Piping my drains?

chops29 · 06/17/2009, 11:46 PM

I have a 120 gal. All glass with 2 overflows. The pipes are 1 1/4 in. coming into a 1 1/2 in horziontal. That will feed my fuge and skimmer plus a ball valve to the return incase there is to much flow into either. Question is the 1.25 into 1.5 is that to small should I go bigger?

VacavilleFC3S · 06/18/2009, 01:20 AM

something doesn't look right,

how are you feeding the left side of the sump thats not pictured behind the tallest baffle?? also why bother putting the protein skimmer behind the bubble trap?

it's going to be very loud the way you have the drains connected together via 90's going together, it's going to create alot of back pressure and probably some surging.

chops29 · 06/18/2009, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by VacavilleFC3S

how are you feeding the left side of the sump thats not pictured behind the tallest baffle??

This is actually mid construction. I stoped sat down looked at it. and said the same thing something doesn't look right bettter ask. lol Orginally I planed on the Fuge being supllied via a ball valve comeing from the left side Sanitary T.

VacavilleFC3S · 06/18/2009, 02:01 AM

don't use a ball valve, use a gate valve. ball valves are for on/off flow and aren't as accurately adjustable

billdogg · 06/18/2009, 05:51 AM

if it were mine, i would not t the drains together at all. there is no reason to do so. I would also scrap the ball(or gate) valves altogether. IMO, you should NEVER restrict the drains - if there is a problem with too much flow, put a valve on the output of the return pump. restricting the drain flow in any way is asking for a flood. maybe not right away, but sooner or later, it will cause problems.

what (and where) is your return pump? it looks to me, the way your bubble trap is set up, that the skimmer is sitting in the return area. I would think it would be better off to the far left in the picture, with the return pump sitting where it currently is.

dave2184 · 06/18/2009, 08:54 AM

I think this was what he may have been going for. With the skimmer tied into the drain line on that side.

Excuse the crude mock up it was 30sec in paint.

Lyotim88 · 06/18/2009, 09:43 AM

you could also run one drain straight to the skimmer and T the line going to the fuge, with one of them going to the drain. This way, you have 75% flow to the skimmer and 25% to the fuge, melev said to do that and it seems like a good plan

EnglishRebel · 06/18/2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by billdogg
if it were mine, i would not t the drains together at all. there is no reason to do so. I would also scrap the ball(or gate) valves altogether. IMO, you should NEVER restrict the drains - if there is a problem with too much flow, put a valve on the output of the return pump. restricting the drain flow in any way is asking for a flood. maybe not right away, but sooner or later, it will cause problems.

what (and where) is your return pump? it looks to me, the way your bubble trap is set up, that the skimmer is sitting in the return area. I would think it would be better off to the far left in the picture, with the return pump sitting where it currently is.

++++++ on that.

chops29 · 06/19/2009, 12:53 AM

Thank you all for the responses. Dave that picture is what I'm trying to go for Fuge-return-skimmer. From one of the models Melev shows on his site. For a return pump I have an Oceanrunner 3500 it's not plumbed in yet as I thought it best to stop and ask before procedding. Looks like it's good I did.

I'll have to see about doing alittle rework Tommorrow. Again thank you for the help.

cloak · 06/19/2009, 03:12 AM

It's all one body of water.

Pipes & baffles, baffles & pipes.

06/17/2009, 11:46 PM	#1
chops29 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Minier,IL Posts: 78	Piping my drains? I have a 120 gal. All glass with 2 overflows. The pipes are 1 1/4 in. coming into a 1 1/2 in horziontal. That will feed my fuge and skimmer plus a ball valve to the return incase there is to much flow into either. Question is the 1.25 into 1.5 is that to small should I go bigger? __________________ 120 gal. cycle started 7/6/09

06/18/2009, 05:51 AM	#5
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	if it were mine, i would not t the drains together at all. there is no reason to do so. I would also scrap the ball(or gate) valves altogether. IMO, you should NEVER restrict the drains - if there is a problem with too much flow, put a valve on the output of the return pump. restricting the drain flow in any way is asking for a flood. maybe not right away, but sooner or later, it will cause problems. what (and where) is your return pump? it looks to me, the way your bubble trap is set up, that the skimmer is sitting in the return area. I would think it would be better off to the far left in the picture, with the return pump sitting where it currently is. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/18/2009, 08:54 AM	#6
dave2184 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Girard, Oh. Posts: 2,549	I think this was what he may have been going for. With the skimmer tied into the drain line on that side. Excuse the crude mock up it was 30sec in paint. __________________ -Dave- "Oh ya - I missed one important point. There are other ways to deal with phosphates like phosphate sponges, but it's kind of like trying to fan the stink off a dead skunk." -looser

06/19/2009, 12:53 AM	#9
chops29 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Minier,IL Posts: 78	Thank you all for the responses. Dave that picture is what I'm trying to go for Fuge-return-skimmer. From one of the models Melev shows on his site. For a return pump I have an Oceanrunner 3500 it's not plumbed in yet as I thought it best to stop and ask before procedding. Looks like it's good I did. I'll have to see about doing alittle rework Tommorrow. Again thank you for the help. __________________ 120 gal. cycle started 7/6/09

06/18/2009, 01:20 AM	#2
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	something doesn't look right, how are you feeding the left side of the sump thats not pictured behind the tallest baffle?? also why bother putting the protein skimmer behind the bubble trap? it's going to be very loud the way you have the drains connected together via 90's going together, it's going to create alot of back pressure and probably some surging.

06/18/2009, 02:01 AM	#4
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	don't use a ball valve, use a gate valve. ball valves are for on/off flow and aren't as accurately adjustable

06/18/2009, 09:43 AM	#7
Lyotim88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 155	you could also run one drain straight to the skimmer and T the line going to the fuge, with one of them going to the drain. This way, you have 75% flow to the skimmer and 25% to the fuge, melev said to do that and it seems like a good plan

06/19/2009, 03:12 AM	#10
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	It's all one body of water. Pipes & baffles, baffles & pipes.