True Wye or "Tee" Manifold for Closed Loop on my 180

[Pprice01]

Hello Everyone,

I'm trying to determine the best way to run the Closed Loop up through the bottom of tank.

I have 4 x 1.5" outlets drilled down the center of the tank, like this:

[IMG]

From Aquarium Design

[/IMG]

I would like to run my Reeflo Hammerhead downstairs, maybe 6' away, on a shelf/closet in my garage and wonder if I should split the line or not, and if so which method would be better. Here are the options that I came up with:

1. Run a single 1.5" line of SpaFlex up through the floor from the pump into the stand and then "Tee" off of the spaflex for each return - sort of a straight line manifold with the end at the last of the 4 returns. My concern here is the balance, or imbalance, of the return flow. It would look like this:

[IMG]

From Documents

[/IMG]

2. Run the pump output into a "True Wye", which is essentially a 45* splitter, and then run two lines from that wye into two additional "true wyes" to split each line in half again to have 4 balanced outputs - then spaflex to each return. The question I have with this method, if employed, is where to put the wyes? Would it make any difference if I run a single line up through the floor and then split it inside the stand, or would it be better to split the lines in the garage and have 4 lines run up through the floor. Splitting in the garage seems like a lot more work since I would have to run 4 lines up throught the floor.

Any tips or experiences that are similar would be appreciated.

Thank you for looking.

[Perched Urchin]

I am far from a specialist in fluid dynamics, but in conversations with some folks that are pretty smart about this stuff I have been told that the way to create a manifold that provides equal pressure to all the outputs is to build what looks like an oval with the input on one side and the outputs spaced equidistantly apart on the other side. This is the way (when it is done correctly) that multi-head showers are plumbed to make sure all heads have equal pressure.

I don't believe you should use wyes on a pressure system. You see folks do it, and it looks slick, but I don't think they are appropriate for use in a pressure system. Wyes and sweep T's are used in drainage systems typically. Supply plumbing is usually standard T's and 90's.

In regard to getting from the garage to the display, I would suggest a single run in the largest feasible diameter pipe as far as you can go. On that pump, I think you have a 1.5" output, so go with that (or even 2") as far as you can to reduce head loss, then go into your manifold.

Hope this helps - I am interested to see responses from others.

[Pprice01]

Thanks Perched - I am interested to see what others say also.

I spoke to Flex PVC and they told me that pressure wasn't affected too much with the True Wye, as opposed to the manifold Wye. So right now I'm leaning toward the True Wye - hope some others chime in...

[Pprice01]

Bump