return line diameter?

[giants]

I am looking at ordering a 250 gallon tank from Miricles. They sent me back an email asking for a drawing of the hole sizes and locations along with details for the overflows. I used the calc. on RC and determined that I need a min. of 1.5" lines for the drain and 19" linear for the over flow. I plan on doing two over flows, one in each back corner. My questions are what should the diameter of the return lines be? Are they 1.5" too? I plan on having two returns.

Also, I know they are RC sponser, but if anyone has ordered from them before I would love to get your opinion about it. (customer service, quality, ect.)

The tank will be 84"x24"tallx30"wide. I will also be a glass tank, with starfire glass on the front only as it will be recessed in the wall.

Thanks for any info.
Jason

 

[stunreefer]

I would go with 1" returns on that size tank.

Miracles is fantastic, top notch quality, customer service and overall product. IMO Miracles and AGE are the two best custom tank manufacturers in North America.

 

[giants]

Age

Age

I see that AGE does not sell to the public, do you know of a website you can order from. I would like to check all my options before I order anything.

Thanks

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

your returns are going to solely depend on your return pumps...example any danier mag drive pump will require a minimum of 1.5" piping on the return side to get maximum flow numbers out of it..i believe most reflo pumps also have 1.5" outlets on them too..i think the genX and other external pumps have 1" outlets but still should use 1.5" to reduce friction losses....you can make a manifold at the top of the return line to break the 1.5" pipe into what ever you want 2,3, or 4 1" or 3/4" returns off the one 1.5"

two overflows would be a very good idea if you are not going to go with a coast to coast....which if your getting the tank built you may want to look into getting a quote for an external coast to coast overflow...which will be far more efficient at skimming then standard overflow boxes...

your drain sizes and pump selection are going to be key....calculate how much flow from the sump you want...then find the pump that will do that...then design your drains and returns around that (loosely) you will want to change pumps etc so err on the side of bigger is better...as it is much easier to make a hole smaller, but now where near as fun to make one bigger...

 

[Nanook]

Start a new thread in the Vendor Feedback Forum if you want to know about folks experience with that company, this forum is for non vendor talk.

 

[giants]

sorry

sorry

Sorry, I didn't realize that. Still new to using this site.

 

[Nanook]

No problems

 

[dahenley]

its easier to take a 1.5 inch hole and make it a 1in by using a bushing. its hart to take that 1inch hole and fit a 1.5inch pipe and plumbing through it. im not being smart, but im dealing with those issues with my tank right now. it was a used tank, and after my blueline pump started getting noisy, i purchased a reeflo dart. (nice and quiet pump by the way) and it has a 1.5inch return line verses the 1inch from the blueline 70...... (im not drilling my 240 full of water if you know what i mean. (oh, i have a internal overflow, not a external if it makes a difference)

dont forget to start your thread when you get started. cheers