DIY plumbing

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new2natives

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 1, 2007
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i'm not sure if this goes in DIY or filtration .... but anyhow --

i am picking up a tank next week that is drilled, but there is no plumbing to it.

its a 325g tank and its S shaped, not a standard square. there are several holes that are about 2" or so. and they are about 3" from the top of the tank.
do i just add pipes there, and then when the water level is up it will overflow down them?
if all the water is coming from the top of the tank, will it pick up much debris out of the water??
if there are several 2" pipes kicking down to the trickle, should i tie them into a larger single pipe, or leave them seperate? if so, what size diameter?
what type of plumbing parts do you need for the top holes so that it will NOT leak? do you use any type of sealant/O-rings, or how does that work?

is there any noise involved with this set up?

when i am building the return, do i need to do multiple spraybars because of the S shape tank?

i'm thinking i am going to do about 1500gph pump, does that sound about right?
 
If that is the flowrate at the head height it will encounter. I would go with a better pump.
 
I would use sealant on the bulkheads. (make sure the sealant is non-toxic aquarium approved) Use a nice thick bead of the sealant around each of the bulkheads. Putting a matched strainer for the bulkhead size is also a good idea if you have smaller fish. It also would collect debris and is removable for cleaning and also you should use a T elbow for the PVC where one end should be blocked off until water changes, and the other should go to your sump. If I were you, I would run all pipes into one pipe to create a nice balanced water flow from each of the strainers. It would also create a much simpler intake to your sump. The diameter of your PVC is very dependent on how far your water will be traveling to your pump(s). I would go with a few 2" Pipes that all run into a 4" depending on how many you are goning to run. There are various calculators you can google on head flow rate of PVC. They have sample pumps on some of the calculators that show what size pump you should use. Remember: you should be able to cycle your tank a minimum of 6 times an hour for correct filtration. Le me know if you need anything else answered
 
You will need bulkhead fittings for each of the holes. You can find them at aquatic supply stores, on-line, or at a plumbing supply store.

I would just suggest a bigger pump for that tank. I would also look at using a couple of returns possibly at both ends of the tank to keep the debris from settling. You might also look at using a couple of powerhead or an under gravel jet system to keep the flow going in the tank.

Would you mind posting some pics so we can have a better idea of what is going on?
 
i dont have any pics yet b/c i checked it out in person, but i am picking it up this week (when i can get some friends around to help LOL)i

i know its kind of weird looking on paper, but it looks better in person, lol!! its similar to Koops tank for anyone who has seen his

it is 2' wide in most places, and 2 1/4' tall, and somewhere in the 8-10' range long, but its hard to tell with all the bending
 
heres a pic ... the holes are all in the back of the tank, about 3" from the top ...
i didnt count, but i saw at least 2 holes on each end, and i would assume there are some in the middle too?

so maybe 4-8 holes for the overflows, and return lines

tank1.JPG
 
its hard to tell exactly, but its somewhere in the 275-325 gallon range ...

a friend offered me a pump that is 3700gph ... that will blow my fish away, wont it? LOL

the trickle has 10g worth of bioballs, and my water changes are very regular to keep things in check. all the fish that will be going into this new tank are currently in a 180, with the same trickle, and a 900gph pump, so they will enjoy the new space, and better filtration.

would anyone suggest maybe getting another 900gph pump and just running the 2 of them seperate? or is it best to just have one return??
 
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