jjensen6823
New member
Hey guys, I could use some advice on plumbing my tank to improve flow. A little background might help
I originally set up my reef, then a 72G BF, in 95, and wasn't as aware of flow issues. It was also a fish/reef tank, with comparatively many fish and a few soft/lps corals. The only circulation at the time was a Mag 7 return. A Mag 7, of course, is rated 700GPH, which seemed more than adequate. I forgot to figure in head pressure at the time. And since I only had a single return ball/socket nozzle, it was obviously laminar flow. But everything seemed to do okay (well, not always, but I think my losses back then were due to bigger issues than flow rate). Fast forward 12 years.
Last Feb, my 72 BF's center brace snapped and it sprung a leak along the bottom front. I oringally planned to get out of the hobby (some of you may remember), but good encouragement here prompted me to stick with it, and I upgraded to a 150XH (I already know about the history of leakage, but the newer tanks seem better). I went with a 150XH partly because I had a 4' space to work with and partly because I already had a 4' VHO fixture (4x110W on an icecap 660). I upgraded my fuge from a 20G to a 40 breeder, and purchased what I think now was a ViaAqua 4900 (I don't plan to buy ViaAqua any more--they work great, until you need parts). That's rated 950GPH at 4'. Unfortunately, the tank only has 1 overflow, unlike an AGA 150, which has two, and when I got it home, I discovered that the directions that come with the RR kit say it has a maximum flow rate of 600 GPH! A lot of good that does on a 150G!
I put a ball valve on the return pump to scale it back, and I ran it up as high as I could. Ended up drilling a second air hole in the top of the drain elbow to allow more flow without "flushing." I planned on eventually installing an overflow with a second external pump attached to a SCWD and two returns.
After some reading on here, I am planning (today, I hope) to upgrade my skimmer with a recirculating skimmer based on randystacye's design. For that, I need an air bubble free flow. SO I was thinking--what if I cut the top off the 1" return, an inch or two below the drain opening, and used it, with a valve, as a secondary drain for the skimmer? Would increase my flow rate substantially (I'll have to significantly widen the slots in the overflow divider), and provide a source for the skimmer. I could then install a manifold all the way around the perimeter of the canopy I am planning to build, with many smaller returns, via tees and ball/socket fittings, to create turbulant flow. It would require an external return line, but I think it might be worth it. What do you guys think?
I was also thinking of installing two of the new Hydor Koralia pumps, one at each end. Anyone have any experience with those?
Sorry for the long post, and thanks for the help.
I originally set up my reef, then a 72G BF, in 95, and wasn't as aware of flow issues. It was also a fish/reef tank, with comparatively many fish and a few soft/lps corals. The only circulation at the time was a Mag 7 return. A Mag 7, of course, is rated 700GPH, which seemed more than adequate. I forgot to figure in head pressure at the time. And since I only had a single return ball/socket nozzle, it was obviously laminar flow. But everything seemed to do okay (well, not always, but I think my losses back then were due to bigger issues than flow rate). Fast forward 12 years.
Last Feb, my 72 BF's center brace snapped and it sprung a leak along the bottom front. I oringally planned to get out of the hobby (some of you may remember), but good encouragement here prompted me to stick with it, and I upgraded to a 150XH (I already know about the history of leakage, but the newer tanks seem better). I went with a 150XH partly because I had a 4' space to work with and partly because I already had a 4' VHO fixture (4x110W on an icecap 660). I upgraded my fuge from a 20G to a 40 breeder, and purchased what I think now was a ViaAqua 4900 (I don't plan to buy ViaAqua any more--they work great, until you need parts). That's rated 950GPH at 4'. Unfortunately, the tank only has 1 overflow, unlike an AGA 150, which has two, and when I got it home, I discovered that the directions that come with the RR kit say it has a maximum flow rate of 600 GPH! A lot of good that does on a 150G!
I put a ball valve on the return pump to scale it back, and I ran it up as high as I could. Ended up drilling a second air hole in the top of the drain elbow to allow more flow without "flushing." I planned on eventually installing an overflow with a second external pump attached to a SCWD and two returns.
After some reading on here, I am planning (today, I hope) to upgrade my skimmer with a recirculating skimmer based on randystacye's design. For that, I need an air bubble free flow. SO I was thinking--what if I cut the top off the 1" return, an inch or two below the drain opening, and used it, with a valve, as a secondary drain for the skimmer? Would increase my flow rate substantially (I'll have to significantly widen the slots in the overflow divider), and provide a source for the skimmer. I could then install a manifold all the way around the perimeter of the canopy I am planning to build, with many smaller returns, via tees and ball/socket fittings, to create turbulant flow. It would require an external return line, but I think it might be worth it. What do you guys think?
I was also thinking of installing two of the new Hydor Koralia pumps, one at each end. Anyone have any experience with those?
Sorry for the long post, and thanks for the help.
