Help with plumbing a 120g

[Opiy]

I know there are alot of 120 threads here but I couldn't seem to find one that had a plumbing situation that would help me out. I bought a 120 today and I am trying to plan my plumbing to know how to plumb it all togehter and what size return pump to use.

I should be getting a sump built soon so everything has to fit under the stand. I was thinking of a Mag9 for return pump but wasn't sure if that would be strong enough. I wanted it to feed back up through the overflows and end through some LocLine. I was also hoping to get the new IceCap pump whenever it comes out to help with the flow inside the tank.

I plan to run a all softie tank of zoa, mushroom, and some LPS like acans and blastos(not sure if blasto is LPS though). No sps at all.

If you have a 120g tank with a sump below in the stand and willing to post some pictures of it please do that would help me alot!!

Thanks

 

[Opiy]

To the top for the morning

 

[burdundi]

Were you planning on using one Mag 9 for both returns? If so, I don't think this will be enough. I can't say from experience, but I am setting up a 120 next week. The guy at my LFS store set up a 120 and used a Mag 18 and split it for both returns. He said it worked great, so I am going to try that. I'll let you know how it goes.

-Andy

 

[Shooter7]

I have a mag 12 on my 120. I actually tuned mine back a little with a ball valve, not because I didn't want some decent flow in my tank, but because it seemed like the flow through my sump/refugium was a bit fast. I get my display flow via a couple of seios in the tank. There are different schools of thought regarding flow through the sump/refugium. I'm tending to fall to the side of somewhat slower flow through the fuge and get my display flow through other means, like my seios or through a closed loop or something like that.

 

[funkyman]

I use a Quiet One 6000 for my return pump. Since all four holes in my returns are used as drains, my return goes up over the back, and is then split in two.

I have my flow supplemented with two Tunze 6000's, and two Maxi Jet 900's with Hydors.

 

[Reef'in Colorado]

I think a mag 9 would be good for a return pump. Although you may consider going with 2 smaller pumps(maybe mag5s) in case one happens to go out you'll still have flow going through your sump. You will probably also want a couple pumps in tank for circulation. Have fun!

 

[Opiy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6966518#post6966518 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by burdundi
Were you planning on using one Mag 9 for both returns? If so, I don't think this will be enough. I can't say from experience, but I am setting up a 120 next week. The guy at my LFS store set up a 120 and used a Mag 18 and split it for both returns. He said it worked great, so I am going to try that. I'll let you know how it goes.

-Andy

Yea thats what I was thinking but wasn't sure though. Let me know what happens with yours when you get it running.

 

[Opiy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6966547#post6966547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shooter7
I have a mag 12 on my 120. I actually tuned mine back a little with a ball valve, not because I didn't want some decent flow in my tank, but because it seemed like the flow through my sump/refugium was a bit fast. I get my display flow via a couple of seios in the tank. There are different schools of thought regarding flow through the sump/refugium. I'm tending to fall to the side of somewhat slower flow through the fuge and get my display flow through other means, like my seios or through a closed loop or something like that.

I may end up having to go with a mag 12 because I want to try and keep the plumbing simple and not have alot on pumps in the tank. I hope to avoid getting a chiller but I guess i'll see soon enough. Summers in the south get hot

 

[Opiy]

What I recently started thinking was making it T off the Mag12 feeding up to the 2 returns. Have a union after the pump and before the T to be able to easily remove the pump for servicing and maybe a ball valve on each side after the T incase I need to turn it down a bit or turn it off to service.

The overflow lines I was thinking of having one kinda drop straight down into the sump and the other drop down a short distance into a 45 then run it either all the way down to the sump OR some how join the 2 together and have one pipe feeding into the sump.

The sump design I plan to use is like melevs model E
http://www.melevsreef.com/acrylics/sumps/e/sump_model_e.html

 

[wetWolger]

you can look at my log by clicking the red house at the top of this post....but i run a little giant return pump from the sump which should give me lik 700gph. And then I have two closed loop pumps, a mag 9.5 and a mag 12. I think that I have the perfect amount of flow for my softie/mixed reef. If I were to do a BB or SPS tank I would want more flow though.

 

[Opiy]

Thanks I will check it out !

 

[Opiy]

Bump