Plumbing questions.....

ChristianJock07 · 04-22-2007, 07:56 PM

I got the 75 plumbed and up and running with a FW test. I'm going to leave it this way for a few days to continue to monitor everything.

However, I'm concerned with my plumbing. I decided to go with the PVC flex and it was quite easy to install. My biggest concern those is there is an extreme amount of bubbles and pressure from my drain line into the sump. It's actually causing the water to splash out.

I installed a ball valve on the drain line between the bulkhead and the sump and I can control the bubbles more when I back the flow off, but then I run into the problem with the Mag 9.5 filling the tank up to fast draining the water from the return. Do I also install a ball or gate valve on the return and regulate the return flow?

There is also this bad gurgling from the drain line, not the tank itself but in the sump. The standpipe is working fine but I'm wondering if I should just take the ball valve off the drain line.

Another question. How deep should the drain line be into the sump? Do I wrap it around the bottom and just have it hanging down and just a couple of inches below water level?

>>....

Last question... I'm using a SS125 on this system but I have not instructions or specs on how to get this up and running. I've seen skimmers which have to sit on a shelf in the sump to have it run correctly. Anyone have some information on this?

The sump I'm currently running is a 20L divided into 2 chambers, I'm wanting to upgrade to a larger sump with 3 chambers but will do that once the test runs are done.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Chris

mecold · 04-22-2007, 11:17 PM

Keep the ball valve on the drain, but do not use it to slow the drain. You don't want to starve the mag for water and risk burning it up. I would install a gate valve on the return though. It will help you regulate how fast your tank fills. That will controle how fast your tank drains. Valves on both lines will make it easier to perform any maintanance on your sump in the future, trust me! I wish I would have done that in the begining.

What type of stand pipe are you using? If it is not a "durso", look into making or purchasing one. They are almost dead silent when made correctly.

I will defer to someone else on the bubbles from your drain.

Personally, I keep my drain line near the bottom of my sump to prevent as much splashing as possible.

Good luck!

ChristianJock07 · 04-22-2007, 11:24 PM

I'm using the AGA megaflow kit I purchased with the tank...... was simple to hook up.

I'll rethink my whole sump idea tomorrow at work and see if I can locate a good 36"L 3 chambered sump somewhere..... can't be more than 15" wide though.

thanks for the info!

mecold · 04-22-2007, 11:48 PM

Then you have a durso kit. It is a good kit, but I think it is rated at 600gph+/-. Your mag9.5 may be to much for the overflow. You may want to look at that as one problem.

When you change your sump, you will be glad to have a valve on all water lines running to it!

raycityboy1 · 04-23-2007, 12:16 AM

When I had a mag 24 on my 100 with 2-1" drains, I noticed it was filling my tank too fast. This was before I discovered the drain calculator. As a temperary fix until I could replumb it, I put a ball valve on my return flow to slow the pump down. This didn't have any negative affects on my pump, I highly recommend doing it.

For bubbles I bought a 3.00 bag of polyfil sheets from walmart in the craft section. Its nothing more than polyester batting, when layered, the bubbles cannot get through. It also filters the water to an extent but doesn't really slow the flow unless it gets really dirty. I am sure there are other alternatives but this was cheap and easy and has worked great for me. I was always too lazy to make chambers in my sump. I have used a rubbermade sump with batting inside since I got off of wet/drys. This has always stopped my microbubble problem. I have also sewn filter socks out of the same batting and added that to my drain pipes for filtration. I hope this helps, just a suggestion.

ReefNeck · 04-23-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecold

Your mag9.5 may be to much for the overflow. You may want to look at that as one problem.

The 9.5 is just right for the AGA Magaflow kit. I run the 9.5's on 3 of my 4 tanks with no ball valves.

mecold · 04-23-2007, 09:03 AM

Keri,

Missed you at the meeting.

ReefNeck · 04-23-2007, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecold

Keri,

Missed you at the meeting.

Missed alot of my friends too. I might get back into coming one day. Right now I just send my better half.

sea devil · 04-23-2007, 03:29 PM

IMO, I don't think the pump is too much, the problem is lyes else where. I have an AGA 75 RR with a single return & the dual return nozzle that comes with the AGA Mega Flow kit. Standard size drain with pool flex hose. I'm running a MAG 12 with no issues. I have a ball valve on the return & it's wide open. My UV is "T"ed of the return, also with a ball valve. With the UV valve opened about 1/2 way, it reduces my return flow so much that I'm thinking about trying a Mag 18.

nikonosis · 04-23-2007, 03:43 PM

Why do you guys run so much turnover through your sumps? How is your skimmer supposed to skim if the water is just flowing right by it? Most people suggest going w/ 4-6 times total system turnover through the sump.

teach · 04-23-2007, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikonosis

Why do you guys run so much turnover through your sumps? How is your skimmer supposed to skim if the water is just flowing right by it? Most people suggest going w/ 4-6 times total system turnover through the sump.

I don't really understand that argument. Doesn't the pump size on my skimmer determine how much water is getting skimmed? If my skimmer pump is rated at 900 gph, doesn't is skim 900 gph despite the amount of flow through the sump? The water is not flowing right by the skimmer. It's always full, and seems to be skimming just fine.

teach · 04-23-2007, 04:21 PM

Sea Devil,
You're making me dizzy with all of the avatar changes.

nikonosis · 04-23-2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teach

I don't really understand that argument. Doesn't the pump size on my skimmer determine how much water is getting skimmed? If my skimmer pump is rated at 900 gph, doesn't is skim 900 gph despite the amount of flow through the sump? The water is not flowing right by the skimmer. It's always full, and seems to be skimming just fine.

because if you are pushing 3000gph through the sump, the water is flowing by the skimmer pump so fast that the dirt and stuff is going right back into the tank and not staying in the sump long enough for the skimmer to pull the stuff out.

Its the same reason you want a slow pump on a UV sterilizer so the stuff actually has time to go through it and die. If you put a fast pump on it, it will just flow through so fast that it doesn't get killed.

teach · 04-23-2007, 04:23 PM

So, it's not skimming 900 gph?

nikonosis · 04-23-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teach

So, it's not skimming 900 gph?

if you run 1200gph through a uv sterilizer does that mean its killing more stuff than if you ran 300gph through uv?