Proper plumbing

[SaltwaterAdict]

What size plumbing do you guys use for your return pump from the basement or from another room? I heard if you jump up from 1" to an 1.25" you will gain a lot more gph and if you go to large then it really won't increase your gph like you're intending on? Is this true, I'd like someone to confirm before I go at it! Thanks!

I don't know if this helps, but I have a 180 gallon with about 11' of head and 10' run horizontal and roughly 5-7 elbows. I did the reef calculator by putting in 11' vertical, 10' horizontal, 7 elbows, mag 18, etc. It came out to be approx. 600-700gph. Please correct me if something is wrong, I'd like to get this right the first time around. In your experience will this be enough flow if this indeed is correct? I have a glass holes overflow for 700gph and thinking it'll put me right where I need to be.

Any input would be great..

 

[sbeason]

For my 210 with basement sump directly under the tank, I use a Reeflo Hammerhead/Baracuda Hybrid. I use the recommended pipe(1.5" return all the way up to the 3/4" overflows). I put ball valves on the outlet of the pump to throttle back the pump and also right at the end of the 1.5" where it is stepped down to 3/4" return to each overflow. So my vertical height is 12' and horizontal run is 5 feet to the farthest overflow on the left hand side of the tank.

Does your 180 have dual overflows?????? If so, you may need a bigger pump.

-Steve

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

For my 210 with basement sump directly under the tank, I use a Reeflo Hammerhead/Baracuda Hybrid. I use the recommended pipe(1.5" return all the way up to the 3/4" overflows). I put ball valves on the outlet of the pump to throttle back the pump and also right at the end of the 1.5" where it is stepped down to 3/4" return to each overflow. So my vertical height is 12' and horizontal run is 5 feet to the farthest overflow on the left hand side of the tank.

Does your 180 have dual overflows?????? If so, you may need a bigger pump.

-Steve

thanks for the feedback!! My 180 has a custom glass holes overflow rated at 700 gph, it's a single overflow dead center. I'll provide a link for you so you get a visual reference.

 

[billdogg]

regardless of the distance or height, you will get the best flow using whatever size the return on your pump was designed for. FWIW - IMO, thats a pretty small overflow for a 180. For my 150 I use the glass-holes 2 x 2" and a Dart at about 4' of head.

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

True, that's why I modified it to fit my specifications. It's the same plumbing for the 700gph expect the box is different and allows for better surface skimming. It's 10"x2.5"x6"h.

Here is a link to how it is designed: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2011760

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

Can someone else confirm this?

regardless of the distance or height, you will get the best flow using whatever size the return on your pump was designed for. FWIW - IMO, thats a pretty small overflow for a 180. For my 150 I use the glass-holes 2 x 2" and a Dart at about 4' of head.

 

[Inexplicable]

Can someone else confirm this?

Generally this is true. By using a larger diameter for the return, you increase the amount of water that the pump has to push, thereby increasing the head pressure and decreasing output (the weight of water in a 1.5" vertical section of pipe is heavier than a 1" vertical section). Pump specs are listed for the diameter of pipe they are designed for. Using a smaller pipe would also restrict the ability of the pump and you wouldn't get as much output.

 

[gweston]

For my new larger tank, I am going with 1.5" drain, and a 1" return which splits into two 3/4" lines. One for each end of the tank. I could probably get away with just 3/4" on the return and 1.25" on the drain... but I decided to up-size slightly. I intend to plumb another smaller display and a frag tank into the same system later in the year, so figured I'd better go that route.

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

Anyone else have experience with head pressure and pump sizing?

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

please I need some more input.

 

[kawicivic]

I just set up my 180 with a reeflo wahoo as the return. My pump has a 1.5" input and 3/4" output. I drilled a hole for a 2" bulkhead for in the input so I didn't restrict that side and then doubled the output of the pipe (3/4 goes into 1.5"). Once the 1.5" gets to the main floor, it splits into 2 3/4" returns. I have a T off of the main 1.5" pipe that has a 1" pipe that goes back to my sump. In order to keep the tank somewhat quiet, the 1" pipe has quite a bit of flow - enough that I am considering plumbing in an extra tank for it.

