Basement Sump Plumbing

tylersarah · 09/02/2011, 01:11 PM

I am in the process of setting up my basement sump and will begin plumbing this weekend.

The DT is an Oceanic Tech 120. The overflow and return openings are in the back center of the tank. There are two overflows @ 1" each and two returns @
3/4" each.

Wondering if its a bad idea to plumb the two returns into one pipe and the two overflows into one pipe. This is just to reduce the amount of holes i'd have to cut into the floor. Also If it is ok to do so, what size pipe should I use? I was thinking the two 1" overflow drains into one 1.5" pipe and the two 3/4" return lines into one 1" pipe. Would this be correct or should I double the size of the piping?

Sorry, this is new to me and I'm just a little leary. I want to cover any problems that I might have before I actually execute the plan.

Thanks in advance.

-Tyler-

TheFishTeen · 09/02/2011, 01:36 PM

Why don't you just drill like a large 4" hole and put all the pipes through that 1 hole? That way you don't have to have multiple holes plus if your drilling multiple holes your more likely to hit a support beam if you home is on a raised platform.

TheFishTeen · 09/02/2011, 01:41 PM

Oh and on another note, you'll run into a lot of problems with combining the return lines. Are you going to be using 1 or 2 return pumps?

Reefermandan · 09/02/2011, 02:43 PM

I have a basement sump for a 150 DT. I ran a single 1" from my return pump and behind tank on the 1" horozontal run used 3 T reducers for three, 3/4" returns...2 side and middle. My 2 overflows (4 drains) are piped into a common horizontal 2" pipe before heading to basement. Therefore, two holes through floor to basement sump.

I use a single Pondmaster 4850 return pump. I did place valves on all 3 3/4" returns for control if needed.

tylersarah · 09/02/2011, 02:50 PM

Good info. I have one MAG18 that I am planning on running as my return pump.

Reefermadman....You have answered many of my other questions in my multiple posts about this basement sump. Thank you for that.

trigger gta · 09/02/2011, 09:14 PM

my tank had 2 1 inch drian lines also. i put them into a T and ran 1 line to my basement that was 1.5.

after a wet run test i removed the 1.5 and ended up going with 2 drain lines each 1 inch. i could not get a water flow to be stable and the noise from T where the 2 lines met was way to loud. One of the main goals with a basement sump for me was a quite system.

If i was doing your tank i would be doing a bean animal drain with one return line.

bennylab · 09/02/2011, 09:48 PM

I use one 1.5 inch return that spits into two at the DT. I have a 1 inch primary and 1.5 inch emergency drain. The one inch I run fully flooded (without a valve restricting flow) and then allow just a little trickle into the 1.5 inch which is higher in the overflow box. This configuration is silent even though I have a 12 foot overall drop and 60 foot horizontal run to my fish room.

larsonjera49 · 09/13/2011, 12:42 AM

I'm new to the hobby, especially the plumbing aspects, and living in Cali. But if needed help and was looking for San Jose plumbers, would I need a specialist or would a basic plumber be able to help with sump pump or other problems related to reef tanks?

RobinsonFam1 · 09/13/2011, 04:09 PM

no way id call a plumber!!!!!! if you need help then call someone that does custom aquariums for atleast a consult.

the biggest problem that ppl face with a bsmt sump is drain noise. the water will gain speed as it falls and there by drawing in tons of air and creating noise.

i had a 14' drop about 1800 gph through 2) 1.5" drains. (iirc, its a while ago) i remember the first week was miserable. we had to turn it off unless i was working on it. (before inhabitants and all). i had 2 other builders in the area come by that had installed similar flow systems and they were stumped. eventually i came up with a design that did not involve using valves to regulate the flow. that was my first idea but there were too many variables and not a consistent silence.

i finally stepped the drains down to 1" at the sump into a series of stacked 5 gal buckets drilled to allow water to flow out and bubbles to collect before sump. this led to a gravity skimmer design that was almost 5' tall. worked awesome! kinda like an etss skimmer. reaction tube about 3' tall, pipe/tubes with bio balls was almost 5'. gate valves for exit.

just some ideas for ya!

