Plumbing is so not my thing..HELP

terryscf · 04/30/2018, 01:45 PM

If anyone has ever seen any post I've posted, which isn't many, but I've complained about plumbing. I hate doing

plumbing. I'd probably prefer hot pokers to the eyes but here I am, again, dealing with plumbing. I got a used 90g. Corner-flo marineland tank and stand that I need to deal with. The overflow has two holes. Traditionally one is for the return and one to the sump. BUT. I don't like that I don't have a real emergency drain. I was wondering what can/should I do to be able to change it? I've seen some videos on switching the dorsal to a Herbie but with one overflow box my brain can't seem to figure out the best method to do the return. HELP...

billdogg · 04/30/2018, 01:52 PM

Don't over think this! Just bring it up in back and over the top. 3 x PVC 90's and a short pieces to connect it together. Wanna get fancy with it? Put a short piece in the end of the last 90 and then heat it up a bit. Squeeze the end a little and you've DIY'd a return nozzle!

See how easy it is???

JohnZena · 04/30/2018, 02:12 PM

Billdogg hit the nail on the head. I for one overthink everything. KISS....keep it simple silly. You have your drain and emergency in the overflow, your return over the top and bam......plumbing done

Sent from my LGMP450 using Tapatalk

ssky · 05/01/2018, 09:13 AM

Exactly. Just use a flexible hose for the return directly from sump into the display tank over the tank edge.

Daddi0 · 05/01/2018, 09:23 AM

Keep the return just barely under water if at all.

Icewing726 · 05/01/2018, 02:03 PM

PM me a sketch with dimensions and I'll send you a bill of material and iso.

terryscf · 05/03/2018, 11:44 AM

Sorry for the delay in response. I have no idea how I missed the responses. I too have a problem overthinking things. Since my last build, that I think I screwed up, I have been second guessing my decisions. I was at the thinking of drilling into the tank somewhere.

Today (Thursday), and Friday my goal is to measure (x3) and work up a list of parts I need so I can have a Home Depot Saturday.

Icewing, I don't know if I could do the sketch thing my drawing looks like crap. I'm thinking of going techie nuts and Visio this out. lol

billdogg · 05/03/2018, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terryscf

Today (Thursday), and Friday my goal is to measure (x3) and work up a list of parts I need so I can have a Home Depot Saturday.

Just a little tip. Do as you are planning and work up a parts list. Then double or triple it. The reason is simple - PVC is very inexpensive, you will always need just one more of something, and you can easily return what you don't use. I do, however, recommend keeping spare PVC parts in a box for that day when something happens and you need parts NOW!.

hth

Icewing726 · 05/03/2018, 01:30 PM

Here's an idea, take it or leave it. In one of your sump lines put a T (I used a 1x1x1/2) and add a stub piece and a ball valve to it. I made sure the valve was totally over the sump. I then cut a 3 ft 1/2 in section of pvc put a 90 on it so when I want to change my water I just close my sump lines and open the ball valve so I can take water directly into the bucket. Since the valves over the sump already it doesn't matter if it drips a little from an unsealed connection (that unsealed connection being the 3 ft piece I insert into the valve).

This is useful for small water changes, large ones will still require a siphon since this is limited by the overflow.

Drewbe147 · 05/03/2018, 11:56 PM

Plumbing is fairly simple for me being I have alot of background in it. Ur last comment about draining is great but take it a step further if u have the room too and plumb it straight to a drain then plumb from your mixing station to pump into ur sump at the same time. Obviously more materials and pump etc but makes WCs cake. Take water out up stream add it back down stream before the return. Just be sure your pump from the mixing station isnt pumping faster than you drain otherwise youll have a indoor pool lol. Add a ball valve after that pump outlet tho and you can restrict your flow. And remember unions are your best friend when they’re parts that can and will fail like pumps. Goodluck

04/30/2018, 01:45 PM	#1
terryscf Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Maryland Posts: 29	Plumbing is so not my thing..HELP If anyone has ever seen any post I've posted, which isn't many, but I've complained about plumbing. I hate doing plumbing. I'd probably prefer hot pokers to the eyes but here I am, again, dealing with plumbing. I got a used 90g. Corner-flo marineland tank and stand that I need to deal with. The overflow has two holes. Traditionally one is for the return and one to the sump. BUT. I don't like that I don't have a real emergency drain. I was wondering what can/should I do to be able to change it? I've seen some videos on switching the dorsal to a Herbie but with one overflow box my brain can't seem to figure out the best method to do the return. HELP...

04/30/2018, 01:52 PM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	Don't over think this! Just bring it up in back and over the top. 3 x PVC 90's and a short pieces to connect it together. Wanna get fancy with it? Put a short piece in the end of the last 90 and then heat it up a bit. Squeeze the end a little and you've DIY'd a return nozzle! See how easy it is??? __________________ 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

05/01/2018, 09:13 AM	#4
ssky Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 115	Exactly. Just use a flexible hose for the return directly from sump into the display tank over the tank edge. __________________ Current Tank Info: 75 gallon +20 gallon Long sump, orbit marine LED, 1 Ocellaris Clown, 1 Engineered Goby, 1 Red Fire fish, 1 Pajama Cardinal, 1 Chromis, 1 Royal Gramma, 1 cleaner shrimp.

05/01/2018, 09:23 AM	#5
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	Keep the return just barely under water if at all. __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

04/30/2018, 02:12 PM	#3
JohnZena Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Posts: 96	Billdogg hit the nail on the head. I for one overthink everything. KISS....keep it simple silly. You have your drain and emergency in the overflow, your return over the top and bam......plumbing done Sent from my LGMP450 using Tapatalk

05/01/2018, 02:03 PM	#6
Icewing726 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 248	PM me a sketch with dimensions and I'll send you a bill of material and iso.

05/03/2018, 11:44 AM	#7
terryscf Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Maryland Posts: 29	Sorry for the delay in response. I have no idea how I missed the responses. I too have a problem overthinking things. Since my last build, that I think I screwed up, I have been second guessing my decisions. I was at the thinking of drilling into the tank somewhere. Today (Thursday), and Friday my goal is to measure (x3) and work up a list of parts I need so I can have a Home Depot Saturday. Icewing, I don't know if I could do the sketch thing my drawing looks like crap. I'm thinking of going techie nuts and Visio this out. lol

05/03/2018, 01:30 PM	#9
Icewing726 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Posts: 248	Here's an idea, take it or leave it. In one of your sump lines put a T (I used a 1x1x1/2) and add a stub piece and a ball valve to it. I made sure the valve was totally over the sump. I then cut a 3 ft 1/2 in section of pvc put a 90 on it so when I want to change my water I just close my sump lines and open the ball valve so I can take water directly into the bucket. Since the valves over the sump already it doesn't matter if it drips a little from an unsealed connection (that unsealed connection being the 3 ft piece I insert into the valve). This is useful for small water changes, large ones will still require a siphon since this is limited by the overflow.

05/03/2018, 11:56 PM	#10
Drewbe147 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Salisbury, MD Posts: 105	Plumbing is fairly simple for me being I have alot of background in it. Ur last comment about draining is great but take it a step further if u have the room too and plumb it straight to a drain then plumb from your mixing station to pump into ur sump at the same time. Obviously more materials and pump etc but makes WCs cake. Take water out up stream add it back down stream before the return. Just be sure your pump from the mixing station isnt pumping faster than you drain otherwise youll have a indoor pool lol. Add a ball valve after that pump outlet tho and you can restrict your flow. And remember unions are your best friend when they’re parts that can and will fail like pumps. Goodluck