600gal (96x48x30)

[asnatlas]

This pic shows two ways that I can guard the 1.5" overflows that I will have installed on the 150gal ref and 50gal frag tank... Could I use the strainer with out any problems or should I use the Gutter Guard ??

 

[starpolyp]

I would leave the strainer on. just in case someting makes its way into the sump, it wont get pulled into the pump head. I had a bulhead without a strainer for a while, and one time when servicing the pump, i found a zip-tie wound around the impeller of the pump. No idea where the tie came from but it was there, and the strainer would have prevented it.
A funny story that may affect your decision: I got a call from a person (former Bulls center) who had a 120 gal fish only tank. the tank apparently was not working and all the fish were dead. I went to see what was up and i looked into the sump area, and there were Monopoly Pieces in the sump, and the pump intake was clogged with little houses. one of the kids (2 yrs old maybe) had been watching the parents feed the tank, wanted to help, and thought the houses seemed like good food for the fish.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6458920#post6458920 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PITSTOP
What if you want to feed it at a slower pace - is there another way to stop down the feed if you do not have this ball valve?

Can you add the ball valve at a later date without too much hassle?

If you can add it later without too much hassle leave it off for now, if not add it for additional control.

I have heard that the BK needs around 600GPH... Since the intake to the BK is only 1" that is about the max flow I could get correct ?? 1" = around 600GPH ?? That is why I was questioning if I needed the ball valve to feed the skimmer as a lower rate then the 600GPH ??

The ball valve is threaded so it could be installed at a later date with no real problems...

I just wanted to see if it was really going to be needed...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6459014#post6459014 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by starpolyp
I would leave the strainer on. just in case someting makes its way into the sump, it wont get pulled into the pump head. I had a bulhead without a strainer for a while, and one time when servicing the pump, i found a zip-tie wound around the impeller of the pump. No idea where the tie came from but it was there, and the strainer would have prevented it.
A funny story that may affect your decision: I got a call from a person (former Bulls center) who had a 120 gal fish only tank. the tank apparently was not working and all the fish were dead. I went to see what was up and i looked into the sump area, and there were Monopoly Pieces in the sump, and the pump intake was clogged with little houses. one of the kids (2 yrs old maybe) had been watching the parents feed the tank, wanted to help, and thought the houses seemed like good food for the fish.

Thank for your reply starpolyp... I am not worried about the strainer getting pulled into the pump head just wanted to make sure that it was not going to restrict the flow much... I want to have something over the intake as I don't want to end up with anything (ex: zip-tie) getting into the impeller... I could place some Gutter Guard where the strainer is now ?? From the display the water will pass through the ref and frag tank before making it to the sump which both will have either a strainer or some Gutter Guard installed on the overflows, But I still want a guard of some sort over the BH feeding the Seq Dart...

At this time I don't have any kids, but I will make sure when I do that they don't try to feed the fish with game pieces LOL... But your story is a good one and points out why I want to take every step I can to avoid mishaps like that...

 

[Mantis]

Put the ball valve on so you can turn off the flow for when it's time to clean the skimmer body or if you have a problem and have to disconnect the skimmer

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6459124#post6459124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mantis
Put the ball valve on so you can turn off the flow for when it's time to clean the skimmer body or if you have a problem and have to disconnect the skimmer

AHH, Thank you Mantis, I didn't even think about this... That is why I posted the question(s) so that you guys can bring up something I may have overlooked...

 

[hdtvguy]

I would go with a small gate valve so you can fine adjust the intake to your skimmer. Have you ever tried to adjust a ball valve for fine adjustment? It is a pain in the ***!

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6458867#post6458867 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mike660r
If you are planning an evening move by hand. I would come down and give a helping hand.

Thanks for the offer, I would love to try to move it myself but I feel its way to risky... If I had a walkout basement or it was being placed on the first floor then I would try it myself, with the weight and the fact that it needs to go down via the stairs, I think I am just going to pay the 1k and get it done by the "pros"...

 

[starpolyp]

as mantis said, i would deff. use that valve. and i would also preffer the strainer over the gutter guard. It is designed for that purpose and all, thats why it is 3D so something flat cannot block the intake fully. i have routed out the strainers in various ways to open the holes up more. ie. removing every other bar in the strainer. But that is done mostly for cases in which the strainer is used in a drain situation like in your second "strainer vs. gutter guard" question. sometimes the slots in the strainer wont allow for good surface skimming due to surface tensions. does that make sense at all? words are hard to explain... anyways, i would use the strainer over the gutter guard in both situations.
are you talking about cutting a circular shape out of the gutter guard and putting it within the fitting?

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6459191#post6459191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hdtvguy
I would go with a small gate valve so you can fine adjust the intake to your skimmer. Have you ever tried to adjust a ball valve for fine adjustment? It is a pain in the ***!

I thought about a gate valve but I didn't think I needed that "fine of tuning"... Also with this sched 80 ball valve its turns rather smoothly vs a sched 40 cheaper one...

I have tried to "fine tune" a cheap sched 40 ball valve and it sucked...

