What flowrate/size piping do I need?

knight2255 · 04/25/2012, 12:11 PM

135g 72" x 18" x 24" mixed reef 40gallon sump/refugium

The rockscaping would be broken up into 3rds, so an opening on either side of the middle rockwork. I was thinking of doing a beananimal overflow box behind middle rock with the return water coming out of 2 nozzles underneath the overflow box pointing to each of the front two bottom corners of the tank.

What size pump do I need?

What size piping do I need for the overflow to sump and the return back to tank?

Humuhumunuku · 04/25/2012, 12:42 PM

I have the same sized tank. I use a water blaster 7000 split to feed my refugium and reactors. Use 1.5" pipe on the overflow if you can, though smaller will work. Return depends on the pump, each has a manufacturer recommended size, often larger than the diameter of the outlet. At the very least, use the same size pipe that the outlet has, don't go smaller.

knight2255 · 04/25/2012, 12:56 PM

I was planning on drilling the tank next week for the bulkheads. Was thinking of going with 1" bulkheads like beananimal and then use 1.5" for the standpipe. Is this ok or do my bulkheads need to be 1.5"? Need to order the drill bit.

Humuhumunuku · 04/25/2012, 01:00 PM

Don't know for sure, but might as well go with the 1.5" bulkhead. I believe beananimal just used 1" bulkheads because he already had them on hand.

knight2255 · 04/25/2012, 01:11 PM

Thanks, can't wait to get this project started!

knight2255 · 04/25/2012, 01:49 PM

What size is your return bulkhead/pipe? Are you running any powerheads?

Humuhumunuku · 04/25/2012, 02:23 PM

My system is a modified "reef ready" tank. I would have done coast to coast if I could, but I did all the current plumbing without emptying the tank. I have two large overflows with holes predrilled in the bottom for 1" bulkheads. On one overflow, I have a 1in siphon and a 1" open channel. The other overflow has the emergency drain. I use a 1" return on my pump, only because the tank is so close to the wall that larger diameter pipe wouldn't fit behind the tank (return goes up and over the back). With this set up, my siphon can handle more than the overflow can handle, so the return pump is throttled back a bit, but I plan on addressing this in the future.

Oh, and I have one MP40 and what I think is a Koralia 5 for powerheads.

04/25/2012, 12:11 PM	#1
knight2255 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 313	What flowrate/size piping do I need? 135g 72" x 18" x 24" mixed reef 40gallon sump/refugium The rockscaping would be broken up into 3rds, so an opening on either side of the middle rockwork. I was thinking of doing a beananimal overflow box behind middle rock with the return water coming out of 2 nozzles underneath the overflow box pointing to each of the front two bottom corners of the tank. What size pump do I need? What size piping do I need for the overflow to sump and the return back to tank?

04/25/2012, 12:42 PM	#2
Humuhumunuku Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Townsville, AU Posts: 616 Blog Entries: 1	I have the same sized tank. I use a water blaster 7000 split to feed my refugium and reactors. Use 1.5" pipe on the overflow if you can, though smaller will work. Return depends on the pump, each has a manufacturer recommended size, often larger than the diameter of the outlet. At the very least, use the same size pipe that the outlet has, don't go smaller. __________________ They mostly come at night. Mostly. Current Tank Info: 135g mixed reef

04/25/2012, 01:00 PM	#4
Humuhumunuku Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Townsville, AU Posts: 616 Blog Entries: 1	Don't know for sure, but might as well go with the 1.5" bulkhead. I believe beananimal just used 1" bulkheads because he already had them on hand. __________________ They mostly come at night. Mostly. Current Tank Info: 135g mixed reef

04/25/2012, 01:49 PM	#6
knight2255 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 313	What size is your return bulkhead/pipe? Are you running any powerheads? Last edited by knight2255; 04/25/2012 at 02:00 PM.

04/25/2012, 02:23 PM	#7
Humuhumunuku Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Townsville, AU Posts: 616 Blog Entries: 1	My system is a modified "reef ready" tank. I would have done coast to coast if I could, but I did all the current plumbing without emptying the tank. I have two large overflows with holes predrilled in the bottom for 1" bulkheads. On one overflow, I have a 1in siphon and a 1" open channel. The other overflow has the emergency drain. I use a 1" return on my pump, only because the tank is so close to the wall that larger diameter pipe wouldn't fit behind the tank (return goes up and over the back). With this set up, my siphon can handle more than the overflow can handle, so the return pump is throttled back a bit, but I plan on addressing this in the future. Oh, and I have one MP40 and what I think is a Koralia 5 for powerheads. __________________ They mostly come at night. Mostly. Current Tank Info: 135g mixed reef

04/25/2012, 12:56 PM	#3
knight2255 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 313	I was planning on drilling the tank next week for the bulkheads. Was thinking of going with 1" bulkheads like beananimal and then use 1.5" for the standpipe. Is this ok or do my bulkheads need to be 1.5"? Need to order the drill bit.

04/25/2012, 01:11 PM	#5
knight2255 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 313	Thanks, can't wait to get this project started!