Mike's 300 Double-D

[Untamed12]

I use the 2" version of these on my Dart powered CLs. The create No dangerous suction whatsoever.

I put a threaded bh into the tank and used a threaded nipple on the strainer. That way, changing out the strainer to clean it is as easy as unscrewing one and screwing the clean one in place.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23107&clickid=redirect

 

[teesquare]

untamed - good idea! I use the 2'' plumbing on intake and on discharge as well, all the way to the OM-4.
But on intake - I use the screen pipe mentioned above because it has smaller holes, and many of them. I use approx 12'' of screen pipe for the intake for each CL. Works great. Makes sure that no sand gets thru to the OM's

T

 

[prop-frags]

Another question for you guys.
For the bottom drilled holes, I'd like to use the right bulkheads that give me lowest risk of failure and that peace of mind. I definitely do not want to skimp on these. I was looking at the selection at USP, but don't know what to pick. Any suggestions from you guys with glass bottom big tanks?

 

[cayenne]

Thanks for sharing the link. Your setup looks great.
Are you using both holes in each overflow for drains? You should check out Steve's Overflow Mod, and I know you've seen Jeff's overflow mods. Did you mod your overflows? I didn't see anything about it in your build thread...

Failed to put it in my thread but I did the same thing that Jeff did on the teeth.

Another question for you guys.
For the bottom drilled holes, I'd like to use the right bulkheads that give me lowest risk of failure and that peace of mind. I definitely do not want to skimp on these. I was looking at the selection at USP, but don't know what to pick. Any suggestions from you guys with glass bottom big tanks?

I used the ones from Savko, matter of fact the majority of my plumbing came from Savko, they are great guys to work with

 

[Untamed12]

Another question for you guys.
For the bottom drilled holes, I'd like to use the right bulkheads that give me lowest risk of failure and that peace of mind. I definitely do not want to skimp on these. I was looking at the selection at USP, but don't know what to pick. Any suggestions from you guys with glass bottom big tanks?

They Haywards.. These ones:
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=22722&catid=477

When I installed mine, I had my wife stand inside the tank and stand on top of the BH. I then hand tightened from below. I don't know if I would recommend this with a glass tank.

 

[prop-frags]

Thanks for the help guys. I ordered the haywards, along with a couple of the 2" strainers.

I spent some time last night and this morning drawing up a plan for the plumbing of my drains. In each overflow, I will use both 1" bulkheads for drains. One will be a "herbie" style full siphon, and the other will be a durso emergency drain. I plan to adapt each line to 1.5" and then merge them into a 2" wye on each side, then bring each side together into the 2" main drain going down to the remote sump.

I laid out the parts and it looks like this:


How's this look? Anyone see any problems or concerns with this?

 

[teesquare]

I would feel safer if you separated them.....
Look at it like this: by wyeing everything together - you now only have the water carrying capacity of ONE pipe. And that may work fine - if you are using a small pump, and have no issues witht eh plumbing otherwise. But it does not leave you any options for the future. What if you want more flow via the main drains?
Additionally - you may interfere with the Herbie drain by wyeing all together.
T

 

[prop-frags]

T, Thanks for the input.
I've been reading BeanAnimal failsafe overflow thread the past couple of weeks trying to understand all this well enough. I think you're spot on that merging the dursos with the herbies into the same main drain will create issues and basically disrupt the desired function. I was really trying to avoid having multiple 17' runs down to the sump room, but it seems like the right thing to do.

On another note, the flexible PVC order came in today. I'm really pleased with this stuff from Kanaflex! It's much more flexible than the Spa Flex we've been getting from Lowes, and the specs all check out fine on their website.

We'll spend some time tonight re-working the plan to incorporate separate drains for the dursos and the herbies. I will probably re-use the 1.5" line for the dursos and use the new 2" line for the herbies. Sound good?

 

[teesquare]

Glad I could help a bit Mike!
Hey tell us about the Kanaflex...? Looks like flex PVC....thinner wall? made of PVC? Fit standard PVC fittings and glue up the same? And - price....?
Thanks,
T

 

[prop-frags]

The wall thickness is the same. It's made of PVC, and in all other respects seems to be the same. I got the 2" for $2.99 per foot with free shipping. I need to glue up a couple of test fittings and see how it goes....

 

[teesquare]

If I can suggest - about gluing this stuff:

I like the clear primer/cleaner (- comes in a yellow can at Lowe's). Be liberal with it on the flex pipe. There is some form release agent on it, that really needs to be cleaned off well. Before it has a chance to dry - using a clean paper towel wipe it off well. It will flash dry - then, re-wet with primer.
Prime the hard PVC fittings one good time, and as they flash off - apply the PVC glue to both pieces - and push, rotate until you feel the glue begin to "bite" into the pipe. Hold it for a few seconds. Done.

