Most efficient way to plumb a reactor into a manifold...?

[fredro]

I have just purchased some new upgraded equipment for my tank and wanted to know the best way to plumb my vertex media reactor (running carbon), when running it off of the return manifold. The issue being that running off the manifold will result in having the line editing the reactor, returning back into the sump, behind the return pump, causing recirculating of the water. If I were running the reactor by itself with its own pump, I could pull water from the first chamber and return it to the last chamber and avoid this, but I don't like the extra clutter in the sump and think the manifold is much cleaner. Is there anything I'm not thinking of? And if I'm gonna be dumping the media reactor output back into the sump, should I put the return line an any certain chamber?

Thanks

[d2mini]

Why can't you run the exit line wherever you want in the sump, like to the first chamber?
Regardless, it doesn't really matter.

[fredro]

Because then the water coming out of the reactor will be going right back to the return pump, which will be running it right back to the reactor. It's like getting caught in a mini loop, rather than having it return past the return, which would run it through the tank before it returned to be filtered again.

[nuttyd]

By splitting the return into the reactor you will drop flow unless you are going to drip it back into the sump. You dont want to take away flow from the main tank unless the new pump is so oversized for the tank it doesnt matter. Not really worth the extra headache for clean sump thats typically hidden anyway. Bottom line, just run the second pump.

[fredro]

My return pump is a Vectra M1 which is running around 25-30%. Flow isn't a concern, that can be adjusted accordingly with whatever demands any additional plumbing may create. My only concern is having as much water be efficiently cleaned as possible. If the exit of the reactor is returned back before the intake, it creates a mini loop within the large loop of the system. Decreasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the media reactor on the overall system.

[ClownsRCoo]

I think you are worrying too much about something simple. Will some of the previously filtered water make its way right back to the reactor? Probably but it will be a very small amount. There is no way of having it work 100% efficiently. You overcome this with your turnover rate. Your pump is going to contact the entire volume of tank water so frequently that it will give you the overall filtration you need.

Probably one of the best ways to ensure you reactor is getting as much unfiltered water as possible is to have your reactor drain into the display. Then you have that outlet to try to hide.

Personally I think you are worrying about nothing.

[soulpatch]

You have to think of it as a percentage. The water going through the reactor would enter the sump again and go through the return pump. but only a small percentage of the "cleaned" water would be picked up again. It really shouldn't matter.

If you were hell bent on not having the return come back tot he sump then simply plumb the reactor exhaust back into the return line after the manifold exit. Use an upside down y fitting to route it in. It is pressurized so it would enter the faster channel from the return pump and go back into the system.

That all said I wouldnt be concerned about it. I woudl run the exit to the return chamber of the sump and be fine with that. Less complex plumbing. If you figure 10% of your return goes through your manifold then once returned only a small portion of it would re-enter.

[ijnoj09]

Like what everyone has said, you shouldnt be too overly concerned about it. A lot of people, including myself, have reactors plumbed this way. Same thing can be said about your protein skimmer running in the first chamber of a sump, the water is still exiting in the same chamber as the skimmer pump.

[fredro]

I guess the percentages are smaller than I initially considered and my old equipment was plumbed this way, it was just that since I was redoing it all, that I wanted to do it the best way possible... Or, "right the first time."