Gate on the siphon line for fine tuning the return to the siphon. Just a simple ball valve on the return line only to be bale to stop the overflow from daining completely if I ever need to pull the pump.
I disagree with the ball valve on the return. In MOST cases our returns are capable of pushing more then 950 GPH that 1" drains can handle. You will need to dial in the return in most cases and a gate gives the detail you need to perfectly tune the system. If you add manifolds and such it is even MORE important to go gate valves.
Obviously a ball valve is better then no valve but gate is the way to go. Add a union for easy removal and you are good to go.
The best laid plans, eh. After I had decided on getting a shadow overflow and a custom tank from SCA, they put the 90 gallon PNP on sale. Since I can get the stand, skimmer, tank, sump and return pump for less than the cost of the custom tank and overflow, it's hard to pass on the sale.
So, it looks like I'll be ordering the 90 gallon PNP system soon. That being said, I know some of you have told me to upgrade the return pump, which I will do and eventually replace the skimmer in the future. I'll upgrade the pump right away.
My question is for homer1475 and anyone else who upgraded the bulkheads. I think homer told me he did. What did you use? Arent the holes 1" in the PNP? Did you upgrade to the schedule 80 double threaded 1" bulkheads. Since I have to order rock and other things, I wanted to get the bulkheads and some plumbing now to save on shipping later.
I'm going to get Pukani dry rock and cure it in a bucket for 10 weeks, then set up the tank with live sand and the cured rock. I'll run it with the new setup for a week or so and put in some snails, then add a few corals after a couple of weeks. I figure since the rock should already be cured and cycled, I should be ahead of the curve in adding livestock to the tank. After about 3-4 months of only coral and snails, I'll add the 2 clowns from my current tank and start to populate with other fish, one each week until I get to about 6 fish and then let it settle for a couple months. Then I'll add a few more. That's the plan, I hope it works. It's a 12 month plan.
Thanks
Mike
I disagree with the ball valve on the return. In MOST cases our returns are capable of pushing more then 950 GPH that 1" drains can handle. You will need to dial in the return in most cases and a gate gives the detail you need to perfectly tune the system. If you add manifolds and such it is even MORE important to go gate valves.
Obviously a ball valve is better then no valve but gate is the way to go. Add a union for easy removal and you are good to go.
If it was me, I'd go with the 150g. I love the 5 foot length of it. Lots of swimming room and you get a better spread for the rock and corals. I read that you mentioned you won't have much in the way of help to move things. The SCA 150g tank weighs about 325lbs, so you will need to consider how you are going to get help to move the tank onto the stand much less into the house. I bought two of those dollies from Lowe's to move the tank into the house and myself and two guys moved it onto the stand. Just a thought on the labor help part. As far as the SCA stand and canopy go, SCA provides a really nice set but if you could make one it would definitely be cheaper. I bought the SCA stand and canopy because I just don't have the time to get things done in a timely manner. A steel stand would be sweet but again you would have to do the finishing and fine tune the look. If time isn't a factor, then I would build it. I would recommend that you get a canopy for this size tank as the light pollution coming into the room it in sits can get bad. The SCA stand is 36" high and the 150g tank is 24" high, so that's 5 feet without the light being over it. I'd say you are right about the equipment to support either size tank but of course that depends on the quality of that equipment.