My sump is in the basement and pumps from the basement floor up to the tank. I have a 36" stand upstairs and the basement ceiling is approximately 8 feet to the joists plus probably close to a foot for the joists. I used flex piping to connect the T where it reduces to the 1.5" pipe that extends from the pump.

I agree with the others that I would like to see more than 700 GPH. I have the standard double 1 inch drains that also combine into a 1.5" drain and then go into the basement. These are setup with stock dursos and I find them a little louder than I would like with the amount of flow right now.

Hope this helps you out - I will subscribe to your thread so I can see if you have any questions. Good luck - plumbing was my least favorite part of my tank build.

 

[sjm817]

Generally this is true. By using a larger diameter for the return, you increase the amount of water that the pump has to push, thereby increasing the head pressure and decreasing output (the weight of water in a 1.5" vertical section of pipe is heavier than a 1" vertical section). Pump specs are listed for the diameter of pipe they are designed for. Using a smaller pipe would also restrict the ability of the pump and you wouldn't get as much output.

This is incorrect. Increasing diameter of the plumbing will increase flow. A very common mistake is using low flow plumbing on a high flow pump.

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

This is incorrect. Increasing diameter of the plumbing will increase flow. A very common mistake is using low flow plumbing on a high flow pump.

Good to hear we're on the same page. What size tubing would be appropriate for a mag 18? Would a 1.25" be better than say 1"?

Do you think this pump would get me at 600-700gph? thanks

 

[SaltwaterAdict]

I just set up my 180 with a reeflo wahoo as the return. My pump has a 1.5" input and 3/4" output. I drilled a hole for a 2" bulkhead for in the input so I didn't restrict that side and then doubled the output of the pipe (3/4 goes into 1.5"). Once the 1.5" gets to the main floor, it splits into 2 3/4" returns. I have a T off of the main 1.5" pipe that has a 1" pipe that goes back to my sump. In order to keep the tank somewhat quiet, the 1" pipe has quite a bit of flow - enough that I am considering plumbing in an extra tank for it.

My sump is in the basement and pumps from the basement floor up to the tank. I have a 36" stand upstairs and the basement ceiling is approximately 8 feet to the joists plus probably close to a foot for the joists. I used flex piping to connect the T where it reduces to the 1.5" pipe that extends from the pump.

I agree with the others that I would like to see more than 700 GPH. I have the standard double 1 inch drains that also combine into a 1.5" drain and then go into the basement. These are setup with stock dursos and I find them a little louder than I would like with the amount of flow right now.

Hope this helps you out - I will subscribe to your thread so I can see if you have any questions. Good luck - plumbing was my least favorite part of my tank build.

Great advise, thanks for sharing your experience. I was talking to my lfs and they said a turn over through your sump should be 3x your tank volume. 180x3 puts me at 540gph, so I think I'm good in that respect for proper turn over. Also, I'd like my tank to be relatively quiet. With the overflow being directly in the middle it will allow for some nice surface skimming as opposed to them being in the corners, then I would maybe consider adding more gph. I'm hoping the plumbing will be as quick as possible!!:beer:

 

[sjm817]

Good to hear we're on the same page. What size tubing would be appropriate for a mag 18? Would a 1.25" be better than say 1"?

Do you think this pump would get me at 600-700gph? thanks

Honestly I'm not a big fan of large internals. I also prefer externals for high head use. I recently tore down my 180G with a 75G basement sump pushing ~ 10' verticle. A very nice external pump for this is a Panworld 150 PS. I ran it with 1" Spa Flex and it worked great. Externals that are meant for high head are less dependant on plumbing diameter for good flow. Another good pump that I used is a Gen-X Mak4. Its inexpensive, low power use and has decent flow. Not as much as the 150 PS, but it was fine. The only issue was it is not a quiet pump. This often doesn't matter in a basement application.