younglcy · 09/13/2011, 04:42 PM

I have a 75g display upstairs and a 100g Rubbermaid tub + refugium in the basement. I run an UNO Marlin pressure rated pump and didn't want insane flow, so I used 3/4" spa flex tubing from my pump to the display and two seperate 1 1/4 seamless/flexible pool hoses for the drains. The tank outputs to two 1" overflows with Durso vents. One drain wasn't enough to carry the pump output reliably, plus I wanted to double up in case one of the drains or overflows ever clogged, got blocked or failed. There are no elbows or seams in my system at all and the flow is great and perfectly silent over a 40' run and 14' drop. System has worked flawlessly for 3+ years.

crazy4reefs · 09/13/2011, 04:56 PM

If the tank is against a wall why not run the pipes in the chase? My tank is against the wall in my family room and my sump is in the basement. The wall that the tank is against is accessible from the stairway to the basement so I cut open the wall and ran the drains and returns in the wall...I also drilled my tank and installed the Bean Animal overflow system...it's dead silent and low maintenance.

crazy4reefs · 09/13/2011, 05:00 PM

+1 on the spaflex....I used spa flex and traditional pvc but if I had to do it again i would use all spa flex

RobinsonFam1 · 09/15/2011, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy4reefs

If the tank is against a wall why not run the pipes in the chase? My tank is against the wall in my family room and my sump is in the basement. The wall that the tank is against is accessible from the stairway to the basement so I cut open the wall and ran the drains and returns in the wall...I also drilled my tank and installed the Bean Animal overflow system...it's dead silent and low maintenance.

depending on the wall and joist layout it may not be possible for everyone. i had heat runs behind mine. i went through carpet: pulled carpet back, laid out holes and drilled, laid carpet back, cut X in carpet and shoved pipes down. nice snug fit with a custom carpet tuck looking job. back of my tank only had three lines running straight down, nothing unsightly, no wires all over etc...

another downside depending on tank/wall is alot more fitting may be necessay and lots of work by comparison.

James77 · 09/15/2011, 02:42 PM

I did my 175 like that, plumbed both drains I to a single 1.5" drain that went down 12' Ish feet and over 25' feet. Never had a problem running 7-800 GPH through it and it did not even have an ideal union of the drains. If I did it again I would have gone with a double wye. I sealed one returnand just had a single return line n

09/02/2011, 01:11 PM	#1
tylersarah Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 900	Basement Sump Plumbing I am in the process of setting up my basement sump and will begin plumbing this weekend. The DT is an Oceanic Tech 120. The overflow and return openings are in the back center of the tank. There are two overflows @ 1" each and two returns @ 3/4" each. Wondering if its a bad idea to plumb the two returns into one pipe and the two overflows into one pipe. This is just to reduce the amount of holes i'd have to cut into the floor. Also If it is ok to do so, what size pipe should I use? I was thinking the two 1" overflow drains into one 1.5" pipe and the two 3/4" return lines into one 1" pipe. Would this be correct or should I double the size of the piping? Sorry, this is new to me and I'm just a little leary. I want to cover any problems that I might have before I actually execute the plan. Thanks in advance. -Tyler-

09/02/2011, 09:48 PM	#7
bennylab Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Lake Wylie, SC Posts: 83	I use one 1.5 inch return that spits into two at the DT. I have a 1 inch primary and 1.5 inch emergency drain. The one inch I run fully flooded (without a valve restricting flow) and then allow just a little trickle into the 1.5 inch which is higher in the overflow box. This configuration is silent even though I have a 12 foot overall drop and 60 foot horizontal run to my fish room. __________________ My wife has informed me she doesn't want to know what it costs :) Current Tank Info: 200g corner, 75g basement sump, 55g refugium, Vertex Alpha 250, Apex, 3 Vortech mp40, litermeter ato & water changes, procall ca reactor, AI led lighting, Reeflo Hammerhead return

09/13/2011, 04:42 PM	#10
younglcy Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 93	Basement Plumbing I have a 75g display upstairs and a 100g Rubbermaid tub + refugium in the basement. I run an UNO Marlin pressure rated pump and didn't want insane flow, so I used 3/4" spa flex tubing from my pump to the display and two seperate 1 1/4 seamless/flexible pool hoses for the drains. The tank outputs to two 1" overflows with Durso vents. One drain wasn't enough to carry the pump output reliably, plus I wanted to double up in case one of the drains or overflows ever clogged, got blocked or failed. There are no elbows or seams in my system at all and the flow is great and perfectly silent over a 40' run and 14' drop. System has worked flawlessly for 3+ years.

