Help with new 125 gallon build
- Thread starter tassod
- Start date
tassod
New member
Would this work??
Would this work??
Ok I need to know if this would work. I don't actually have my UV sterilizer yet (should be here Tuesday) but need to know if plumbing it this way in the picture would work. I am putting it at the end of my return with the input at the bottom then the output up going to the return. I took some PVC and "simulated" the UV sterilizer on how it would be. I don't think i could install it horizontally as it is 22" long with the wiper.
As far as being able to remove the lamp, would I be able to unscrew the unions at the input and output to take the unit out for servicing? I would imaging I should also put in a shut off ball valve just before it.
Thoughts??
Would this work??
Ok I need to know if this would work. I don't actually have my UV sterilizer yet (should be here Tuesday) but need to know if plumbing it this way in the picture would work. I am putting it at the end of my return with the input at the bottom then the output up going to the return. I took some PVC and "simulated" the UV sterilizer on how it would be. I don't think i could install it horizontally as it is 22" long with the wiper.
As far as being able to remove the lamp, would I be able to unscrew the unions at the input and output to take the unit out for servicing? I would imaging I should also put in a shut off ball valve just before it.
Thoughts??
SimonSKL
New member
tassod, just a couple comments on your proposed set up for UV sterilizer. The way you have your UV sterilizer plumbed means 100% of the return flow will go thru the UV sterilizer. As you know the 'Kill Power" of the UV sterilizer is inversely proportional to the flow rate. The higher the flow rate, the lower the kill power. Your BH1450 at max flow can deliver 1450gph. Even after some of that flow is diverted to reactors, you may still end up with flow around 1200gph at max pump setting. I don't know what wattage of UV sterilizer you plan to have. I would think anything less than 40W will not be very effective. If you plan on a 25W UV, you will need to substantially reduce the flow thru the sterilizer to have effective kill power. My suggestion is to do a parallel line with a dedicated line for the UV sterilizer with flow rate controlled by a gate valve.
If you install the UV sterilizer vertically you will need to be able to remove the entire sterilizer in order to pull the wiper up, change bulb or service it because of the low ceiling. To be able to remove the sterilizer you will need a shut off valve and a union between the DT and the sterilizer. Also between the last reactor tee and the sterilizer.
If you install the UV sterilizer vertically you will need to be able to remove the entire sterilizer in order to pull the wiper up, change bulb or service it because of the low ceiling. To be able to remove the sterilizer you will need a shut off valve and a union between the DT and the sterilizer. Also between the last reactor tee and the sterilizer.
tassod
New member
This is why I love this forum so much. Thank you Simon for your reply, actually I didnt't realize that about the flow through and it being inversely proportianal. My thoughts were that 100% has to go through to be able to kill everything. Well because of lack of planning on my part I'm going to have to install it vertically because half of my return is already "glued" in. I cant install in parallel without taking everything apart. I'm basically going to use the 3/4" inserts on the sterilizer with tubing and come in with one of the gate valves and output to my sump which right now is the easiest thing to do without headache. I don't need shutoffs or unions if I do it this way right? I will be able to shut it off from the input on the gate valve.
SimonSKL
New member
tassod, in this picture you posted earlier, you have plan to divert some of the return flow back into the sump. Why can't you just tap into that for your UV sterilizer like I did. Look at the picture that I posted on how I connected my reactors you can see the black hose to the left with a right angle elbow. That is my input to the UV sterilizer. The black hose that run across the picture is the output of my UV sterilizer back into the sump. I think that's the easiest method. I think my flow rate thru the UV sterilizer is about 300gph which should have very high kill rate for my 25W sterilizer.
tassod
New member
Simon, that is what i'm planning. Question though, do you no longer divert any of the flow back to your sump since you now tapped into it with your sterilizer. I guess if you think about it, you are diverting it back to it, just its going throught the UV.
tassod
New member
Urgent!
Urgent!
Simon if your there or anyone else, I have filled up the DT all the way to the top until water started to go into the overflows and stopped to see if any leaks at the bulkheads and there are none. But I am not sure how to continue so I can start up the flow. Should I keep filling the DT until the overflows fill up or should I put water into the sump first and fill it to start? I'm confused, please help!
Urgent!
Simon if your there or anyone else, I have filled up the DT all the way to the top until water started to go into the overflows and stopped to see if any leaks at the bulkheads and there are none. But I am not sure how to continue so I can start up the flow. Should I keep filling the DT until the overflows fill up or should I put water into the sump first and fill it to start? I'm confused, please help!
