Plumbing Sump/Tank
- Thread starter Wiggie
- Start date
Clowning_Around
New member
There's pros and cons to each. As for tubing, several options flex pvc is a popular choice. Silicone would be another safe choice.
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Clowning_Around
New member
With soft less connections, so less prone to leak, except at fittings. Considered unsightly by some. Its flexible, so easily repositionable if you need to move it aside to clean etc.. Hard turns can be had but slightly more difficult. Barb fittings are not considered ideal. Can be slightly harder to secure/clamp but probably best part is its generally better with efficiency / less headloss.
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Clowning_Around
New member
With rigid easy to do tight bends, good connections, easy to secure in place, lots of selection/options, considered better looking by some, more durable, more expensive depending on number of added fittings which add to headloss to name somr aspects but it really comes down to what you want and your comfort levels
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top shelf
New member
I used a combination of both personally. My drain line is all pvc while the return has about a 6in section of vinyl coming off the pump connecting to pvc the rest of the way to the bulkhead. My reason being is I've heard it can help cut down on noise and vibrations from the return pump. Right, wrong, or indifferent that's how I did mine. Plus it was also more convenient to use what adapter's came with the pump. I would post a picture of my sump setup but I have given up on photo bucket and haven't bothered to find another way.
Thanks top_shelf and Joe0813
Yea I have noticed a lot of the thread have missing images from photo bucket. Hopefully someone will post an alternate way to upload photos so I can see you sump top_shelf.
Joe0813 if you don't mind me asking what did you not like about the look. Did you use clear tubing?
Yea I have noticed a lot of the thread have missing images from photo bucket. Hopefully someone will post an alternate way to upload photos so I can see you sump top_shelf.
Joe0813 if you don't mind me asking what did you not like about the look. Did you use clear tubing?
Salahunreal
Member
Mmm a beginner question, why do you have two valves on your drain?Not sure if it will work but here goes nothing.
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top shelf
New member
The first one is a gate valve the second a ball valve. You can't get as precise control via a ball valve that you can with a gate. So I can use the gate valve to make any adjustments I need and once I have it where I want I can shut the drain completely with the ball valve and not worry about having to readjust. It pretty much comes down to more control/convenience.
Salahunreal
Member
Smarrrrrt. I'm setting up my 360 liters and this will be definitely in my set up. Thanks
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SFish
New member
U don't need two valves like that. Once the pump is off the line will drain on its own. Your sump should be designed to hold that water in case of power failure. The only way I could see a purpose to that is if you want to be able to take something completely off line on a manifold and not readjust the flow but even then all you have to do is turn the pump off that feeds the manifold. If you are going to put a valve on your drain/overflow you better have an emergency drain or your asking for a flood. Your creating a restriction in the pipe which means it can become blocked easier and once that happens the flood starts. Also with one pipe it's most likely not going to stay balanced with your return pump which means you are going to have to adjust it. Look up Herbie or bean animal overflow.
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top shelf
New member
My sump holds all the water and then some. Just did my leak test and the drain and return are perfectly balanced so I didn't need to adjust anything. However with that setup if need be I could. Many people will put a gate valve and ball valve in there drain but I agree a Herbie bean animal is the way to go. I got my tank from SCA and it came with a durso style overflow but it works.
SFish
New member
People don't put a valve on a single drain. Your playing with fire. Also most likely over time you are going to have to adjust the valve. Your pump speed will start to vary a little bit as time goes on. A Herbie or bean animal main drain (the one with the valve) will plug at some point thus the emergency drain which you don't have which means all your return chamber water will go to the DT. If your DT can hold that water and not over fill then you can get away with what you have done but it's a poor design at best. Another thing to think about is when that line plugs with your set up you are going to be running your return pump dry. You could burn it out. Close that valve and keep your return pump on. If you don't have water all over the floor now let that pump run for 3hrs as if you were gone from your house. I'm of course taking about the worsted case but why even risk it in the first place? I'm not willing to take a chance on water being all over the floor or burning out a good return pump.
http://gmacreef.com/aquarium-overflows-durso-herbie-and-bean-setups/
http://gmacreef.com/aquarium-overflows-durso-herbie-and-bean-setups/
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Salahunreal
Member
Got your point and now understand the risks behind that. I will read more about it and thanks for bringing it up.
Sorry Wiggie for drifting from your main topic but critical information were provided.
top shelf
New member
I put them there to cover any scenario as stated at this point neither is even needed just there as a just in case. However I have seen many cases where people have put them on single drains. The sump and display can both hold the amount of water in case of either scenario and if the display overflows my Apex can cut power to the pump. I'm sorry you feel as though my plumbing is of poor design at best however I'd rather have them there and not need them then need them and not have them but I guess to each there own. Getting back to the main point the photo was posted soley to show the OP how I used both hard and soft plumbing on my return line. Hopefully it helped them and things did not get to far off track.
SFish
New member
What happens when your float switch gets stuck and your Apex doesn't shut the pump off? Float switchs are notorious for getting stuck. Why do you think good ATOs use more then one of them. The point is the valve should not be there let a lone two of them because all it does is add risk with no benefit. There is nothing you could do with the valves vs with out them on that drain pipe. Just like putting a check valve on your return line. It's not needed and adds risk. Op should be aware of that when designing plumbing. You maybe fine with a system designed like that but people should be aware of the dangers of it. An emergency drain will not only allow your system to keep running it will alert you to the fact that there is a problem because they are designed to make noise. I've never seen anyone run a valve on a single pipe overflow because people don't want to risk having a flood.
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