drummereef
Team RC
Thanks Bill. Keep stopping by. Appreciate the kind words.
drummereef's 180g in-wall build
- Thread starter drummereef
- Start date
Thanks Bill. Keep stopping by. Appreciate the kind words.
drummereef
Team RC
Thanks gradth. Looking forward to seeing some updated pics of your tank.
drummereef
Team RC
I'm probably going to put them on the side walls facing in towards the center of the tank. I can't wait to see what they can do.
drummereef
Team RC
Thanks Pete. Should have some more updates in a couple days. I started working on the drains today and have a clear picture now of how they are going to go. I think you'll like it.
drummereef
Team RC
Looks good to me. Do you feel like it's not getting coverage on the far end of the tank?
pg 14.
drummereef
Team RC
UPDATE:
Been working on the drain plumbing a little bit. Here's a preview of what the plan is. Still need to pick up a few 1.5" unions and a hole saw for the bulkheads in the sump. I have a couple questions about that below...
Here's a couple more pics.
Right side drain
I will use the pvc hangers to hang the drain so disregard the string in the pic. It's only there to help with the mock-up.
Left side drain
QUESTION: What is the best hole saw to cut the holes for the bulkheads? I heard a fine tooth hole saw works the best...?
QUESTION: I want to put the suction side bulkhead in the bottom corner of the sump. how far from the bottom and side seams is acceptable to put the bulkhead so I don't cause problems down the road? I also want the option of putting a 90 elbow on there too.
Been working on the drain plumbing a little bit. Here's a preview of what the plan is. Still need to pick up a few 1.5" unions and a hole saw for the bulkheads in the sump. I have a couple questions about that below...
Here's a couple more pics.
Right side drain
I will use the pvc hangers to hang the drain so disregard the string in the pic. It's only there to help with the mock-up.
Left side drain
QUESTION: What is the best hole saw to cut the holes for the bulkheads? I heard a fine tooth hole saw works the best...?
QUESTION: I want to put the suction side bulkhead in the bottom corner of the sump. how far from the bottom and side seams is acceptable to put the bulkhead so I don't cause problems down the road? I also want the option of putting a 90 elbow on there too.
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melev
Well-known member
Brett, I use BluMol or Rigid holesaws from Home Depot. They work great.
If you center the hole 3.5" from the bottom and edge, that usually suffices. Hold it in position and see if that seems right to you. With bigger bulkheads, sometimes it has to be a little further away from the edges, and in those cases, I use a Street-90 elbow pointing downwards to get water from the bottom 1" of the sump's return section.
Remember to hand-tighten only.
If you center the hole 3.5" from the bottom and edge, that usually suffices. Hold it in position and see if that seems right to you. With bigger bulkheads, sometimes it has to be a little further away from the edges, and in those cases, I use a Street-90 elbow pointing downwards to get water from the bottom 1" of the sump's return section.
Remember to hand-tighten only.
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drummereef
Team RC
OK, great thanks Marc. I'm assuming you mean 3.5" measured from the inside of the sump right? Not the outside or actual bottom of the sump...
Here's a pic of the 90 fitting I have. It's a MPT street 90 I think. My bulkhead has FPT on the flange side for either the strainer or the 90. If I'm up an 1" off the bottom it should give me room to thread the street 90 on the bulkhead without getting bound up on the bottom of the sump.
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melev
Well-known member
Place it where it works best for your design. If you need it to be up higher due to the elbow, raise it up. Is that a 2" bulkhead or 1.5"?
If you still want a strainer on the elbow, leave room to wiggle one in. I like that perforated PVC that AquaticEco.com sells.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/821/Mesh-Tubes-Plastic/perforated pvc/0
If you still want a strainer on the elbow, leave room to wiggle one in. I like that perforated PVC that AquaticEco.com sells.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/821/Mesh-Tubes-Plastic/perforated pvc/0
drummereef
Team RC
Gotcha. It's a 2" bulkhead. Same size plumbing as the intake of the pump. I was either going to use the 90 OR the strainer, in the pic with the bulkhead a couple posts up. Probably not both. The strainer was more of a back up in case the elbow causes some cavitation on the pump.
Taqpol
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14919310#post14919310 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
I'm redesigning my reactor manifold due to changing my return pump, so I just went back and reread your conversation with psteeleb about your manifold (which I plan on copying).
One question I had:
Would it be better to but the ball valve that controls flow to the manifold BEFORE the manifold instead of after it? As it is, to choke back flow inside the manifold (and increase flow in the return line) you can do it on either end of the manifold, but putting it after the manifold would increase resistance and might make it easier for air bubbles to go through a reactor instead of the recirc line. Does that make sense?
