them...they do not require a certain flow.......

ok...the I's have it I will run the fuge off just after the pump.....

1 inch all the way around Roger that

So.....what your saying is that the return loc-line on top of the tank should stay 3/4 with a 1in pipe behind it ?

Im thinking about adding a closed loop (at maybe 300-400GPH) to the tank I could use a J tube out of 1in and hook over the tank then add 1 more bulkhead on the back of the tank (since I'm drilling 2 anyway) or even another for the clossed loop intake....AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH STOP......BRAIN OVERLOAD....
To drill my tank I will be droping the water level down to aprox. half....then do the work....hope to set up another tank for the occupants
I hope to borrow this tank for a few days.........

MY WIFE IS GOING TO GO APESH** ON MY A**.......

Thanks guys