Let's talk crazy plumbing

[gflat65]

I got a 1/2 15 from GC at the Chattanooga swap. it is now my frag tank. The way my living room wall is arranged, I have a 125, then ~ 28" of space with a cabinet holding the frag tank, then a 120. I want to plumb the frag tank into the 125 and the 120 in to the 125.

Let's start with the frag tank, as it seems much easier. I plan to drill a 3/4" hole in the back and have a 1" elbow for the surface skimming. It will drain to my pre-refugium area. All elbows will be 1" with drain lines being 3/4". My two options for return water are to use a siphon (pretty sure I have more untapped capacity from my Megaflows) to split to two nipples in the tank for return. Line size would be 3/4" out split to 2-3/4" inlet nipples to frag tank. The other return option is to put a pump in the pre refugium area (room for a smallish pump) to return to the frag tank. This would be very near the inlet from the frag tank, but should mix with incoming drain water from the tank. What are the pro's and con's? I'm thinking the only con to the gravity is that it will continue to siphon until it breaks and then won't restart without some help (I think I have enough room in the sump/fuge for a little extra water). With a pump return, I have to select and buy a pump... What do you all think?

Okay for the 125 to 120 connection (to be able to use one skimmer and one chiller and calcium reactor when I get one for the entire system). Both tanks have two overflows, so I am thinking of running the nearest drains to empty into the sump/refugium of the other tank. One drain to the 125 from the 120 and one drain to the 120 from the 125. I figure this should give decent results. The equipment will be hooked to my sps tank, so lower turnover between tanks in the 120 LPS/zoa tank (i.e., less consistency in parameters, slightly) will be fine. Does anyone see anything I might be missing?

TIA

 

[foggy54]

Seams to me 1 main return pump with valves controlling the return rate to eack tank would be more fool proof if something stopped working, perhaps less chance of floods. One pump stops all water drains down if power comes back on all water starts again?

 

[gflat65]

Joh,

Are you talking about the 120 to 125 connection? The biggest issue I have with trying one return is that I'd have to plumb the two sumnps together with the equivalence of a 1 1/2" or 2" line to get everythign to free flow from one side to the other. My thoughts on running one drain from the 120 to the 125 and vice versa stood on the theory that since there would be the same volume entering the sumps, just a split stream, I wouldn't throw off any hydraulics. As a test, I tried running the two 100 gallon rubbermaid tubs that are filled with rock in my living room together. I have an ASM G5 running in one of the tubs. My plan was to extend the outlet from the skimmer into the second tub and have it balance out through the 1" hole size connecting the two tanks at the bottom. No such luck. The tub receiving the outlet water from the skimmer filled in no time, which tells me even at those flow rates, I'd need a much larger connection to make it balance. If I went with one return pump for the 120/125 connection, I'd need to drill a number of holes and run plumbing between the two (which would not be easy or pretty). I've got one hole drilled for a 1" line, but am now hoping to not need it. Do you see where I'm coming from? If I had one central sump, this would be easy. When we move, I plan on having a basement for sumps and fuges (and closed loops, etc.). Not sure when that is going to happen, though.

for the frag tank connection, I did a test with some 5/8" ID tubing on a gravity drain and found a flow rate of 240 gph. I know there would be a little more friction lose with full over the back siphons, but that is about what I want to provide to the frag tank (~20-30X). It'll be high, but with ball valves to control the drain rate, I should be fine. I'll have a 3/4" PVC out split to (2)~ 5/8" ID lines to the tank. Then 3/4" drain out of the frag tank into the sump-all gravity. I think I'm gonna try this out today... I've got to get the frag tank connected so I don't have to worry about heat from the lights and the multiple ballasts directly under the frag tank.

 

[chris205]

Gary,
What if you had only one sump/refugium?

chris205

 

[gflat65]

I can't do that right now, is the problem... The way everything is arranged, I'm tight on space, so getting one large enough to service both systems (and hold the pumps, etc.) would require some place other than inside my stands for placement. I could go with a moster external pump to feed the two tanks and the chiller, but Jenn is already very unhappy with the noise from the PCX 55 running my skimmer. With it and the chiller on, you really have to crank the sound to hear the TV... I need a bigger house... When you run out of walls to put more tanks up, you know your house is too small. I would love to be able to do the one sump idea... We are inactively actively looking for a new house. I got a wants list for the tanks, for sure.