600gal (96x48x30)

[tomasz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6730455#post6730455 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
Wow, this thread has really picked up speed.

tomasz
Let's say you take a 1.5" pipe... Then you measure how much flow you can drain through it, siphon through it, and force through it with a pump. The drain situation will be the lowest amount, the siphon in the middle, and the greatest amount that can be pushed through the pipe is with a pump. So you cannot drain or siphon water through the same size pipe faster than you can push water through it with a pump. This obviously depends on how large the pump is that you are using. I hope that helps to clear things up a little for you. I've read your posts but still am confused as to why you are needing a ball valve on your drain line.

:hammer: :hammer: Don't we love this hobby???
OK here is what I have, the overflow is external with three 2"bulkheads. where one is used for the drain one is emergency and one is for (if I need it in the future it's there). I use dart pump on the return and had to use the ball valve to keep the water level in the overflow. When I used different combination of the pipes and dursos to avoid the valve it was draining too fast or too slow. I hope this helps if not I'll try again.

 

[AcroSteve]

What is the deal with the tee on the inlet? Describe the operation there please.

 

[AcroSteve]

There are many, many different ways of doing things. Some work for some people, some don't. And vise-versa.

For the record, I have two drains from my overflow. One is about 1" lower than the other and serves as the primary. On this primary 1-1/2" drain, I have a gate valve right at the sump where I can choke the flow down to help reduce the overflow noise at the tank.

There is a tee in this primary line which can feed my skimmer and/or settling tank. This 1" branch line also has a gate valve on it. By opening or closing these two valves together I am able to moderate the flow through my skimmer and backup the water in my overflow such that a very small amt of water flows down the 2ndary drain.

One thing to keep in mind is I have over 20' of line between my tank and the basement dump.

Also for the record, my tank was only drilled for 1" bulkheads. I have 1-1/2" piping connected in the overflow and to the sump. I have not encountered any problems by the small amount of restriction the 1" bulkheads cause.

 

[jnarowe]

Bunch of maniac posters in this thread!

tomasz I am using an old version of the Hammerhead. I do not "control" the water level in the overflow. It goes where it wants to go. It just happens to be at about 3". My overflow is not very deep as it is a coast-to-coast type as seen in my thread. I have 6 feet of combs BTW so I get a very thin sheet coming off the surface.

starpolyp

Use a pump to feed your skimmer. not a drain line. that is the ideal set-up imo.

This is just one way to do it and not the ideal in many reefers' minds including my own. My skimmer is gravity fed to give it the highest possible concentration of contaminants to remove from the water. You can argue about it all day, but there are very differing opinions on what is the "best" way to feed a skimmer. However, if you employ a more advanced knowledge of water flow and dillution, I believe the resulting opinion would be that the best way to feed is a gravity feed through a direct BH from a coast-to-coast overflow.


Travis You put it much better than I did!

asnatlas Take a look at the pics on my thread and PM with questions. I don't want to load up your thread with pics. We can talk on the phone also if you prefer that. Let me put it to you this way, I built my system with little regard for calculations and used basic concepts of flow, dillution, etc. When I fired it up, I only had a slight problem with sump levels which was fixed by opening a valve to let some flow go back into the outbound sump. My system hums along with no errors in design, no restrictions on flow, and plenty of "safety" measures to ensure I do not dump 1,200g on the floor. It is not intricate although it appears that way due to its size, and very easy to maintain and add or subtract equipment. When other reefers visit, they are quite complimentary about the simplicity yet the full redundant safety measures taken.

 

[starpolyp]

http://homepage.mac.com/starpolyp/....ctures/2004-07-27 18.10.57 -0700/pskimmer.jpg

pskimmer.jpg

trying to add a pix here. not sure if im doing it corectly
edit: well not done exactly correct but the pic is in the link.

i always want to weigh the amount of sludge i pull out of this skimmer every two weeks. I bet its at least a pound of pure sludge. pump feeding doesnt seem to inhibit this skimmer.:smokin:

 

[Travis]

Are we having fun yet?:crazy1:

tomasz
It is sounding to me like you are using the valve to control either the water level in the oveflow or the noise of the water and air going through the drain. If you are trying to control the water level in the overflow, this can easily be done by adding a standpipe at the desired height. If you are trying to reduce noise then it would be safe to use a ball valve on the primary drain and put a standpipe on the second drain so that it is up higher and will kick in if something restricts the primary drain. Or maybe that is what you have been doing all along and I just misunderstood you.

jnarowe
I agree that the largest overflow surface are possible will give the best results at getting the highest concentrations of proteins into the overflow. Then feeding that directly to the skimmer will get the highest concentration to the skimmer itself. I also agree that a coast to coast overflow is the best way to accomplish this as it will draw the thinnest and most concentrated water from the tank.

starpolyp
It looks like you are running a non-recirculating downdraft (or maybe it is a beckett) skimmer. With that skimmer, you do not have the option of feeding it with gravity from the oveflow. All skimmer designs are different and some of them are designed to be more efficient by being fed raw overflow water that has the highest concentration of proteins. I also run a skimmer that has to be fed with the skimmer pump so I don't have the option of feeding it from the overflow either. But I do feel that it would have a slight perfomance and effieciency increase if it were gravity fed.

 

[starpolyp]

asnatias
That tank is glass right? and the part you are considering drilling through to make extra drains is also glass i assume? check to make sure that drilling through the tank isnt going to void your warantee. something to think about. i know glass can be drilled through, but i personally have avoided drlling through glass at all costs. something about the idea makes me cringe.

