Stupid Question/PLUMBING

Airborne · 05/11/2011, 03:38 PM

I paid a guy at a LFS $400 to plumb my tank. I have the Reeflo Dart. He reduced it almost immediately to 3/4". The problem is I have almost no flow in my sump. I mean if it were not for my chiller return, there would almost be no flow. I called up Reeflo and they said it should have been reduced to 1" and to re-plumb my tank. Problem is the 2 returns in my overflow box are on the bottom. My LFS said I would have to drain the entire tank to re-plumb. Tru or Not? I have 2 returns in the top of the tank that are 3/4" and 2 on the bottom. All are 3/4" returns.

If I could plug the returns in the overflow box somehow, would this allow me to cut the 3/4" and re-plumb with 1" and just before the tank reduce to 3/4"?

Thanks

Islander84 · 05/11/2011, 04:23 PM

not necessarily true.....if there is a good seal between the tank and overflow box you should just beable to drain it past the overflow spillway. ....400$ what a jerk...imo

jdyer88 · 05/11/2011, 04:43 PM

agreed 400 bones is a lot of money, but you can do the exact same thing he did, just do it with 1" pipe...should cost you less than 20 from ACE...shouldn't you just be able to drain your sump to re plumb?

albano · 05/11/2011, 04:57 PM

$400 sounds like a ripoff...BUT...
I think there is some other problem (restriction) if you have "almost no flow". Your plumbing description is not clear (to me)...when you say returns...are there 4 returns to tank, and
Do you have two 3/4" overflow returns (to sump)?
Is the pump intake restricted?
The pump only returns to tank...separate pump to chiller?
how big is tank/sump?

pjcforpres2020 · 05/11/2011, 05:14 PM

For $400, I would be asking that LFS 'expert' to come back and re-plumb it properly at no additional charge, or for a full refund if he isn't willing to do that.

Zestay · 05/11/2011, 06:38 PM

well the flow in your sump shouldnt be as high as you think. your flow should be generated from power heads / a closed loop pump. your sump is your filter. and a good portion of it is a biological filter whcih you can just blast your water through at a million gph. tank flow should be 10-40x gph ( depending on livestock !!!! ) and your sumps flow should be 4 - 10 x gph .
just my two cents.

05/11/2011, 03:38 PM	#1
Airborne Moved On Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Burbank,CA Posts: 574	Stupid Question/PLUMBING I paid a guy at a LFS $400 to plumb my tank. I have the Reeflo Dart. He reduced it almost immediately to 3/4". The problem is I have almost no flow in my sump. I mean if it were not for my chiller return, there would almost be no flow. I called up Reeflo and they said it should have been reduced to 1" and to re-plumb my tank. Problem is the 2 returns in my overflow box are on the bottom. My LFS said I would have to drain the entire tank to re-plumb. Tru or Not? I have 2 returns in the top of the tank that are 3/4" and 2 on the bottom. All are 3/4" returns. If I could plug the returns in the overflow box somehow, would this allow me to cut the 3/4" and re-plumb with 1" and just before the tank reduce to 3/4"? Thanks

05/11/2011, 04:23 PM	#2
Islander84 Reefer Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Clarksville Posts: 457	not necessarily true.....if there is a good seal between the tank and overflow box you should just beable to drain it past the overflow spillway. ....400$ what a jerk...imo __________________ Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing. - Oscar Wilde

05/11/2011, 04:43 PM	#3
jdyer88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Riverside, California Posts: 434	agreed 400 bones is a lot of money, but you can do the exact same thing he did, just do it with 1" pipe...should cost you less than 20 from ACE...shouldn't you just be able to drain your sump to re plumb? __________________ just watchin the sun come up in my jeans, jean shirt, and jean jacket. Its a moustache kind of morning. When someone says its not about the money, its about one thing, the money. Enough about me, lets talk about what YOU think of me! Current Tank Info: 180g, 60g sump w/fuge, 3x250w mh

05/11/2011, 04:57 PM	#4
albano SALTWATER since '73 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Katonah, NY/ San Fernando Ca./ Sea Isle City NJ Posts: 6,210	$400 sounds like a ripoff...BUT... I think there is some other problem (restriction) if you have "almost no flow". Your plumbing description is not clear (to me)...when you say returns...are there 4 returns to tank, and Do you have two 3/4" overflow returns (to sump)? Is the pump intake restricted? The pump only returns to tank...separate pump to chiller? how big is tank/sump? __________________ ______________________________________ Jan. '11 TOTM Manhattan Reefs Current Tank Info: 500g & 200g acrylic DTs/2 separate reef systems

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05/11/2011, 05:14 PM	#5
pjcforpres2020 Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 37	For $400, I would be asking that LFS 'expert' to come back and re-plumb it properly at no additional charge, or for a full refund if he isn't willing to do that.

05/11/2011, 06:38 PM	#6
Zestay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: gainesville, FL Posts: 1,622	well the flow in your sump shouldnt be as high as you think. your flow should be generated from power heads / a closed loop pump. your sump is your filter. and a good portion of it is a biological filter whcih you can just blast your water through at a million gph. tank flow should be 10-40x gph ( depending on livestock !!!! ) and your sumps flow should be 4 - 10 x gph . just my two cents.