Plumbing my calfo

[Rychek]

I just returned from Home Depot with most (hopefully all) of my plumbing supplies for my 90 gal tank. I've got two 2" bulkheads so I'm going to run 2" PVC from the calfo down to the 30 gal long sump (after I baffle it that is). My return will be 3/4" PVC. Before I actually cut any thing and start gluing, I wanted to run my plan by y'all.

I plan on running 2" pipe straight down the back of the tank to 90 elbows, under the tank a bit then down into a single 2" pipe (so far, 3 90s per pipe). One pipe will feed into the end of the pipe, while the other will T into it. There will be another T between the two drains/feed pipes to feed the skimmer area of the sump while the end of the pipe 90s down through a ball valve (for restricting the flow) into the fuge area. I'm no artist, but I'm working on a drawing.

Any thoughts, suggestions, warnings, etc.? Thanks.

[Bill S]

How is your calfo plumbed for your drains, thru the side of the tank thru drilled holes?

You need to make sure that you some how have a durso drain on your drains, or they WILL gurgle.

[Rychek]

Here are a couple of pictures of my overflow. The drains will go through the back of the tank via bulkheads. The drawing/diagram will be done shortly.






How would I implement a durso on/in a calfo?

[bronck83]

I'd avoid the 90 degree elbows. I have a 75 gallon with a very similar calfo(ace built) with two 1.5" drains. I'm using clear flex spa tubing for the drains that way there are slight bends & no 90 degree spots. As far as the "durso" I'm not sure what that is, but ace recommended I do in the pic below to avoid the loud gurgling. It's basically a short peice of pipe going up from the T-fitting with a slip-on cap that is not glued but has a small hole drilled into the top of it to allow air to escape.

[Rychek]

I like your setup bronck. Although, I don't think the tubing will work for what I have planned. My lovely wife whipped up this plumbing picture for me (it would've taken me hours to do what she did in minutes).


Note: This picture is not necessarily drawn to scale. ;)

As you can see, I want to join the two drains (in case one plugs up) and put a valve on the fuge feed so I can regulate the water flow through there. I've also got a valve for the return line.

[hobogato]

that should work well if:

1. you make the horizontal connecting pipe larger diameter than the two drains from the tank
2. you include the "T" setup picture above to reduce noise - kinda functions as an external "durso"

[bronck83]

I had a similar idea but then after talking to some people I was kinda driven away from that idea for 1 reason mainly. If for some reason the main drain that goes to the skimmer area gets clogged(fish/snail/etc) then all of your draining will be diverted to your fuge drain which is 'regulated'(ie a lot slower) and you run the risk of your return pump overflowing your display. It basically kind of defeats the purpose of having 2 drains, which is essentially to safeguard against a drain clog(which I hear is a high probability).

[bronck83]

that should work well if:

1. you make the horizontal connecting pipe larger diameter than the two drains from the tank
2. you include the "T" setup picture above to reduce noise - kinda functions as an external "durso"

I concur on point 1 as well. If you have two 2" drains going into one 2" pipe then you will only drain as much water per hour as a single 2" pipe since the water is not pushed down by a pump, but rather only by gravity.

[Bill S]

What Ace was saying is what bronck was saying is what I was saying. Where your drain comes out of your calfo, put a sideways T in. Bronck has a durso. The cap has a hole or holes in it. If it's still noisy, put a piece of tubing down it past the inlet from the calfo, and it will allow any trapped air to "burp".

[hobogato]

you could do it like this instead.