Need advice for frag setup

[DwightKeenan]

As far as the bio balls go, this will be a frag system with no fish, not critters and just corals, so I am less worried about detirus, but I hear what everyone is saying and will make sure that I have floss or something before the bio balls.

I hope this weekend to get the plumbing done for the overflows and figure out the return plumbing next weekend.

[Jrmass]

Sounds like it is going to be quite the setup Dwight... Just don't push the knee too much (although it sounds like it's doing better seeing you are talking about doing all of this) lol. Keep us informed and if you need any other opinions... There are plenty to be given around here lol

Jason

[DwightKeenan]

Thanks Jason.

[DwightKeenan]

I am looking for advice on how to plumb it.

If I feed the 2nd tank from the top tank, etc... I need to cross the plumbing over to go from a large hole to a small hole, right?

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/al...pictureid=1071

Let me know your thoughts and please excuse the drawing, I went a little over board.

[hansmatt]

That's what I'd do...I'm considering doing the same thing, but can't really justify forking out another $3-500 for lights for two tanks.

[DwightKeenan]

That tanks are only 18g and 24" long, so the lights aren't too expensive adn I have one already.

[Jrmass]

personally I wouldn't have the first small hole... I would just dump the water straight down. Basically make each of the tanks a baffle and plumb them through the bottom.


That way you could save 1 bulkhead/tank (the small one). You would still need the other bulkhead to get the water out of each tank though.

Or you could still have the BIG bulkhead on the back of the tank but, still dump the incoming water straight down from the tank above.

Used your image... Just adjusted it a bit to show what I'm talking about.

Jason

[DwightKeenan]

Jason, I like the way you are thinking, but these tanks are already drilled and I have bulkheads that came with them.

How does that change your plan?

[Jrmass]

Doesn't really... You just would need to use a few extra elbows to make it work... Seeing you can not just come straight down from the tank above. You need to go down and then turn into the next bulkhead.

[Jrmass]

If you can though you should alternate the sides (as I did in my diagram) make it so one dumps in one way and the next dumps in the other way (might be hard for you to do that as the tanks are drilled already though).

[carym]

Ok here are a few of my thoughts on this (just thoughts) how the overflow will feed back into the sump to hopefully stop air bubbles. I didn't have enought parts to show it exactly but you get the idea of where I was going with it. And the parts I did use don't match what you would be able to do.



Ok, now here is a three feed manifold, I have a slight modification I would do but I have to pickup the parts for it tomorrow. Now the reason I think this would work to feed each tank, your first tank is only lets say 3 feet up, next is at 5 ' and top is 7' so your max head height on 1 which would be the first from right to left, less restricted flow, then the other two get split...

[DwightKeenan]

Cary,

So now I understand what you are saying about the N. It was where the water entres the sump. I thought you meant at each overflow for each tank. I think that is the perfect plan to reduce bubbles.

On the manifold, I see what you are saying and it makes sense. I think this will work great for you with the gian t pump, but for me I think that I would lose a ton of flow.

I was think the manifold would be more vertical like in my drawing here.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/al...pictureid=1089

However, I realize that there might not be a good way to get teh water to turn without some sort of redirector right before each ball valve.

[DwightKeenan]

Jason,

I will alternate sizes, so I can go from a large hole to a smaller hole. It will just require me to go diagonally from one tank to the next and then straight down from the tank right above the sump.

I could drill all the holes the same size too, but I want to be able to use these later.

I am aslo thinking I will put a loc line diverter or somethin where the water enters each tank so I can control the direction of the flow and maybe cut out the need for powerheads.

[hansmatt]

This is what I had in mind to Dwight, as I assumed the tanks were drilled big/small holes for out/inputs as my frag tank is.

Cary, I like the manifold idea, I've seen others with them for big tanks, and looks good. I agree with the first pipe for the highest tank, but I still worry about losing pressure...by increasing the diameter of many pipes you will lose gph fast.

It's nice to be able to work things like this out with others with the same interests & different thoughts!

Originally Posted by DwightKeenan

Jason,

I will alternate sizes, so I can go from a large hole to a smaller hole. It will just require me to go diagonally from one tank to the next and then straight down from the tank right above the sump.

I could drill all the holes the same size too, but I want to be able to use these later.

I am aslo thinking I will put a loc line diverter or somethin where the water enters each tank so I can control the direction of the flow and maybe cut out the need for powerheads.

[carym]

I was think the manifold would be more vertical like in my drawing here.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/al...pictureid=1089

Yeah, with this I think you would lose more because you would be forcing more pressure out the lower ones... I could be off completely, but with your setup you could easily do it with the flow coming back down from the top, just remember you do have the initial pump up at the height of head.