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View Full Version : Plumbing a large system, help please :)


suitcasey
02/01/2007, 04:07 PM
Hey there :)! Well Im in the middle of planning a tank, with about 180 gallons in the display and about 300 gallons overall. Was wondering if you could help me with the plumbing methods and stuff as this is the point I need to get all that sorted :)! I've learnt a lot in the past few years and would like to start my first big reef, but I will never again start a tank without coming here first to be sure :). Hope you guys can help!

There are three tanks in the entire system:
Display: 6'x2'x2'
Refugium: 2'x2'x2'
Sump: 4'x2'x1.5'

First of all, Im wondering how to get the display tank drilled. I am going to have one external overflow box in one of the corners and was wondering what you would reccomend a good size would be?
And how many holes would you have inside this overflow box and what size?
I only want this to take water down to the sump. I have not really thought about using a closed loop system. Would you reccomend using one and what should I do to make that work?

This was the only place I was gonna get the tank drilled, just for the overflow box, should I think about getting it drilled anywhere else do you think?

My current tank is a real pain plumbing-wise, the water levels in the sump and main tank are never constant, and I find myself always fiddling with flow rates to try and balance them and it never works. The flucctuating levels also creates a loooot of noise when water in the sump gets very low! So I would like to avoid these problems in this set up.

Here's what i'd like to be the results of setting this tank up right:
- Constant water levels in all three tanks, not having to adjust flows from one to another.
- If there is a powercut, there will be no flooding.
- Everything as quiet as possible. I don't mind the humming of a pump or the light trickle of water. But when the levels in my sump randomly drain very low the noise of the pump sucking air is ridiculous!

The 2'x2'x2' refugium also has an internal overflow.

So here's what I was thinking:
Water leaves the main tank through the external overflow, and falls down into the first chamber of the sump. This is where the skimmer is, I'd like to set it up so that the majority of the water has to pass through the skimmer and then goes to the second chamber. Is this doable?
It then flows through one or two chambers with maybe live rock rubble and then a DSB. Finally into the last chamber where a pump (any suggestions on this pump??) will take water up to the refugium.
Water flows around the refugium and then leaves this tank by the overflow.
Here's the bit I need some help with. Could I use an external pump in the same way you use it in a closed loop, by taking the water coming out of the internal overflow and it going up into the main tank?

This way, the amount of water leaving the display tank should be the same leaving the sump, going into the refugium and then leaving the refugium going into the main tank. So it should always be a constant cycle with no flucctuating water levels.

Do I need to match the l/ph on the pumps in the sump, and taking water from the refugium to the main tank?

How does this plan sound? :) I just hope to avoid all the troubles I've had in my current tank and hope you's can help me out. Thanks a lot everyone :)

Casey

suitcasey
02/01/2007, 05:33 PM
Bump... Don't want it to get lost in the masses :)

suitcasey
02/02/2007, 01:47 PM
Anyone?? Just wanna know what the best way to have this set up would be :), absolutely any input at all would be very welcome.

Thanks in advance guys,

Casey

chrisT
02/02/2007, 03:34 PM
I think you are making it overly complicated with two pumps trying to match flow, I would take the over flow from the refuge and drain into the sump return section. I would use one pump T-ed off to provide the flow from the sump to the tank and also from the sump into the refuge. The rest of the main sump looks like a good plan.

You can see what I mean on T ing the return pump output. Solid pvc is going down into the refuge, the 1/4 tubing is for a future CA reactor and the clear tubing over the top is the return to the tank.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/cmachine/DSC_0007.jpg

To keep a constant level you need an auto top off to deal with the evaporation, and just make sure you size your sump to handle what will overflow during a power outage. Also dont forget the siphon break on the return nozzle in the tank.

As far as flow goes its not ideal to rely on a return pump from your sump to be the main flow in the tank. You will want to look into a closed loop or powerheads to provide the majority of the flow depending on the animals needs that you keep.

Sorry I am just trying to skim over things to give you some things to think about. It's not out of the question to have a stable, quiet tank