drilled tank - schedule 40 vs schedule 80

[johnnytaboo]

I am hesitant to double post, but I think my last thread may have trailed on a bit.

I picked up a drilled 144 with dual overflows. The bottom of the tank has 4 holes drilled, 2 behind each overflow. I really don't want to use a sump, so I'm researching how to utilize this with FX5's. I think I have found all the required parts, but not all of them are available in the heavy duty section 80 form.

Questions:
1. how important is it to use section 80 hardware as opposed to section 40? I've read that section 40 is more likely to crack or strip its threads when over-tightened.

2. Without re-listing everything here again, would anyone be willing to check my last 2 posts on this thread --> http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...e-tank-need-some-help/page2&highlight=144+new

and let me know if I'm on the right track?

3. When using threaded pluming attachments, what is the preferred method of ensuring a watertight seal? I was thinking teflon tape, but I've read that a bit of silicon may be better.

Thanks, and my apologies if this comes off as a double post. I just want to make sure I don't drain close to 150 gallons of water onto my basement floor.

- John Y.

 

[KAWAMIKIE]

If you don't over tighten the fittings they won't crack. If they leak add more teflon tape. Screwing into the bulkheads hand tight is enough.
If you feed the FX5 with air that is what you'll get out of it. If you can keep the inlet submerged in the overflow it will be fine. You need to find a fine balance between feeding air to the filter and noise with water falling into the overflow. Maybe try using Durso stand pipes to feed the FX5.
A sump would be cheaper to set up than buying one FX5 and you could put your heaters in the sump.

 

[Steveo McNello]

Plumbing an FX5 is easy. 1" barb fitting off the hard pvc, 1" ID pvc hose right onto the filter intake. With hose clamps of course.

 

[Drstrangelove]

I wonder if you need schedule 80. I thought that it was primarily for high pressure applications. Is it really needed here for some other reason or is this considered high pressure?

 

[aldiaz33]

I am hesitant to double post, but I think my last thread may have trailed on a bit.

I picked up a drilled 144 with dual overflows. The bottom of the tank has 4 holes drilled, 2 behind each overflow. I really don't want to use a sump, so I'm researching how to utilize this with FX5's. I think I have found all the required parts, but not all of them are available in the heavy duty section 80 form.

Questions:
1. how important is it to use section 80 hardware as opposed to section 40? I've read that section 40 is more likely to crack or strip its threads when over-tightened.

Schedule 80 is not required at all, altough I personally like the schedule 80 bulkhead fittings over the standard variety because they are much less likely to crack and they have a beefier washer (rubber gasket) that in my experience is less prone to leaking. For this reason, I prefer to use Schedule 80 Bulkhead fittings, but in regards to the pipe and any other fittings, schedule 40 is fine.

2. Without re-listing everything here again, would anyone be willing to check my last 2 posts on this thread --> http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...e-tank-need-some-help/page2&highlight=144+new

and let me know if I'm on the right track?

Not sure I follow the plan here, so I can't comment. I think as long as the intakes are fully submerged (no chance of them sucking air) you should be fine.

3. When using threaded pluming attachments, what is the preferred method of ensuring a watertight seal? I was thinking teflon tape, but I've read that a bit of silicon may be better.

If you are still having leaks using regular teflon tape on your threaded fittings, try Rectorseal 5. The threaded fitting on my Reeflo pump leaked when I used teflon, but this rector seal product stopped the leak. It's fish safe...approved for potable water.

http://www.rectorseal.com/product-data/rectorseal-no-5/dsno5.htm

If it were my tank, I would utilize those overflow towers as they were intended and run a sump. Overflow towers are not designed for closed loop (canister) filtration.

If you are dead set on just using the canisters and plan to keep the tank for the long haul, have you considered cutting out the overflow towers altogether? If I am reading your plan correctly, they serve no purpose so you might as well free up the tank space and remove them. Just a thought...

Good Luck!

 

[johnnytaboo]

You make a valid point Alex. I'm not sure why I never thought of cutting out the overflows. I suppose I could then simply silicone a piece of glass on top of the drilled holes and do what I've done on my other aquariums: run a canister or two.

Though after reading your post, I'm leaning towards the idea of a sump. I'm obviously hesitant because I've never used a sump before. I've read plenty about them, but I wonder if I could pick your brain about a couple things:

1. I always see hard pipe plumbed to the sumps. Is using flexible PVC an option, or is there some reason people avoid it?

2. What measures can be put in place to guard against the problems one might encounter during a power outage? I just fear all of that water draining into the sump, with no return pump working.

