plumbing question

[tall_jason79]

Ok so this is pretty well my first shot at plumbing a tank from scratch. Please let me know if there are any issues or anything i can improve. No glue has been applied as of yet, just a dry fit. The pipe is 1 1/2 and the pump is a Iwaki 100rt. The stock tank is a 150 gallons , i am bringing 2 returns back that will also be 1 1/2. I am going to hang my reactors on the wall close to where my valves are over the sump. Thanks

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tall_jason/5386828728/" title="IMG_0514[1] by tall_jason79, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5386828728_1e60f05117.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0514[1]" /></a>



<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tall_jason/5386225515/" title="IMG_0513[1] by tall_jason79, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5211/5386225515_291721e40a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0513[1]" /></a>

 

[brandonb8]

As long as your pump is strong enough for ya it looks sound. I just like using 2 45s in place of any 90s. Personal preference for me, but it should get you a little extra flow through the pumps. Everything else looks good as far as I can tell.

 

[tall_jason79]

I am also going to put some green drywall up before the sump is permanently in place. I am going to take a drain to each side of the stock tank to keep a "even flow"sorry for the phone pictures.

 

[tall_jason79]

As long as your pump is strong enough for ya it looks sound. I just like using 2 45s in place of any 90s. Personal preference for me, but it should get you a little extra flow through the pumps. Everything else looks good as far as I can tell.

The head loss calculator put it at 1030 gph. Right now with the little giant i am only getting 502 according to the same calculator.

 

[tall_jason79]

i kind of wish i would have gone with the spa hose at the turns and i may end up swapping out the 90s. thanks for the advice

 

[scbadiver]

Yep, That would be my only advice. Swap it out now Jason. I have spa-flex for every turn except the 45's right at the bulkheads under the tank. Just use lots-o-glue and hold it in place a little longer than normal. Your head loss then will be negligible. Looks good though!

 

[logiktest]

Looks pretty good.

I'd move the ball valve above the return pump closer to the pump in order to lessen the amount of water spilled when servicing the pump.

I'm having a difficult time looking at the picture, but it looks like Your using a 2" pipe leading up the wall and being reduced to 1" or 3/4". I would not reduce diameter in the run of the manifold. Instead, I would suggest keeping with the larger size run, and use T's that reduce on the valve end. I would also suggest adding a few extra T's and valves to the manifold, because it will save you a headache later on when/if you decide to add more equipment. (I know I wish I would have incorporated a few extra valves into my manifold scheme)

Remember that a sloppy glue job can easily defeat any gain from using two 45's instead of one 90 Ell... SpaFlex is nice too, but again, it's easy to get out of control when using the Rain n' Shine.

 

[Markk96]

Did you replace the bulk head in the rubbermaid ? or put silicone around the seal? they are very prone to leaking.

 

[tall_jason79]

Going to put a 1 1/2 on it. I am just waiting for it right now. There was a trick on the stock tank thread were you can use a 2x4 with a pilot hole to help keep the hole saw in line. Unless you are a uber pro with a drimmel.

 

[Reeferhead]

Looks pretty good.

I'd move the ball valve above the return pump closer to the pump in order to lessen the amount of water spilled when servicing the pump.

I'm having a difficult time looking at the picture, but it looks like Your using a 2" pipe leading up the wall and being reduced to 1" or 3/4". I would not reduce diameter in the run of the manifold. Instead, I would suggest keeping with the larger size run, and use T's that reduce on the valve end. I would also suggest adding a few extra T's and valves to the manifold, because it will save you a headache later on when/if you decide to add more equipment. (I know I wish I would have incorporated a few extra valves into my manifold scheme)

Remember that a sloppy glue job can easily defeat any gain from using two 45's instead of one 90 Ell... SpaFlex is nice too, but again, it's easy to get out of control when using the Rain n' Shine.

+1 everything Mike said. I'm having a little touble figuring it all out though, is the open left T in the 2nd pic going back to the tank?

+10 on using spaflex, I use it everywhere possible.

and +100 on clean application of Rain and Shine. It can make a huge difference

 

[tall_jason79]

This is were i am with out the "manifold" but includes the vertical pipe and the 90 for the manifold.

Total losses are 10.87 feet of head pressure, or 4.7 PSI. with a flow rate of 1722 GPH. Process took 264 iterations.

Head Loss Calculator developed by Jason Nugent, with pump curve information courtesy of Shane Graber and Reefs.org

 

[tall_jason79]

I decreased the pipe size to allow for the 2 feet of manifold to 1.25. I added 3 exists and 3 ball valves and an extra 90 just because and here is were i am. Does anyone know how true this calculator is ??


Total losses are 16.16 feet of head pressure, or 6.98 PSI. with a flow rate of 1618 GPH. Process took 235 iterations.

Head Loss Calculator developed by Jason Nugent, with pump curve information courtesy of Shane Graber and Reefs.org

 

[7faces]

+1 on the spa flex... take advantage of its flexibility, and route it out of the way, you can zip tie it tight against something and not have to work with it in your way. i so want one of those sumps, but dont think i have the room. maybe when you host the next pizza night, ill bring a tape measure!

 

[tall_jason79]

52x55 with pump and plumbing..... wider than long

 

[7faces]

dam, i dont think that will fit ... ill have to do some measuring in the basement tomorrow...

 

[tall_jason79]

Well the returns are almost done with the exeption of how i will let it flow into the tank. Right now it is just a 90 over the top of the tank. I put about 30 gallons in the stock tank for a wet test. Everything is leak free so far. I did hook my to little fishies 550 reactor up to my manifold with the valve wide open. I decided to fire up the pump and only have it barely open. At this point i think that there is now way i will be able to run this thing wide open. The 550 filled up like i dumped a bucket of water directly into it, and that was a little more than half. I will be able to close the valve so we will see once i get all the drains ran over tomorrow.

 

[tall_jason79]

ok so i shut down the current return and put my mag 12 with a hose from the current sump to the new sump. I then opened the iwaki 100rtl up slowly to 3/4 and it looked like the display was about to overflow...... i am going to get the biggest drains as i can on this thing or just run it half open.