Plumbing Question

[dwdenny]

I am wanting to put a closed loop on my tank but I am thinking that a 1" bulkhead will not handle a pump that will push 1300gph at 0' Head. What would you all reccommend for size of bulkhead? This will be on a 45g breeder tank 36"X18"X16". Or would I be better off just throughing some seios in there and not worrying about a closed loop at all. I am also wanting to drill and make a horizontal Calfo style surface skimmer as well with a 1" bulkhead is this too much flow through the sump. I was thinking of spliting the inlet with a tee and ball valve so that I can reduce the flow through the fuge part of the sump. What does everyone think?

Edit: I was thinking of using a Quiet One 5000 for the closed loop and a Quiet Onee 3000 for the return from sump.

[::pete::]

Bigger is always better as its simple to reduce the plumbing. On my 180 I have 2 1-1/2" drains in my calf and the pipe never gets filled. That is with an Amp3000 for a return.

[dwdenny]

So will a single 1.5" drain line be adequate to keep the pump from starving and pumping as much as it can. I was also going to use 1" PVC for the return to the tank but I might be better off with 1.5" like the inlet. I think that a 1" will be plenty for the overflow to the sump for sure so I am not as worried about that.

[falcondob]

I had a Panworld 200PS pushing at least that much through a 1 inch line. I have never run a closed loop, but I think that you should be ok. I would also put eductors on the outlets.
Just an opinion...
John

[dwdenny]

Pete so when measuring head pressure it is mainly the difference between the inlet for the pump and the amount that the pump has to push up past the inlet. Plus of course all the tees, elbows and stuff like that. I did the head calculator with 1.5" return lines and it say that I would have 1.34' of head but with 1" it goes to 3.92'.

[::pete::]

Try this for starters ... http://www.aquariumpros.com/articles/headpress.shtml

[::pete::]

and .. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=713749&highlight=head+p ressure

[::pete::]

In a closed loop there really isnt any head pressure, but here ... http://www.mdminc.com/Friction_Loss_Chart.htm

[dwdenny]

Try this for starters ... http://www.aquariumpros.com/articles/headpress.shtml

I had read that before but forgot about thanks Pete. I guess the head calculators are pretty correct. I came up with darn near the same numbers. Well I wil be looking for a 1.5" bukhead and and a 2.5/8" hole saw as well as 1" and 13/4" hole saws. Thanks for the advice and company.

[brewercm]

Just another thought for you to ponder. I always like the idea of two holes for your overflow/calfo. This way if either of the two get clogged up (snail, algae, calucium buildup, etc.) you don't end up with a mess on your floor. Besides, you can have twenty overflow holes and your flow will not be any more to your sump than what you would have with a single hole, it's all based on the amount you are pumping back to the tank that sets the flow into and through your sump.

[dwdenny]

brewercm you have a point. I was not thinking of the overflow that way but you are right. I am just a little unsure of drilling three holes in the this tank as it is not a very large tank but I guess it not any different then drilling one or two. My main concern is the CL hole size I want to make sure that I don't starve the pump buy not feeding it enough flow. 1.5" bulkhead should give enough to pump.

[brewercm]

That pump will be fine with 1.5".

[dwdenny]

thanks brewercm I was thinking so too. Now to work on the ATO plans. lol

[Mr_Cool]

Besides, you can have twenty overflow holes and your flow will not be any more to your sump than what you would have with a single hole, it's all based on the amount you are pumping back to the tank that sets the flow into and through your sump.



But what if there is more flow through the pump than through the overflow? Wouldn't the overflow get backed up and spill over onto the floor?

I guess the thing is, you can have too little flow through the overflow, but not too much. Right?

[brewercm]

Yes, your tank will overflow if you aren't carefull and test first. That's why I like more than one overflow and a pump that is rated for only one of you overflow. That's my personal thing though just in case one of your overflows gets clogged with a snail or something. Besides you shouldn't be using a return pump from your filter/sump for flow purposes, that should be done with closed loop, power heads etc.
I use eggcrate on the inlet of the dursos inside my overflow boxes everysince I've caught mexican turbos stuck in my inlets twice. So far it seems to work in keeping larger snails out.

Hope I didn't confuse anyone.