09/15/2011, 02:42 PM	#14
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	I did my 175 like that, plumbed both drains I to a single 1.5" drain that went down 12' Ish feet and over 25' feet. Never had a problem running 7-800 GPH through it and it did not even have an ideal union of the drains. If I did it again I would have gone with a double wye. I sealed one returnand just had a single return line n __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

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09/02/2011, 01:36 PM	#2
TheFishTeen Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,677	Why don't you just drill like a large 4" hole and put all the pipes through that 1 hole? That way you don't have to have multiple holes plus if your drilling multiple holes your more likely to hit a support beam if you home is on a raised platform.

09/02/2011, 01:41 PM	#3
TheFishTeen Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,677	Oh and on another note, you'll run into a lot of problems with combining the return lines. Are you going to be using 1 or 2 return pumps?

09/02/2011, 02:43 PM	#4
Reefermandan Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 70	I have a basement sump for a 150 DT. I ran a single 1" from my return pump and behind tank on the 1" horozontal run used 3 T reducers for three, 3/4" returns...2 side and middle. My 2 overflows (4 drains) are piped into a common horizontal 2" pipe before heading to basement. Therefore, two holes through floor to basement sump. I use a single Pondmaster 4850 return pump. I did place valves on all 3 3/4" returns for control if needed.

09/02/2011, 02:50 PM	#5
tylersarah Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 900	Good info. I have one MAG18 that I am planning on running as my return pump. Reefermadman....You have answered many of my other questions in my multiple posts about this basement sump. Thank you for that.

09/02/2011, 09:14 PM	#6
trigger gta Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 34	my tank had 2 1 inch drian lines also. i put them into a T and ran 1 line to my basement that was 1.5. after a wet run test i removed the 1.5 and ended up going with 2 drain lines each 1 inch. i could not get a water flow to be stable and the noise from T where the 2 lines met was way to loud. One of the main goals with a basement sump for me was a quite system. If i was doing your tank i would be doing a bean animal drain with one return line.

09/13/2011, 12:42 AM	#8
larsonjera49 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 5	I'm new to the hobby, especially the plumbing aspects, and living in Cali. But if needed help and was looking for San Jose plumbers, would I need a specialist or would a basic plumber be able to help with sump pump or other problems related to reef tanks?

09/13/2011, 04:09 PM	#9
RobinsonFam1 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: USA Posts: 616	no way id call a plumber!!!!!! if you need help then call someone that does custom aquariums for atleast a consult. the biggest problem that ppl face with a bsmt sump is drain noise. the water will gain speed as it falls and there by drawing in tons of air and creating noise. i had a 14' drop about 1800 gph through 2) 1.5" drains. (iirc, its a while ago) i remember the first week was miserable. we had to turn it off unless i was working on it. (before inhabitants and all). i had 2 other builders in the area come by that had installed similar flow systems and they were stumped. eventually i came up with a design that did not involve using valves to regulate the flow. that was my first idea but there were too many variables and not a consistent silence. i finally stepped the drains down to 1" at the sump into a series of stacked 5 gal buckets drilled to allow water to flow out and bubbles to collect before sump. this led to a gravity skimmer design that was almost 5' tall. worked awesome! kinda like an etss skimmer. reaction tube about 3' tall, pipe/tubes with bio balls was almost 5'. gate valves for exit. just some ideas for ya!

09/13/2011, 04:56 PM	#11
crazy4reefs Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: 18411 Posts: 219	If the tank is against a wall why not run the pipes in the chase? My tank is against the wall in my family room and my sump is in the basement. The wall that the tank is against is accessible from the stairway to the basement so I cut open the wall and ran the drains and returns in the wall...I also drilled my tank and installed the Bean Animal overflow system...it's dead silent and low maintenance.

09/13/2011, 05:00 PM	#12
crazy4reefs Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: 18411 Posts: 219	+1 on the spaflex....I used spa flex and traditional pvc but if I had to do it again i would use all spa flex