 

[starpolyp]

many gate valves (not all) will restrict the flow a bit by their design, so if you dont need fine tuning, just and on/off situation for cleaning etc. and you need maximum flow, than the ball valve may work better.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6459236#post6459236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by starpolyp
as mantis said, i would deff. use that valve. and i would also preffer the strainer over the gutter guard. It is designed for that purpose and all, thats why it is 3D so something flat cannot block the intake fully. i have routed out the strainers in various ways to open the holes up more. ie. removing every other bar in the strainer. But that is done mostly for cases in which the strainer is used in a drain situation like in your second "strainer vs. gutter guard" question. sometimes the slots in the strainer wont allow for good surface skimming due to surface tensions. does that make sense at all? words are hard to explain... anyways, i would use the strainer over the gutter guard in both situations.
are you talking about cutting a circular shape out of the gutter guard and putting it within the fitting?

Ahh, I didn't even think about the "3D" vs "flat" aspect... Thank you for pointing that out... If I used the Gutter Guard then I was going to trim it down to look nice and neat over the top of the fitting... As for your explanation on the surface tension skimming, yes I know what you were getting to So for the two drains (ref and frag tank) I will cut out every other bar...

 

[Travis]

I was thinking about the feed line for the BK400 off of the 2" drain and I was wondering if I really need the ball valve of not ??

Yes, use the ball valve. Besides the reasons already mentioned, it will allow you to tweak how much water is fed through the skimmer.

I have attached a strainer but after looking at it questioned if it may restrict the flow too much or if it would be OK ??

Those strainers are fine. They will not restrict the flow as long as you keep them clean. I clean my strainers every few weeks.

I have heard that the BK needs around 600GPH... Since the intake to the BK is only 1" that is about the max flow I could get correct ?? 1"

600 gph is how much you can gravity feed through 1" pvc. The RD creates "some" amount of suction on the intake so I'm guessing you will be able to get a little more through the pipe than the gravity feed rating alone. But I have never run an external so this comment is from what I read in a post by Fliger and not my own experience.

I could place some Gutter Guard where the strainer is now ??

I would stick with the strainer. It will give you more surface area than the gutter guard layed flat over the fitting. But you could also make a 3D gutter guard strainer if you wish.

I would go with a small gate valve so you can fine adjust the intake to your skimmer.

This is just my experience but I have yet to use a gate valve in a saltwater application that has not hardened into position to the point where it is almost impossible to turn. Similar to what happens with cheap ball valves. The gate valves I've used have been on my beckett skimmer outlets and also on return plumbing applications and the same thing always happened. Not saying there isn't a good gate valve out there that wouldn't freeze up but I've never found one. For this reason alone, I would just stick with a good quality sch 80 ball valve.

 

[BOBHILT]

TANK

TANK

THAT IS SURE GOING TO BE NICE SET UP WHEN YOU GET IT ALL SET UP

 

[AcroSteve]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6462016#post6462016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
I have yet to use a gate valve in a saltwater application that has not hardened into position to the point where it is almost impossible to turn. Similar to what happens with cheap ball valves.

This does tend to happen with them if you use them off the shelf. I have had great results by taking them apart and lubricating all the surfaces with a good reef safe silicone lube. They work much much better after that.

That is a great thing with the gate valves. They can be taken apart and cleaned.

 

[SERVO]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6444276#post6444276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
I stopped by Savko on the way home today from work and just spent a little over $300.00 :eek2: :eek1: :eek2: :eek1: on quite a few pieces of sched 80 fittings, bulkheads, ball valves, and tubing... This does not include a few other smaller trips I have made already and I still need a little more... I will try to get pics up a little later today...

you don't realize how luck you are until you have to pay the shipping on that order. Next time you buy $300 bucks worth of plumbing, ask them how much it would cost to ship to another state. Than you will be lucky.

I always miss out on things. When I was living in the Bus, I never knew about Savko

 

[tomasz]

Shawn do you have RO/DI unit? IF you one think I can recomend is get a booster pump for it. I bought one of ebay and love it. It triples the uot put of the watter.

 

[asnatlas]

Re: TANK

Re: TANK

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6462052#post6462052 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BOBHILT
THAT IS SURE GOING TO BE NICE SET UP WHEN YOU GET IT ALL SET UP

LOL, Thanks BOBHILT...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6464604#post6464604 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SERVO
you don't realize how luck you are until you have to pay the shipping on that order. Next time you buy $300 bucks worth of plumbing, ask them how much it would cost to ship to another state. Than you will be lucky.

I always miss out on things. When I was living in the Bus, I never knew about Savko

Doh, that is what I forgot, I was going to ask them what this would have cost to have been shipped (was a little on the heavy side)... But after spending like an hr there sending them back and forth to get things from the back (or up stairs) I forgot lol...

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6465572#post6465572 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tomasz
Shawn do you have RO/DI unit? IF you one think I can recomend is get a booster pump for it. I bought one of ebay and love it. It triples the uot put of the watter.

I have an AquaFX Mako 100GPD... My psi is around 60 to 65... When looking at a Booster Pump Assembly I didnt feel I needed that as I already had twice the required psi... I did pickup a Permeate Pump...