Sump return dillema

[oddiseus]

Hello all. I am building a 20 high and have a scwd unit hooked to a mag 2 in a closed loop. this is plumbed to the holes I have drilled in the top of the tank. But I am thinking of having the sump return through the middle of the tank via a mag 5 behind my rock work. Does anyone see a problem with this? I will try to post a pic of what I have done so far. Thanks
-Odd

 

[oddiseus]

here is a pic

 

[oddiseus]

Can you all see what I am talking about? I have the scwd plumbed just temporarily into the pump with that strange S shape due to problems. Would this put too much undue stress on my pump? Also Is a return going into the rockwork from the sump a bad idea? I need some feedback before I commit to this and glue it in.

 

[AIMFish]

That many elbows and a scwd on a mag 2 might get you about 5 gph output 90* elbows are pretty rough on flow and so are scwd's. Are you talking about having the sump return go in the middle, over the top but equal distance from both sides, or the center, equal distance from sides and top/bottom? If it's through a bulkhead centered in the back, and your power goes out you are gonna be in big trouble when it back siphons. If it's at the top where it can suck some air and stop the siphon you should be fine.

 

[aclos3]

If you are not going over the top of the aquarium with the return, I hope you are planning some kind of one way valve in the event of power failure.

Also, you are thinking of the Mag 5? How many feet of rise is there? To calculate a more realistic rise figure, for every 90 degree elbow add (15*innerdiameter of pipe). So if you have .5" inner diameter pipe, and 4 90 degree fittings, you would add 4*15*.5 = 30 inches to your actual elevation gain.

 

[oddiseus]

Hmm, I'm kinda bummed I had originally planned for the scwd to go through the center (which is center to both sides). but plumbing probs had me rethink things and go with the two top holes. I am using a mag 2 on the scwd. I think i can rework all those 90's to just 2 of them. also I am using a .5" diameter pipe. Is this still n ot enough flow to be worth it? Should i try and return this and get a mag 5 instead? As for the sump return would a check valve work??

 

[oddiseus]

This is a pic of what I have to work with as far as holes.

 

[arthurlo]

You could get two shelf brackets and a 1x4 board to make a shelf that mounts to the back of your stand. Just have this shelf about 8 inches below your tank.

This way, you can avoid all the elbows and have the pump outlet go straight in to the SCWD. No worries about head loss as long as it is a closed loop system.

You could probably use a pump that moves more volume - the SCWD will reduce the actual output of the Mag. Finally, make sure you have a pre-filter on the intake to help keep stuff from clogging the SCWD.

 

[oddiseus]

Thanks for the post. The only problem I am having with plumbing directly into the scwd is that I have drilled a hole right in the middle of the tank and I will have to go around it somehow. Should I patch the hole and move it over? Will I still get some good movement with the Mag 2. I dont want to get only 5 gph like AIMFISH said. That would totally be a waste of work.

 

[AIMFish]

What if you did a 90* straight down out of the center hole, another 90* into the Closed loop pump and then up from the pump, into the scwd and into the returns. Oh there is a Head Loss Calculator that will help figure flow on the return pump.

 

[oddiseus]

Are you saying plumb the center hole into the pump, or use as a return from the sump?

 

[AIMFish]

Use the center hole as the input/drain, on the closed loop pump.

 

[oddiseus]

The center will be behind rocks so I wont be able to clean the prefilter. I think I am going to just plug the hole and move it over and reconfigure the Scwd to be plumbed direct. and have the sump return be at the top of the tank.

 

[AIMFish]

That hole could be one hooked to one side of the scwd and the top ones to the other, kinda like a low then high type current! I hate to see a hole not get used

 

[oddiseus]

Will the SCWD operate correctly at a funky angle like that?