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View Full Version : Results, new 180g, checking for flow and leaks


milburnr
02/11/2009, 05:01 PM
Well I've got my 180 plumbed. I've got an overflow that spans the length of the back (72"), with 3 1.25" drains drilled through the top rear of the tank. Those three converge to one x 1.5" drain going to the fish room. There's a T with a 1" outlet to the refugium (55g tank), then another T to the RDSB (20g? plastic bin), then that drain ends at another 20g plastic bin, this is where the skimmer will be set up. A bulkhead about 4" from the top of that bin allows a 1.25" drain to the sump, which is the only container which should have variable water level. The sump is a heavy duty 30g (?) plastic bin. The Refugium also drains to the sump directly, but the RDSB will drain to the skimmer bin. A 1.5" bulkhead in the bottom of the sump connects to a Dart 3600 gph pump, which pumps about 9 feet up. 1.25" pipe T's to dual 1" returns into the tank.

So... I put tap water in to check for leaks, flow, etc, and learned a few things:

1) bulkheads are not as leak-proof as it seems they should be! I will fabricate some rubber washers and use some silicone sealant I think to be safe.

2) the overflows can handle the pump volume (I was worried about that with such a big pump), but the drain from the skimmer container to the sump can not. I need to put in a second skimmer drain just to be safe.

3) when the sump is full (pump shut off), there is just enough water to cover the pump intake so it doesn't create a whirlpool that sucks in air. evaporation is going to fix that in a couple days, so I probably need more sump capacity. Hmmm... this sump bucket is already pretty big.

4) Dart pumps are quiet. Nice. This is the first external (non-submersible) pump I've had.

5) the extra, large powerhead, aka 800 gph submersible pump, works great for pumping out the sump into the utility sink when the sump is discovered to be leaking! :D

I'll post pics later.

Blown76mav
02/11/2009, 05:22 PM
All my blukheads have rubber gaskets. I believe yours should have had them as well.

milburnr
02/11/2009, 06:13 PM
well some of them I got from England, that might be why they are missing the gaskets :) I have some good material to make them with though.

ZoaFan08
02/11/2009, 06:58 PM
Do not use silicone on your bulkheads, and yes they should have rubber washers and they go on the inside of your aquarium.