3. When people have dual overflows, are both intakes typically from the same overflow, or does each overflow house one intake and one return?

Thanks again. I must admit, it seems silly not to utilize a drilled tank, especially when it can keep the aquarium itself clutter-free.
- John

 

[aldiaz33]

It took me a little while to be comfortable with sumps, but once I learned how to avoid catastrophes, (IMO) they can actually be safer to run than canisters. It's also nice to be able to hide heaters in them.

1. The only negative I can think of in regards to flex PVC is that it can sag over time if not supported properly. I used a combination of rigid and flex PVC...I actually like the flex PVC on my drain lines because I can move it around when I am doing maintenance on my sump (ex- when I change my filter socks out every 7 to 10 days it's nice to be able to move the flex).

2. Tips to avoid an overflowed sump:
A. Use the largest sump possible; the extra water volume is a bonus and having more room in the event of a backsiphon is always a good thing. With your tank, I would shoot for no smaller than 30G...the bigger the better.

B. Keep all your return lines at or very close to the water's surface. When your pump is off, the flow of water in your return line(s) will reverse direction (all your returns will immediatly become drains), so you want the siphon broken as soon as possible. Depending on how your return lines are plumbed, you can drill a small hole just below the water's surface in order to help break the back-siphon.

C. You can install a check valve on your return line (after your pump), but this is only as a back-up to keeping your drains as close to the water's surface as possible....you should never rely on a check valve to prevent flooding your sump because they can and do fail.

D. As water evaporates from your tank, the water level in your display will remain constant, but the water level in your sump will fall. Never "top off" your tank while your pumps are running (unless you've marked the maximum water level in your sump while pumps are running in order to avoid overwhelming it when your pumps are off). In other words, if you always add water to your tank while your pumps are off, you will never run into an issue with flooding your sump if/when power goes out (assuming precautions B & C have been followed).

3. Overflow towers will typically have two holes...one large hole for the drain and one smaller hole for the return. You always want your drain to be larger than the return. Each tower should have it's own drain and should be used as such, otherwise if you use one tower exlusively for drains and the other for returns, the latter overflow tower will have stagnant water.

Hope that helps.

 

[guano]

It took me a little while to be comfortable with sumps, but once I learned how to avoid catastrophes, (IMO) they can actually be safer to run than canisters. It's also nice to be able to hide heaters in them.

1. The only negative I can think of in regards to flex PVC is that it can sag over time if not supported properly. I used a combination of rigid and flex PVC...I actually like the flex PVC on my drain lines because I can move it around when I am doing maintenance on my sump (ex- when I change my filter socks out every 7 to 10 days it's nice to be able to move the flex).

2. Tips to avoid an overflowed sump:
A. Use the largest sump possible; the extra water volume is a bonus and having more room in the event of a backsiphon is always a good thing. With your tank, I would shoot for no smaller than 30G...the bigger the better.

B. Keep all your return lines at or very close to the water's surface. When your pump is off, the flow of water in your return line(s) will reverse direction (all your returns will immediatly become drains), so you want the siphon broken as soon as possible. Depending on how your return lines are plumbed, you can drill a small hole just below the water's surface in order to help break the back-siphon.

C. You can install a check valve on your return line (after your pump), but this is only as a back-up to keeping your drains as close to the water's surface as possible....you should never rely on a check valve to prevent flooding your sump because they can and do fail.

D. As water evaporates from your tank, the water level in your display will remain constant, but the water level in your sump will fall. Never "top off" your tank while your pumps are running (unless you've marked the maximum water level in your sump while pumps are running in order to avoid overwhelming it when your pumps are off). In other words, if you always add water to your tank while your pumps are off, you will never run into an issue with flooding your sump if/when power goes out (assuming precautions B & C have been followed).

3. Overflow towers will typically have two holes...one large hole for the drain and one smaller hole for the return. You always want your drain to be larger than the return. Each tower should have it's own drain and should be used as such, otherwise if you use one tower exlusively for drains and the other for returns, the latter overflow tower will have stagnant water.

Hope that helps.

^ Awesome advice! The only thing I can add is to look up ways to quiet your overflows. It will be very loud if you do a basic standpipe for your drains because of all the air sucking down into it. A Stockman or a Durso standpipe should help with the noise. I personally use a Herbie setup and I strongly suggest you do the same. Extremely quiet and very easy to setup. The Herbie setup will have to use your existing return holes in your overflow as drains too. You'll have to reroute your return lines to the tank.