Plumbing New Tank

[toddlaco]

I just finished building a stand and I am now working on designing my plumbing for the tank.

The tank is 360 gallons. I have a 5000 gallon an hour pump (Lifegard Sea Horse 1HP) that I would like to use for the return from the refugium and sump, and also run the closed loop with the same pump. I am trying to do this to save myself from buyiing one or more pumps at this time.

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with plumbing a large tank in this manner, and how does it work.

My idea was to split the overflow; one pipe with a ball valve to control flow feeding the refugium and sump, and a second pipe with a ball valve to control flow will bypass the ref/sump. The drain for the ref/sump and the bypass will both dump into a manifold that will feed the pump. On the outlet of the pump I will have another manifold with ball valves to control the output and split it between the main return and the close loop returns.

This may be a little light on turnover per hour, but the tank is only being set up for fish at this time and plumbed in preperation for higher flow so I can change it over to a reef when finances allow.

Just wondering if this sounds like a feasible way to plumb this for now. I will also enure that I design the plumbing so I can install multiple pumps at a later date.

 

[pwhitby]

it is not possible to do a closed loop and return from a sump with the same pump. Any power outage or pump stoppage would drain the tank to the lowest return point. Controling flow volume in each side would be problematic as well.

from the sounds of it, all your flow will go through your overflows. That will be a great deal of water going through them if your "closed loop" will also draw water that way.

I would suggest you do a completely separate closed loop and use the 5000gph pump on that and get a smaller unit, maybe a sequence dart, for the sump return.

 

[toddlaco]

Well, I have solved the problem. I will be dedicating the closed loop to it's own pump.

I did some figuring and the Sea Horse 1HP pump will consume in excess of 1400 watts. I was trying to save money by using the one pump I have, when it will cost as much to run this thing for a few months as it will cost to buy a Sequence Hammerhead. The Hammerhead also only uses a quarter of the wattage.

 

[toddlaco]

My plan now is to use a Hammerhead on a dedicated closed loop.

I have a Little Giant 4 (1300 gall/hour) left from an old system that I will use temporarily for the return until I can get a Dartand a bigger sump. I now the Little Giant is not quite enough flow, but I hope it will work since this will be a fish only tank for a short while.

 

[BRETT FULFORD]

todd, how are you planning on plumbing this - im running into the same problem with only 2 holes drilled in my tank in the overflow. i was thinking of running the CL intake over the edge to my pump

 

[toddlaco]

I ended up pulmbing a dedicated closed loop and I used a Little Giant 4 return pump that I had left from my old 90 that has just barely enough flow for a FOWLR tank, plus I have a lot of flow from the closed loop.

I have the benefit of an acrylic tank. I just drilled 4 holes in the bottom for 2" bulkheads to drain for the closed loop.

Here is a link to a thread about my tank on my local (DFWMAS) forum.

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=23033

 

[VikeBron]

What is the dim. of your tank? You may want to keep the cl outlets to a minimum if you have 72" or longer. I think you will spread the flow out too much. I run 2 Hammerheads for my cl with 6 outlets on each one.