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04/14/2018, 04:08 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 258
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Manifold vs second pump
I may be over thinking this but thought I’d ask first while still in the planning stages.
I plan on having a Herbie drain on a 120g tank. Now if I have a manifold “tee’d” off of my return line to run a reactor or 2, wouldn’t anytime my reactors start to clog or any flow change cause me to adjust the Herbie drain valve? Seems like it may be a better option to use a small pump to run the reactors that way the return pump flow is more consistent? Though I would like the manifold as I wouldn’t need an extra pump, cords, etc. |
04/14/2018, 08:25 PM | #2 |
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Location: West Michigan
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kind of.
It's more of a keep an eye on it type thing. If the flow from the sump to the tank slows, the set water level in the overflow will start to drop. a little. you could go a long time before siphon starts to break randomly. and you would hear it. but it's more likely maintenance will be done long before it's a problem. HTH |
04/15/2018, 01:51 AM | #3 |
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I have an ATS and a reactor fed from separate pumps in my sump. What I do is pull from the drain section, and return to the pump section. This way even if the reactors/ATS change flow, flow through the sump does not change. Therefore your drain won't change either. If the pumps start to get clogged and pump less, more water just goes over my baffles.
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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work" |
04/15/2018, 07:53 AM | #4 | |
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Quote:
I have used both methods. I decided to get rid of the manifold on my current 120DT because it was more trouble than it was worth IMO. I now run my reactors (when needed) on individual small pumps.
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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 |
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04/15/2018, 08:35 AM | #5 | |
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Quote:
In the future if I have a large enough DT or need many reactors then I think a manifold would be ideal but still operated by its own/separate pump. |
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04/16/2018, 08:25 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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I set up my 40 breeder/20l with a Herbie style overflow and plumbed a manifold off the return. I feel confident I will change this setup in the future. You are correct in thinking that you will need to adjust the overflow gate valve anytime you make changes to the reactors. It's a pain honestly. When I make the time to re do it, I will run my return straight to the display, and run a second pump to my manifold to feed the reactors. I experimented a little and it wont take much of a pump for me. I think I could easily get away with a mj900 or smaller.
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04/16/2018, 09:32 PM | #7 |
Grizzled & Cynical
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Stamford, CT
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I need every GPH I can get out of my main pump so nothing to spare for the reactors. Separate pump is better anyhow.
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Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs |
04/16/2018, 10:44 PM | #8 |
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I use a separate pump, one for my return and one for my manifold. My “aux pump” as I call it, feeds my reactors, ATS, pods breeding bucket, and a spare line that I can use as a mini power washer to clean my sump.
The MAIN reason I do this, is so if I shut down my display, everything else continues to run as normal. Or vice versa, if I need to change out a reactor, I don’t need to shut down my entire display tank.
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60x36x24 mixed reef. 40b sump. Regal 250int Varios. 4xHydra26HDs+t5s. 4xMp40wes. Apex2016. Last edited by FullBoreReefer; 04/16/2018 at 10:50 PM. |
04/17/2018, 12:21 AM | #9 | |
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Quote:
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04/17/2018, 09:34 AM | #10 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 258
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Thanks everyone! I appreciate all the feed back. I’ll definitely run a second pump.
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