First time plumber - looking for suggestions

[metalhasrisen]

Thanks in advance for all replies.

This is my first go at this so I'm looking for comments/suggestions from the pros before I glue anything up. This tank is a 90 gallon Tech tank and ultimately will contain a reef with fish and a minimalist bonsai type aquascape.

You'll see that I'm missing a fitting on one of the drain lines but the idea is to have it be the same as the one below it. The drains are routed behind the return to utilize what would be dead space and therefore saving room out front. I'll probably add a couple more unions.

The one the that is missing is a manifold. I may add a UV and a calcium reactor down the road so I may need to incorporate one now.

Please offer any suggestions you may have to get me off on the right foot. Note that the skimmer cup has been removed for clarity.

Thanks!
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[cr500_af]

Looks great so far. Kudos for not putting valves in the drain lines!

 

[rbredding]

Why downsize so dramatically on your returns? (do you have 3/4" bulkheads or something?)

 

[lilrobb]

Skimmer sits in return section? I foresee microbubbles...

 

[cr500_af]

LilRobb;662584 wrote: Skimmer sits in return section? I foresee microbubbles...

I feel stupid... no, wait, I was looking at the plumbing. Yeah, that's it. :blush:

 

[rbredding]

who made the sump?

(because it looks similar to an MRC design.. but they never would have made the skimmer section also a return section)

could the sump have been designed for an external skimmer?

oh and that pump is about 10X bigger than it would need to be if the only thing you're running off it is the return..


lol..

you said you were looking for suggestions..

I'd sell that skimmer and get a beckett external skimmer (which your pump would handle easily with the return)..

 

[metalhasrisen]

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

The return lines are downsized at the end to 3/4" so that a sch80 bulkhead could be used. I heard some durability complaints about the standard black bulkheads, which would allow a reduction to a 1" line.

The sump was designed for me by MRC and I too am concerned about microbubbles as the skimmer sits in the return section after the baffles. I currently plan to use a filter sock on the skimmer return to help reduce bubbles.

Maybe if Raj in watching he will chime in on this issue.

Thanks and keep 'em coming! If I have an explanation on why I have done something, I'll throw out there and you all can tell me I'm crazy.

 

[rbredding]

if it's definitely an MRC sump, then it's not designed for an "in sump" skimmer...

the bubble trap is always after the last piece of equipment..

 

[metalhasrisen]

RBredding

I discussed the design in person with MRC and went with their suggestions. The sump is intended contain an in-sump skimmer. One option that they have used before is to extend the outlet of the skimmer through the wall an into the middle chamber, thus placing the skimmer outflow before the bubble trap. I'll evaluate this while the tank is cycling and make this change if it seems necessary.

Thanks to all and keep 'em coming! You won't hurt my feelings. I have not done this before so I know I have not thought of everything! Anymore thoughts on the plumbing? Manifold?

 

[budsreef]

Great job! I have to respectfully disagree with Barry on the valves in the overflow lines. I always put them there, not to have them closed at all normally, but just in case I ever wanted to disconnect the sump for maintenance.

Putting in a manifold off the return depends on if you want to be able to shut off your return regularly for feeding. If so I'd do a separate pump for the manifold so those things can keep running.

Depending on how strong that return pump is you might want to put a bleeder line in the return that goes right back to the sump.

 

[grouper therapy]

I'll have to respectively disagree with Bud on the bleed off due to restriction. The pump will not suffer from being restricted by a manifold. A pump can not differentiate head loss from vertical lift or gate valves. You can restrict a very large pump down to almost a trickle and not harm the pump maybe not the most efficient . For feeding purposes I would place a levered ball valve in the return line for quick flow shut off and leave the gate valve for fine tuning

Edit: Most of the pumps that we use in the hobby have a sweet spot where they operate the most efficient. It is usually somewhere in the middle third of the performance curve. I suggest calculating your total head loss and see where you fall with in that curve. Then match your pump accordingly.

 

[rbredding]

grouper therapy;662661 wrote: Most of the pumps that we use in the hobby have a sweet spot where they operate the most efficient. It is usually somewhere in the middle third of the performance curve. I suggest calculating your total head loss and see where you fall with in that curve. Then match your pump accordingly.

I'll have to respectfully disagree with Grouper... (sorry, couldn't resist)


the pump you've got is a Reeflo pump.. as you restrict it, it will pull less and less amperage (down to a point, of course)


the way to go on these things is to have a single manifold that comes off the pump that matches the outflow orifice of the pump (matches in this case, but other pumps will ask you to increase the output pipe size [mag pumps]) and have each branch line coming off the manifold with it's own gate valve (you can use ball valves, but I prefer gate valves).. that way you can either open or close each line coming off the manifold separately.. and turning off the return lines wont effect your other reactors/chiller/uv/etc..

on the sump..
the placement makes perfect sense if you redirect the output of your skimmer to the first section after the socks (looks like you've got pond matrix in there)..

nice setup.. but I just would have changed the manifold around.. probably ran everything out of flexible nylon tubing when leaving the manifold.. (nylon tubing doesn't add restriction the way pvc fittings/turns do..)

Edit:

metalhasrisen;662655 wrote: RBredding
One option that they have used before is to extend the outlet of the skimmer through the wall an into the middle chamber, thus placing the skimmer outflow before the bubble trap.

actually, that's how mine is... (only I use one of their external skimmers)

 

[metalhasrisen]

There have been a couple of references to the pump. The pump is a Reeflo Snapper Gold. I chose this pump since I am hoping to avoid having a chiller and wanted to avoid the introduction of heat from an internal pump. I understand that these pumps do well (efficient) when restricted as needed. I'll be using AI LED's as well....

Where should the manifold go and how many outlets should I provide?

 

[rbredding]

my Snapper (standard, not gold) on the right, has the manifold sitting right on top of it.. (vertical stack of pvc)

coming off the manifold (in order, moving up from the pump)
1.5" PVC Tee with valve (coming off the back, you can't see it) that runs through the chiller and the UV (returns into the 2nd chamber of the sump)
1.5" PVC 4-way outlet that feeds both becketts on my skimmer (no restriction/valve)
1.5" PVC Reducer down to 1" pipe that runs my return and my reactors (GFO/Ca/Biopellets)

 

[grouper therapy]

I like the manifold right at the pump and I would figure on at least 6 outlets.

 

[metalhasrisen]

Should the manifold outlet valves be 3/4" or 1"?. I'm looking into ways to incorporate a manifold into what I have so far.

Thanks for all the input!