It is a bit more involved than regular - rigid PVC pipe. But the ability to avoid so many flow reducing ells, and it is quieter - make it worthwhile. And - it is faster to put in place as well.
T

 

[RichK]

I see you are using the standard overflows. What are your plans for keeping them silent? I am going with the same tank, but I am thinking about an internal coastal overflow about 6-8: deep and 6" front to back with 4 1.5" bulkheads. I am planning on using the method that Beanimal wrote about. My main reason for this is that the tank will be viewable on both sides and the front, which will all be starphire.

 

[teesquare]

RichK- sounds verymuch like what I did, witht eh 4 holed BeanAnimal/Coast to Coast style
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1762906&highlight=Holy+Reefer!!!

T

 

[RichK]

I just found your thread T. I like it but I think I want the overflow inside the tank to get as close to the wall as possible.

 

[teesquare]

too much work

not enough experience ....

Actually the work is much less --- if ---you take the time to set up the tank right.

 

[prop-frags]

RichK We are going to experiment! For starters, we are going to mod the overflow by widening and cutting out the stock teeth, like Steve's overflow mod., only wider. My first attempt is going to be a herbie/BeanAnimal hybrid with a full siphon and emergency/open channel durso in each overflow. Thanks to T, I've got a new plan to add a second drain line down to the sump (that will be this weekend's project). Here's a pic of the revised drain line plumbing plan:


On the left is the durso line - 1" BH to a union, then 1" spa flex into the 1.5" combo wye and 1.5" drain line down to the sump.

On the right is the herbie line - 1" union valves into 1.5" spa flex, then into the 2" combo wye and 2" drain line down to the sump.

:fish2: :fish2:

On the "struggling to keep 180g setup in a 125g holding tank" topic:
I was traveling out of state on business this week. Terry was baby sitting the 125g (feeding, top off, 2-part dosing, etc.)

Yesterday, I'm in a big meeting when I get an SMS text from Terry. Here's how the text conversation went:

2:52 We lost the wrasse
2:59 NOOOOOOOOO! What happened!!??!
2:59 no idea... can't find him. was fine last night. couldn't find him at am or pm feeding. ckd sump and overflow. must have jumped...
8:34 any sign of the wrasse yet?
8:42 nope. :sad2:

Our African leopard wrasse is one of our prize pets. I was quite distraught. Actually, both of us were. So after 12 hours of airports, delays, snow, sleet and blah blah I finally arrived back home this evening. I went down to the garage and in an act of denial I took the big flash light and looked all around for the leopard. Behind the tank? nope. In the sump? nope. Skimmer? nope. Last ditch, look in the overflows again. BINGO! There's the leopard looking anxious and hungry!!

We crack open a cold beer and celebrate one of life's small victories!
:beer:

 

[teesquare]

I smell primer and glue......Mother's milk to a Reef-a-holic!!!

T

 

[RichK]

Mike, that sounds interesting. I'm very curious as to how you are adding the second drain and will patiently wait for the pics/results. I am still really unsure of what I am going to do overflow-wise. It all depends on where the tank goes and how much room I have.

 

[prop-frags]

Alrighty!
Another snowy weekend here in the mid-Atlantic:


What better to do than stay inside and play with PVC!
Under the tank, recall that we already had two holes going through into the laundry room.
We just needed to cut a new one for the new 2" drain for the herbies. It needed to be lower than the old drain line because we need to leave room for the combo wyes and other goodies that will tie both herbie lines together. Here's a pic showing the new 2" hole:


This is how we are making the transitions through the wall. This rig is essentially two long-turn 90's with an extension in between (we'll dial them into just the right direction on the display room side once we connect up the drain lines):


On the laundry room side, we attach the 2" spa flex up to the wall pass-through piece. Thanks to T for the refresher on the spa flex cementing process. The only thing we recommend is to use Weld-on 795 for spa flex instead of regular pvc cement. I read that somewhere several years ago and have always used it for that extra piece of mind:


And of course, we need Hermione the plumbing inspector to ensure the hole was up to code:


Next up was just more of the same. Cut a new hole for the 1.5" drain line for the open channel/emergency dursos. Put together a through-the-wall-transition piece, and connect up the 1.5" spa flex. Here's a shot from the laundry room side showing both drain lines and the 1" return line passing through the wall:


And here's looking down the other direction as those three lines pass into the now-bigger-than-ever hole into the garage:

 

[teesquare]

" I love the smell of PVC glue in the morning...."

Keep up the good work!
T