Durso drain plumbing question

[loyalrogue]

I've been meaning to redo the plumbing on some racks and wanted to get advice/opinions on plumbing options from you all... especially those with plumbing experience.

Currently I have each tank draining into the next tank below it.
It sounded good on paper and does work economically to "recycle" the flow output that the return pump only has to supply to the top tank, but the microbubbles (and saltcreep) are driving me nutz.

I've since decided to up the size of the return pumps and branch a return with ball valve into each tank as the supply to eliminate the microbubbles.
Now my question is about an economical and efficient drain.
I could just run a standard durso drain from each tank with it's own drainline down to the sump, but I'm wondering if I could tie them all into a single drain "stack" without problems, and without the need for 3 separate drainpipes?

Here's an example of one idea I was toying with today:

It would basically be 1" bulkhead drains feeding into a 1 1/2" durso pipe.
Would that work?
Am I missing an easier/better solution?
Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated before I spend any time ripping them all apart and rebuilding.

 

[racermike27]

I think it might work John. The force of the water draining from teh higher tank will create suction as it passes the lower drains. Thus subsequently each drain on the next lower tier would also experience suction thus causing the tanks to drain. The only problem I foresee is balancing the suction created by the falling water so that each tank drains at teh same rate. Thsi would be done via the hole on top of the DURSO pipe itself. This may or may not be an issue but I would imagine the gravity acting on the water plus the increasing volume of water draining down teh pipe would cause varied amounts of water to drain through the pipe due to diffeent amounts of suction as we travel down the pipe.

It may sound confusing but it kinda makes sense in my head LOL.
Since a greater volume of water is passing each drain the lower you get the more suction would be created so then I would guess pipe diameter also plays a role in the drain rate as well. Would a larger diameter main pipe counter the suction effect enough to allow all to drain at the same rate?

I know I am confusing LOL,

Mike

 

[racermike27]

I think it might work John. The force of the water draining from teh higher tank will create suction as it passes the lower drains. Thus subsequently each drain on the next lower tier would also experience suction thus causing the tanks to drain. The only problem I foresee is balancing the suction created by the falling water so that each tank drains at teh same rate. Thsi would be done via the hole on top of the DURSO pipe itself. This may or may not be an issue but I would imagine the gravity acting on the water plus the increasing volume of water draining down teh pipe would cause varied amounts of water to drain through the pipe due to diffeent amounts of suction as we travel down the pipe.

It may sound confusing but it kinda makes sense in my head LOL.
Since a greater volume of water is passing each drain the lower you get the more suction would be created so then I would guess pipe diameter also plays a role in the drain rate as well. Would a larger diameter main pipe counter the suction effect enough to allow all to drain at the same rate?

I know I am confusing LOL,

Mike

 

[A.T.T.R]

one flaw with your first way was you used to big of inputs diffusing the water flow ALOT

shoulda used like 1/2 inch inputs ( ofcourse keeping the larger drain pipes)

 

[macawmagic]

I really don't know what will happen...and I doubt, unless you've already done this before, could you say weather it would be silent or not. I think it'll work, but that's just an opinion. try it out and see what happens. Good luck!