1.5 inch PVC good enough to handle 180 drains?

snarkes · 10/19/2010, 05:20 PM

Title says it all. I'm putting together a 180 gallon system with a sump in the basement. I have already run it thinking it would be fine, but my dad isnt so sure.

Basically, I was going to Tee the two drains together and then run them down to the sump (goes down five feet then back 20 and then down again).

Mistake? Or am I safe?

The return is 1.5 inch as well and I'm using a Reeflow Marlin (obviously valved back).

isildursbane · 10/19/2010, 05:39 PM

A 1.5-inch pipe can handle "a lot" of flow. Just keep going with what you have and see what happens when you turn the pump on. You say you have the Reeflow Marlin (obviously valved back), so basically I would say to crack the valve open when you turn it on and see how close to full open you can get without it overflowing. Or more simply, just adjust the valve and if it seems to operate properly with the flow you want it's probably fine. You can always rip it all out later and put in a 2-inch pipe, but I don't think you will have to.

lordofthereef · 10/19/2010, 05:48 PM

Unless you have a full siphon, teeing together the two pipes is going to drastically reduce your flow capacity (I guess it would either way, but what I am saying is without a full siphon you will be shocked at how low the flow capacity of the pipe is). At 25' headless you are looking at just under 1300 gph capacity on that pump. Depending on how much you valve it back, you might make it work.

snarkes · 10/19/2010, 05:50 PM

I mean I figured it would be okay... but now that its up there and Dad started questioning it, I got to wondering.

lordofthereef · 10/19/2010, 05:53 PM

It's a matter of how much you want to valve it back. You WILL be able to valve it back enough to make it work. Whether you are happy with how much you end up having to valve it back is another question.

snarkes · 10/19/2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordofthereef

Unless you have a full siphon, teeing together the two pipes is going to drastically reduce your flow. At 25' headless you are looking at just under 1300 gph capacity on that pump. Depending on how much you valve it back, you might make it work.

Well, the overflows only handle 600 GPH, and at that rate they'd be pretty loud too (even with dursos).

I was hoping to get in the neighborhood of 1000 GPH total drain and then match that back up.

The pump is pressure rated and given the headloss I'm looking at (~17 feet considering elbows, horizontal and vertical runs), this pump is still supposed to do 1600 GPH.

billdogg · 10/19/2010, 05:53 PM

I have a 150 with 2 x 2" and 2 x 1" drains. It is way easier to have too much drain - it would be difficult to make them bigger after it is set up! I use a dart for my pump, and also feed my fuge and reactors with it. In either case, id you tee them together, you must upsize the rest of the drain to accommodate the flow.

snarkes · 10/19/2010, 06:02 PM

Ugh...

Well I thought I had since the tank comes with 2x1' drains... figured that 1.5 inch PVC would've handled it.

lordofthereef · 10/19/2010, 06:07 PM

Well the problem IMO is that you are planning on teeing them together. THAT is what is reducing your flow even more. I suppose I misread your post about the headloss. I just assumed you were looking at 25' loss.

mgoblue · 10/20/2010, 11:34 AM

You could always increase the pipe size from the tee to the sump to help accomodate the flow from the two separate 1-1/2" drains. That may be easier than re-plumbing the whole thing.

snarkes · 10/20/2010, 09:18 PM

Yeah... well... the plumbing is already run. I looked today and it wont be too bad to run another length of 1.5 for good measure.

Thanks for the opinions guys.

lordofthereef · 10/20/2010, 09:36 PM

Let us know how things turn out

Chris27 · 10/21/2010, 08:31 AM

If you want to T the two drains, just use a larger diameter pipe after the T, 2" - 2 1/2" or so, that way there will be much less back pressure. As for the overflows, if they are the OEM corners, they may be rated at 600 Gal/Hr, but they flow more, I ran a Mag 9.5 wide open with 3'-4' of head loss and it flowed just fine. Also, you may actually be able to use that pump wide open, but in all reality, you should just plump it into a manifold so you can use it's power for things like skimmers, media reactors, fuge, RDSB, etc....

10/19/2010, 05:20 PM	#1
snarkes Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 479	1.5 inch PVC good enough to handle 180 drains? Title says it all. I'm putting together a 180 gallon system with a sump in the basement. I have already run it thinking it would be fine, but my dad isnt so sure. Basically, I was going to Tee the two drains together and then run them down to the sump (goes down five feet then back 20 and then down again). Mistake? Or am I safe? The return is 1.5 inch as well and I'm using a Reeflow Marlin (obviously valved back).

10/19/2010, 05:48 PM	#3
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	Unless you have a full siphon, teeing together the two pipes is going to drastically reduce your flow capacity (I guess it would either way, but what I am saying is without a full siphon you will be shocked at how low the flow capacity of the pipe is). At 25' headless you are looking at just under 1300 gph capacity on that pump. Depending on how much you valve it back, you might make it work. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

10/19/2010, 05:53 PM	#5
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	It's a matter of how much you want to valve it back. You WILL be able to valve it back enough to make it work. Whether you are happy with how much you end up having to valve it back is another question. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

10/19/2010, 05:53 PM	#7
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	I have a 150 with 2 x 2" and 2 x 1" drains. It is way easier to have too much drain - it would be difficult to make them bigger after it is set up! I use a dart for my pump, and also feed my fuge and reactors with it. In either case, id you tee them together, you must upsize the rest of the drain to accommodate the flow. __________________ 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

10/19/2010, 06:07 PM	#9
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	Well the problem IMO is that you are planning on teeing them together. THAT is what is reducing your flow even more. I suppose I misread your post about the headloss. I just assumed you were looking at 25' loss. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

10/19/2010, 05:39 PM	#2
isildursbane Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 219	A 1.5-inch pipe can handle "a lot" of flow. Just keep going with what you have and see what happens when you turn the pump on. You say you have the Reeflow Marlin (obviously valved back), so basically I would say to crack the valve open when you turn it on and see how close to full open you can get without it overflowing. Or more simply, just adjust the valve and if it seems to operate properly with the flow you want it's probably fine. You can always rip it all out later and put in a 2-inch pipe, but I don't think you will have to.

10/19/2010, 05:50 PM	#4
snarkes Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 479	I mean I figured it would be okay... but now that its up there and Dad started questioning it, I got to wondering.

10/19/2010, 06:02 PM	#8
snarkes Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 479	Ugh... Well I thought I had since the tank comes with 2x1' drains... figured that 1.5 inch PVC would've handled it.

10/20/2010, 11:34 AM	#10
mgoblue Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grand Junction, MI Posts: 149	You could always increase the pipe size from the tee to the sump to help accomodate the flow from the two separate 1-1/2" drains. That may be easier than re-plumbing the whole thing.

10/20/2010, 09:18 PM	#11
snarkes Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 479	Yeah... well... the plumbing is already run. I looked today and it wont be too bad to run another length of 1.5 for good measure. Thanks for the opinions guys.

10/20/2010, 09:36 PM	#12
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	Let us know how things turn out __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!

10/21/2010, 08:31 AM	#13
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	If you want to T the two drains, just use a larger diameter pipe after the T, 2" - 2 1/2" or so, that way there will be much less back pressure. As for the overflows, if they are the OEM corners, they may be rated at 600 Gal/Hr, but they flow more, I ran a Mag 9.5 wide open with 3'-4' of head loss and it flowed just fine. Also, you may actually be able to use that pump wide open, but in all reality, you should just plump it into a manifold so you can use it's power for things like skimmers, media reactors, fuge, RDSB, etc....

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