plumbing question about restricting overflows??

[johnr2604]

Alright I need a quick answer. I am thinking about switching my sump around when I put it under my 120 tomorrow. I want to use the center chamber as my return. I want to use my left side as the skimmer and right side as the fuge. Being as though my tank has two overflows is there a problem with restricting one to slow the flow rate in the fuge. This way I can just plumb one in the fuge and one in the skimmer chamber.

Also what would be a good way to defuse the water entering the fuge from the overflow so it dosn't blow sand around?

 

[weaglereefer]

I would run both pipes together and then split them apart with a valve on both sides so you can control the flow.

For the fuge, what I've seen is the pvc is run several inches deep, then underwater, an elbow, and a 6-8" piece of PVC is used, almost like a spray bar with holes drilled in it.

 

[derek_s]

I did what au01st did.

I plumbed mine together into a 1 1/2" pipe.

Then I split off a 1" to go to the fuge. THe rest ran into the skimmer section.

Then, to diffuse the flow to the fuge, I got about a 12" length of pipe with an endcap, and drilled small holes every 1" along a line to make a spray bar.

THis worked perfectly for me.

 

[linda lee]

Derek_S;266500 wrote: I did what au01st did.

I plumbed mine together into a 1 1/2" pipe.

Then I split off a 1" to go to the fuge. THe rest ran into the skimmer section.

Then, to diffuse the flow to the fuge, I got about a 12" length of pipe with an endcap, and drilled small holes every 1" along a line to make a spray bar.

THis worked perfectly for me.

Derek or au01st, could either of you post pictures? Would love to see these set-ups as we're about to re-do the plumbing on the 125g and may consider something similar.

John, if you decide to go this route, sure hope you do another one of your terrific build threads.

 

[gwhiz]

I have two center overflows with one to the fuge and one to the skimmer section. I have an open pipe (with screen) going to the skimmer side with a ball valve to restrict the flow. The other side has a durso that dumps to the fuge.

I close off the skimmer side to get the amount of flow through the durso (and into the fuge) that I want. In my case, either side can handle the full flow of the Mag 18 return, but I still check and clean 'em periodically to minimize risk of a flood. If the skimmer side screen starts to plug, the flow through the fuge increases along with resulting noise, so it acts as an early warning system.

 

[derek_s]

THis is the only pic I have. I didnt circle/label anything, but I wil verbally explain...

Left to Right the chambers are fuge, skimmer, return

On the left above where the light is you will see a 1" drain with a 'trap' on it, leading to the 1 1/2" T that joins the 2 drains. (The trap was to slow the water down a little bit, reducing noise)

Before and after the big T, two little Ts came off, one for the fuge and one to feed the recirc skimmer. THe fuge one also had a ball valve to contro the flow.

If you look closely in the fuge, yo uwill see the spraybay. It is vertical, so flow is distributed from the top to the bottom. I tried it both vertical and horizontal and this hjust worked best in my case in getting the cheato to spin around.

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[derek_s]

THis is the only pic I have. I didnt circle/label anything, but I wil verbally explain...

Left to Right the chambers are fuge, skimmer, return

On the left above where the light is you will see a 1" drain with a 'trap' on it, leading to the 1 1/2" T that joins the 2 drains. (The trap was to slow the water down a little bit, reducing noise)

Before and after the big T, two little Ts came off, one for the fuge and one to feed the recirc skimmer. THe fuge one also had a ball valve to contro the flow.

If you look closely in the fuge, yo uwill see the spraybay. It is vertical, so flow is distributed from the top to the bottom. I tried it both vertical and horizontal and this just worked best in my case in getting the cheato to spin around.

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[gwhiz]

Time to empty that skimmer Derek!

 

[johnr2604]

Gwhiz;266697 wrote: Time to empty that skimmer Derek!

LOL, I was thinking the same thing.