 

[starpolyp]

theories theories theoeries...

the way i look at it, if the skimmer is drain fed from a T'd off drain line, much of the drain water isnt even going through the skimmer on the first run, its goin right into the sump and back into the tank. and only then POSSIBLY back into the skimmer. only a percentage of water is going through the skimmer drain line, much is bypassed and sent through the sump. so i dont understand how this argument "holds water". Skimmers are designed on a simple principle, water goes through, is agitated and mixed with air, foams and flows up and out. I really dont think they are designed to be drain fed. i guess this all belongs in a different thread. sorry if ive taken it off track but.. this is where i am addressing it.

 

[tomasz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6731327#post6731327 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis
Are we having fun yet?:crazy1:

tomasz
It is sounding to me like you are using the valve to control either the water level in the oveflow or the noise of the water and air going through the drain. If you are trying to control the water level in the overflow, this can easily be done by adding a standpipe at the desired height. If you are trying to reduce noise then it would be safe to use a ball valve on the primary drain and put a standpipe on the second drain so that it is up higher and will kick in if something restricts the primary drain. Or maybe that is what you have been doing all along and I just misunderstood you.

:rollface: :bounce1: :bounce2: :bounce3: Yes, Yes that is what I have.

 

[asnatlas]

starpolyp, It's asnatlas - L as in Larry

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6731342#post6731342 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by starpolyp
asnatias
That tank is glass right? and the part you are considering drilling through to make extra drains is also glass i assume? check to make sure that drilling through the tank isnt going to void your warantee. something to think about. i know glass can be drilled through, but i personally have avoided drlling through glass at all costs. something about the idea makes me cringe.

starpolyp, yes the tank is glass... I don't really want to drill it, but as I stated before, I want it done right on the first time... I guess its better to question it now rather then later when it will have 2.5 tons of water in it...

 

[melev]

Starpolyp, you need to clean your skimmer more often. That riser tube is filthy. I clean mine daily.

That's all I have to add to this thread.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6730826#post6730826 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
asnatlas Take a look at the pics on my thread and PM with questions. I don't want to load up your thread with pics. We can talk on the phone also if you prefer that. Let me put it to you this way, I built my system with little regard for calculations and used basic concepts of flow, dillution, etc. When I fired it up, I only had a slight problem with sump levels which was fixed by opening a valve to let some flow go back into the outbound sump. My system hums along with no errors in design, no restrictions on flow, and plenty of "safety" measures to ensure I do not dump 1,200g on the floor. It is not intricate although it appears that way due to its size, and very easy to maintain and add or subtract equipment. When other reefers visit, they are quite complimentary about the simplicity yet the full redundant safety measures taken.

jnarowe, I have been flollowing your thread, looked back over it a few times along with many others

 

[jnarowe]

Shawn, well it's not much of a thread because I am working so much on the tank, but I should be posting some new pics here fairly soon including the final lamp installation. It really turned out as I had hoped, and I should be getting some savings by usinig light movers. Those 1000W MH 20K lamps are sweet!

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6732041#post6732041 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Starpolyp, you need to clean your skimmer more often. That riser tube is filthy. I clean mine daily.

That's all I have to add to this thread.

Come on Marc, you have got to have more then that to say You know you want to...

 

[melev]

You guys are talking in circles about the same stuff, and have it all figured out as far as I'm concerned. Just re-read the day's fist full of posts to get the proper conclusion/solution.

 

[jnarowe]

Some people refuse to accept the proper conclusion.

 

[imbuggin]

who are you reffering to

who are you reffering to

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6732807#post6732807 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
Some people refuse to accept the proper conclusion.

I have read/followed most of this thread. I am curious who you are talking about here. Because I could not agree more. In my opinion Asanatl started this thread asking for advice but refuses to really take it. It seems his mind was set just about everything

As far as all this skimmer info. Starpolyp could not be more correct what % goes to the skimmer and to the sump. There is no way to say one is better. One is for sure safer! Why would you want to make the set-up more risky of flooding? A simple drain works best IMO for a drain. Use a pump for your skimmer and you can keep the exact flow you would like with no issues of flooding. I can't imagine the electric $$ is a concern you have 1000 watt lights!

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6733013#post6733013 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by imbuggin
I have read/followed most of this thread. I am curious who you are talking about here. Because I could not agree more. In my opinion Asanatl started this thread asking for advice but refuses to really take it. It seems his mind was set just about everything

How is that ?? I have asked many things and I take everything that is said into account as that is why I am asked the questions... After todayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s posts I am looking into placing an emergency drain on, incase something were to happen with the main 2"... If I didn't as my questions then I would be setting up my tank without the emergency drain...

If you are referring to the posts where I reply to explain my reasons for wanting to do something a particular way how is that saying I already have my mind made up and I am not listening to others ?? I just like to explain myself to make sure people are on the same page, no different then if I was talking with someone in person... Its just text on the internet and trying to get a point across is a little harder sometimes then talking with someone in person... There are many ways of doing things in this hobby and just because one person stated I should use a pump (like everyone else does) does not mean I should just do it that way because that is how everyone else does it... I post my questions for those who have already done it to reply and for those to question and bring up potential problems with the way I am looking at doing it...

 

[asnatlas]

I guess since eveyone feels I have already made up my mind about everything dealing with this project, but yet I still ask questions not even going to consider anything that is posted, I should just keep this thread to updates only...