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psteeleb
Team RC
He would need two valves to do that. He will be throttling the flow to the reactors with the reactor valves and the minimal recirc line with the valve downstream of the reactors. with all the valves partially shut the back pressure will direct the majority of the flow to the returns.
Think of the reactor valves as throttling valves not just on/off.
All that said I do have a valve upstream of my reactors that acts both as a on/off for the manifold and for overall header flow reduction. But for both a pre throttle and shut off it serves as a backup that is not really needed.
Think of the reactor valves as throttling valves not just on/off.
All that said I do have a valve upstream of my reactors that acts both as a on/off for the manifold and for overall header flow reduction. But for both a pre throttle and shut off it serves as a backup that is not really needed.
Taqpol
New member
It makes sense that the back pressure created by the valves would force most of the water to go to the returns, therefore not halving your return flow at the manifold. I just thought you recommended to have the minimal recirc line full open so that any bubbles would DEFINITELY pass the reactors, and then control the flow into the manifold by a valve upstream of the reactors but after it splits of the main return.
Basically, could I do the same thing with the valve upstream of the manifold without doing something weird to the flow inside the manifold?
psteeleb
Team RC
the recirc line needs to be throttled back - as long as there is a small flow to the reactors and the recirc, the majority of any air in the header will seek the higher point until it is pushed out - also why the recirc is at the end of the run
Shut down and restart is the major concern for air bubble entrapment and burping the reactors. For this reason the header was lowered so it would be below the main returns to keep them flooded for the maximum amount of time. The reality is the pipe should all drain to the level of the sump so there is no way to completely avoid getting some air in the reactors unless his supply was below the sump level. This just isn't practical in most applications, as by the time you come off the pump discharge and add a tee at the lowest point you are almost always at or above the sump level.
On start up most of the air will go up through the returns as it has the least resistance and a upward path. Air that was inside the header will want to stay elevated unless there is no place else to go or flow to the reactors is strong enough push it down or out the end. The actual amount to the recirc vs the reactors will vary based on flow rates but given they are both slow I'd say 95% or more of the air in the header will stay elevated and go out the return or be pushed out the recirc. This leaves only the small amount of air that is in the drop legs to the reactors to deal with. Flow being slow enough even most of this will go up rather then down, but some will still get through and burp the reactors. We are just trying to minimize the amount of burp
Shut down and restart is the major concern for air bubble entrapment and burping the reactors. For this reason the header was lowered so it would be below the main returns to keep them flooded for the maximum amount of time. The reality is the pipe should all drain to the level of the sump so there is no way to completely avoid getting some air in the reactors unless his supply was below the sump level. This just isn't practical in most applications, as by the time you come off the pump discharge and add a tee at the lowest point you are almost always at or above the sump level.
On start up most of the air will go up through the returns as it has the least resistance and a upward path. Air that was inside the header will want to stay elevated unless there is no place else to go or flow to the reactors is strong enough push it down or out the end. The actual amount to the recirc vs the reactors will vary based on flow rates but given they are both slow I'd say 95% or more of the air in the header will stay elevated and go out the return or be pushed out the recirc. This leaves only the small amount of air that is in the drop legs to the reactors to deal with. Flow being slow enough even most of this will go up rather then down, but some will still get through and burp the reactors. We are just trying to minimize the amount of burp
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drummereef
Team RC
Taqpol - Excellent question.
So I think I'm following this correctly. So Pete, you are saying I should be fine with ONE valve at the end of the recirc line? I'm assuming it would be best to put the valve as far from the manifold as possible, as to not cause a turbulence situation close to the manifold, correct? My initial drawing does not reflect this...
So I think I'm following this correctly. So Pete, you are saying I should be fine with ONE valve at the end of the recirc line? I'm assuming it would be best to put the valve as far from the manifold as possible, as to not cause a turbulence situation close to the manifold, correct? My initial drawing does not reflect this...
psteeleb
Team RC
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15082734#post15082734 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drummereef
Taqpol - Excellent question.
So I think I'm following this correctly. So Pete, you are saying I should be fine with ONE valve at the end of the recirc line? I'm assuming it would be best to put the valve as far from the manifold as possible, as to not cause a turbulence situation close to the manifold, correct? My initial drawing does not reflect this...
there is some truth in your concern, flow will straighten out the further you get from a tee or elbow. It wont be a big deal but if you can move it maybe 5 pipe diameters downstream of the last tee it should help some. Also don't submerge your recirc line in your sump, you don't want to push the air below the water level in the sump. If you are concerned with splashing, just add a tee to the end of the line to break the flow. Install the tee so the there is a horizontal run that is at sump level where air can escape but ownt splash.
drummereef
Team RC
:lol: I tried to do some of it on my wife's laptop and it wasn't happening, so I moved back to the desktop. Definitely helps to have a full size keyboard with the number pad. I got all my models from the "3d warehouse" too. That helps with the realism.