When I checked mine I closed the valve on the drain line and filled the tank to the top. I then filled the sump to where I thought was a good water level and opened the valve. I have a smaller sump and I wanted to see how much water was going to drain into it when the pump was off. Your sump is much bigger so I don't think you have to worry about overflowing the sump when the pump goes off.
Also my sump is in the basement so I didn't want to fill it by letting the water run down from the DT and not easily know how full it was getting.
Also my sump is in the basement so I didn't want to fill it by letting the water run down from the DT and not easily know how full it was getting.
SimonSKL
New member
tassod,
Did you dry fit the stand pipes to the bulkhead or did you glue them to the bulkheads? The water in each cornerflo is the volume of water that you have to be conconcered about. If the standpipes are glued to the bulkhead, the water that drains to your sump when the pump stops will be minimum and stops at the opening of the standpipe as the rest of the water will stay in the cornerflo. If the standpipes are not glued to the bulkhead, the rest of the water in the cornerflo will eventually all drain to the sump. I believe each cornerflo will hold 7 gal of water so a maxiumum of 14 gal will drain to your sump when your pump stops for extended period. So you need to account for that volume in the sump in the event of a power outage.
If your standpipes are glued to the bulkhead, only 2-3 gal will drain to your sump depending on the position of the opening in the standpipe.
Did you dry fit the stand pipes to the bulkhead or did you glue them to the bulkheads? The water in each cornerflo is the volume of water that you have to be conconcered about. If the standpipes are glued to the bulkhead, the water that drains to your sump when the pump stops will be minimum and stops at the opening of the standpipe as the rest of the water will stay in the cornerflo. If the standpipes are not glued to the bulkhead, the rest of the water in the cornerflo will eventually all drain to the sump. I believe each cornerflo will hold 7 gal of water so a maxiumum of 14 gal will drain to your sump when your pump stops for extended period. So you need to account for that volume in the sump in the event of a power outage.
If your standpipes are glued to the bulkhead, only 2-3 gal will drain to your sump depending on the position of the opening in the standpipe.
tassod
New member
My standpipes are glued. So how do I proceed to get the system going to further test is my question right now. As it stands, DT is full and there is a minimal amount of water in the corner flows. Sump is empty. Do I start filling the sump then start the return pump or keep adding to the DT to fill overflows and then fill sump and start pump?
SimonSKL
New member
When I did my leak test, I filled the DT with tap water until it just started to drain to the sump. Next I filled the fuge until it started to drain into the return section. Then I filled the protein skimmer section until it started to drain into the return section. Finally I filled the return section to about 1/3 full and started the return pump in the lowest setting. Keep the return section at 1/3 full with water as the pump pushes the water to the display tank until the water starts to drain from the DT.
Once the water level is stablized in your DT and your return section is no higher than 1/3 full, mark the water level in the return section and turn off the pump and see how much water will drain into the sump. As I said if you glue the standpipes to your bulkhead, only 2-3 gal of water will drain to the sump. If you just dry fit the standpipes to the bulkhead, all the water in each cornerflo will eventually drain to the sump since it is not water tight. This may take many hours.
Mark the sump when you think all the water have drained from the DT. The difference between the first and second mark will be the volume of water that you need to account for in the event of power or pump failure.
Once the water level is stablized in your DT and your return section is no higher than 1/3 full, mark the water level in the return section and turn off the pump and see how much water will drain into the sump. As I said if you glue the standpipes to your bulkhead, only 2-3 gal of water will drain to the sump. If you just dry fit the standpipes to the bulkhead, all the water in each cornerflo will eventually drain to the sump since it is not water tight. This may take many hours.
Mark the sump when you think all the water have drained from the DT. The difference between the first and second mark will be the volume of water that you need to account for in the event of power or pump failure.
tassod
New member
Ok I got it, thanks Simon. Was your gate valve on your right corner flow drain fully open?
SimonSKL
New member
Once you are sure no leak is seen anywhere, turn your pump setting to the highest flow rate. You will need to replenish the water in the return section as water level in the DT will go up slightly with the higher flow.
Next you can start raising the water level in the return section to a point that will still accommodate all drain volume and water from the fuge and skimmer section will not have to drop a long way into the return section to keep noise down.
Let the system run for at least 24 hours.
Next you can start raising the water level in the return section to a point that will still accommodate all drain volume and water from the fuge and skimmer section will not have to drop a long way into the return section to keep noise down.
Let the system run for at least 24 hours.
