My Plumbing pic. Will this work?
- Thread starter snaza
- Start date
Newreeflady
New member
I don't feel like doing the conversion from metrics, but I don't think this will be a lot of flow through the tank. You will have an alternate source of flow, right? I would probably just return through one instead of two holes since that will give you more directed rather than dispersed flow.
You're going to need quite a few unions, and you'll probably want a ball valve on the return from the main sump to the chiller in order to reduce flow as needed to get enough flow through your frag tank.
I wouldn't have the return from your frag tank a smaller diameter than the return through the chiller- generally, more flow would be better through the frag tank, and chillers don't handle nearly as much water as you'd think (see recommendations from mfg.) Hence the ball valve from the sump tee to the chiller.
You should be aware that spaflex isn't all that flexible and may put some kinks in your plans as far as placements are concerned. It stays in a rounded shape that may be difficult to work with (was for me, I hate the stuff.)
I don't think you will need a separate line (green from external pump) other than was goes from the chiller and from the frag tank- whatever the chiller can't handle, put through the frag tank. From the picture there is clearly an in-sump pump, right? Otherwise there will be no driving force for flow to/from chiller or to the frag tank.
g/l
You're going to need quite a few unions, and you'll probably want a ball valve on the return from the main sump to the chiller in order to reduce flow as needed to get enough flow through your frag tank.
I wouldn't have the return from your frag tank a smaller diameter than the return through the chiller- generally, more flow would be better through the frag tank, and chillers don't handle nearly as much water as you'd think (see recommendations from mfg.) Hence the ball valve from the sump tee to the chiller.
You should be aware that spaflex isn't all that flexible and may put some kinks in your plans as far as placements are concerned. It stays in a rounded shape that may be difficult to work with (was for me, I hate the stuff.)
I don't think you will need a separate line (green from external pump) other than was goes from the chiller and from the frag tank- whatever the chiller can't handle, put through the frag tank. From the picture there is clearly an in-sump pump, right? Otherwise there will be no driving force for flow to/from chiller or to the frag tank.
g/l
Thanks for the input. Yes that is a sump. Sorry I didn't draw in the ball values but pretty much every pipe will have one.
I have plenty of Vortechs for flow in the DT and 1 for the frag tank.
my plan was about 400g/h to the chiller, about 600g/h to the frag tank and the rest to the DT.
I have plenty of Vortechs for flow in the DT and 1 for the frag tank.
my plan was about 400g/h to the chiller, about 600g/h to the frag tank and the rest to the DT.
jjk_reef00
New member
since you want 2 returns I would use the output of your chiller as one of your returns. I think it will run longer then stay off longer because it won't get the chilled water that was just added to the sump. Then I would put a ball valve on the return that doesn't come from the chiller so can can direct the proper amount of flow through the chiller.
If you have room in your overflow I would highly recommend the silent and safe overflow approach. I use it on my tank and love it:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1541946
If you have room in your overflow I would highly recommend the silent and safe overflow approach. I use it on my tank and love it:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1541946
Newreeflady
New member
hey snaza,
I don't think every pipe will need a ball valve. Many will need unions, but you should be able to rig it so that one ball valve from the sump to the frag tank and one from the frag tank to the display will be enough. This is because you'll need to match the pump flow to the feed into the frag tank. The chiller feed will respond to this so it shouldn't need it's own.
I would not supply the chiller from the weir for the reason you stated.
I urge you to reconsider the flex pvc.
gl,
A
I don't think every pipe will need a ball valve. Many will need unions, but you should be able to rig it so that one ball valve from the sump to the frag tank and one from the frag tank to the display will be enough. This is because you'll need to match the pump flow to the feed into the frag tank. The chiller feed will respond to this so it shouldn't need it's own.
I would not supply the chiller from the weir for the reason you stated.
I urge you to reconsider the flex pvc.
gl,
A
addicted2reefin
New member
as previously stated i wouldnt direct the chiller flow back to the sump. i would t the pump and return it to the tank. also i would run the frag tank off of the overflow.
Drains:
tank to frag tank to sump
return
sump to chiller to display tank for one line
and the other from the sump to display tank
Drains:
tank to frag tank to sump
return
sump to chiller to display tank for one line
and the other from the sump to display tank
Newreeflady
New member
I like addicted's plan. I think you'll find that you can run all flow through the frag tank without any issue. Also, you'll only need the ball valve on one of those return lines.
The chiller will get dirty regardless. You'll have to clean it out every once in awhile anyway. If your worried about "dead fish" type of clogging, then yeah, you'll need some sort of screen.
I don't know what kind of chiller you have, but my 1/4-JBJ requires quite a bit of pressure to maintain the required flow rate. I tried plumbing it from a weir, but the resulting flow was simply inadequate. I ended up having to put a separate pump on it since I didn't want to "borrow" capacity from the displays pump.
I have my chiller plumbed back to the sump and the duty cycle is still reasonable--1hr/7hr. But that is a "try and see" type of thing since it depends on flow rates, system volume, the chiller's capacity, and heat load. However, if you choose to plumb it to the tank, you'll need more pumping capacity to get the same flow rate.
You'll need valves on the "38mm return spa flex" line and the "25mm T from return pump" so you can control the amount of pressure applied to the chiller. However, if it were my setup, I'd put a separate pump on the chiller and the frag tank.
luther1200
Premium Member
+1 thats what I would do.
thanks for the response. Ok, so should i have 2 x 40mm overflows. 1 to the sump and the other to the frag tank? then if i need to remove the frag tank or upgrade or anything I can adjust the ball valve to redirect all flow to the sump
form the return I would do a 40mm from pump then split to 2 x 20mm. 1 direct to DT and the other Chiller -> DT
thanks
Ok I re-did the pics with 2 options. 3 questions, still :nut:
1. where should i plumb my carbon reactor? off one of the spare future use T's?
2. Is running 2 x 20mm the same as 1 x 40mm for the return? Will running 2 x 20mm after the 40mm T be ok?
3. Would it be ok to use 20mm with barb fittings for the entire returns (instead of PVC)?
thanks
1. where should i plumb my carbon reactor? off one of the spare future use T's?
2. Is running 2 x 20mm the same as 1 x 40mm for the return? Will running 2 x 20mm after the 40mm T be ok?
3. Would it be ok to use 20mm with barb fittings for the entire returns (instead of PVC)?
thanks
Last edited:
addicted2reefin
New member
i like the top one better. going from the pump to the frag tank seems like a waste to me as it is just going from the sump and back to the sump. also u would maximize the flow going through all of the tanks by the first one.
addicted2reefin
New member
dont forget unions!!!
