Plumbing advice needed for non-sump system

[itscreepy]

I currently have a small, but well-established and fairly stable reef tank and am thinking of adding a calcium reactor and upgrading to a new, inline chiller (and maybe even a new skimmer) when I move on 9/1. Since my system doesn't have a sump, I could use some plumbing advice.

My tank is about 45 gallons in total water volume and is one of those acrylic tanks with the filtration compartments built into the back. The water flows out the overflow and through a very small refugium that I converted from what was supposed to be the wet/dry compartment, then a mag drive pump returns the water through a spray bar in the front of the tank. I have a hang-on prism skimmer back there as well. I do not have a sump, mainly because I don't want to deal with having my tank drilled to add one and have heard bad things about the hang-on overflows.

Therefore, I was thinking of simply putting a stronger water pump in the back compartment and piping it to go out of the tank directly through a calcium reactor and a chiller. The return pipe would connect back to the spray bar that returns water to the main tank. The water would simply be pumped out and through this equipment before being returned to the front of the tank.

Would this work? If so, does it matter if it goes to the chiller or calcium reactor first? Would one pump in the back of the tank be enough to feed the system or would I need a second pump outside on the return pipe?

Thanks!

- Austin

 

[aaronpentz]

Well feeding the chiller wont be a problem. Just take your return pump plumb it to the in on the chiller then take the chiller out and plumb that to the spray bar.

As for the Calcium Reactor they require a very slow flow like i drip per second. So you will need a seperate pump for the reactor. or you could just setup a drip system and use randy's DIY 2 part additive, and scrap the reactor.

 

[aaronpentz]

your best bet would be to drill your tank. very easy to do as you have an acrylic tank. all you need is a whole saw. Then you shouldnt have any problem adding any piece of equipment.

 

[Doubledown]

If you so choose, you could use one pump to feed the calcium reactor and return through the chiller, but not into one then the other. That would be way too much flow for the calcium reactor.

What you would need to do is use a small "T" to tap water from the return line for the Ca Reactor. The parts are easy enough to find at a Home Depot. I used this on my tank and it works great.

First, get a bigger pump that will contend with the head pressure generated by pushing water down to the chiller and back up. I am currently using a Mag 9 to drive the chiller, provide feed water to the Ca reactor and feed a couple hundred gallons per hour to a small refugium. You may not need a 9, but a 7 should do.

Run the output from the pump to a threaded reducing T. If you are using 3/4 hose get a 3/4x1/2x3/4. Into the threaded center of the T, screw in a Jaco 3/8 slip x 1/2 threaded fitting in. Attached some flex tube, put a 3/8 Jaco ball valve on and attach the feed line for the Ca reactor to the other end. This will allow you to feed the reactor only what it needs to function, you will control the effluent output with another small ball valve on the output of the reactor. Send this effluent back to the tank into the sump area in the back.

Continue the line from the end of the T to the chiller, through it and back to the tank through the spray bar.

If the hose for the input to the reactor is smaller than 3/8 (I have a GEO 6/18 and it uses this size), just get a smaller Jaco fitting - most likely a 1/4. The parts at HD are in the section with the water lines 1 aisle over from the PVC fittings.