470g inwall construction thread
- Thread starter curthendrix
- Start date
curthendrix
New member
They are actually just two guys I found wondering outside the downtown "YMCA". Give-em a 12-pack of Old Milwaukee and they're good to go
!!
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Curt - buddy DO NOT HAVE THAT GOOD OF A SYSTEM AND RELY ON A CHEAP POS CHECK VALVE!! you WILL regret it. i don't care about a generator...waht if that doesn't work. i'm sorry to be so blunt and shout BUT i would HATE to see a thread later of your tank draining and killing everything
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
grallster
New member
I think a few hundred gallons of water on the floor is too much of a risk to take. Just cut two more holes higher up for the returns and use the old position for another closed loop. Since you've got acrylic you should be able to drill them right there. You could always close them off with a valve if you didn't want to use them, or if you wanted to add a closed loop later.
Just my 2 cents.
Just my 2 cents.
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
grallster - i agree would hate to have water EVERYWHERE or a dead tank
Lunchbucket
Lunchbucket
curthendrix
New member
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I agree that a better design would have been to raise the sump returns and keep all low returns on close loops...and I thought I had this project all planned out!! Anyway, at this time I'm not willing to drill more holes in the tank.....probably have too many holes currently. Have decided to take the following precautions..."any input or other ideas would be appreciated"!!
1) install an emergency overflow into the sump plumbed directly into a floor drain
2) install an automatic emergency generator on that pump which will kick on in the event of power failure
3) Ordered two WYE 1 1/2" check valves from SAVKO..these were the best checkvalves I could find...and plumb them in sequence if I can get sufficient flow.
With this setup, the following would have to happen to have the tank drain...1) Power failure 2) Generator fails 3) first valve fails 4) second valve fails
Question....My barracuda pump is able to generate 4000gph at the roughly 4' of head pressure I will have on it. I can only use about 2300 gph due to my overflow limitations. Does anyone know how much two of these valves plumbed in sequence will restrict an original 4000gph flow? Bussboy...are you saying I would be down to 1000gph? I would think differently design valves would result in varying rates of flow restriction?
1) install an emergency overflow into the sump plumbed directly into a floor drain
2) install an automatic emergency generator on that pump which will kick on in the event of power failure
3) Ordered two WYE 1 1/2" check valves from SAVKO..these were the best checkvalves I could find...and plumb them in sequence if I can get sufficient flow.
With this setup, the following would have to happen to have the tank drain...1) Power failure 2) Generator fails 3) first valve fails 4) second valve fails
Question....My barracuda pump is able to generate 4000gph at the roughly 4' of head pressure I will have on it. I can only use about 2300 gph due to my overflow limitations. Does anyone know how much two of these valves plumbed in sequence will restrict an original 4000gph flow? Bussboy...are you saying I would be down to 1000gph? I would think differently design valves would result in varying rates of flow restriction?
grallster
New member
How about float switches in your sump to turn on another pump to send water back into the tank? Reef fanatic makes one that would be good for this.
One thing about the generator setup is if the pump fails and the power is still on it won't do you any good.
I think one check valve and the sump pump set up might be just as redundant as the flow limiting 2 check valves in sequence.
Just my opinion.
One thing about the generator setup is if the pump fails and the power is still on it won't do you any good.
I think one check valve and the sump pump set up might be just as redundant as the flow limiting 2 check valves in sequence.
Just my opinion.
curthendrix
New member
Grallster,
Using a float switch, I assume you have to determine the flow rate which water would drain into your sump upon pump and valve failure and have a pump hooked up that would send at least that volume of water back into the tank?
Using a float switch, I assume you have to determine the flow rate which water would drain into your sump upon pump and valve failure and have a pump hooked up that would send at least that volume of water back into the tank?
Lunchbucket
Premium Member
Curt - i understand your frustration and such getting this done....but PLEASE don't beat around the bush and try to solve a BIG problem the easy way. the ONLY way to do it right is to buck up and fix it.
we ALL know if it CAN happen in this hobby it WILL...and when we least expect it.
so how much $$ you have tied up in this? how much will all your corals and such be worth when it is full???? you willing to risk all that time, money, and hard work on a POS check valve...or the simple preventative step of rerouting some plumbing at a cost of LITTLE TO NOTHING compared to what you have in it??? if so i think you need to rethink you plan man...
not trying be be a butt head but seriously man...buck up and fix it right for cheap before you get some SERIOUS $$ and time involved
Lunchbucket
we ALL know if it CAN happen in this hobby it WILL...and when we least expect it.
so how much $$ you have tied up in this? how much will all your corals and such be worth when it is full???? you willing to risk all that time, money, and hard work on a POS check valve...or the simple preventative step of rerouting some plumbing at a cost of LITTLE TO NOTHING compared to what you have in it??? if so i think you need to rethink you plan man...
not trying be be a butt head but seriously man...buck up and fix it right for cheap before you get some SERIOUS $$ and time involved
Lunchbucket
grallster
New member
If you go this route, you might want to consider running both pumps full time through separate returns--both hooked up to the generator and both with check valves. This would give even more redundancy since if one check valve failed water would at least flow slower into the sump and if one pump failed the other might be able to keep up with one extra drain.
You could use the level controller to protect the pumps from running dry if they overpower the drains.
Does this make sense, or am I way off base?
You could use the level controller to protect the pumps from running dry if they overpower the drains.
Does this make sense, or am I way off base?
reefboy1
Premium Member
Curt,
If it were my tank, I'd convert those return's to a closed loop - it's way to risky to do it any other way. Any number of things can go wrong. Put the Barracuda on the CL and get a smaller return pump (Dart) and run the pipe over the top.
Good luck on a very awesome project.
Art
If it were my tank, I'd convert those return's to a closed loop - it's way to risky to do it any other way. Any number of things can go wrong. Put the Barracuda on the CL and get a smaller return pump (Dart) and run the pipe over the top.
Good luck on a very awesome project.
Art
