dual 1 1/2" Pool Pump returns need to be tamed Down

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dragonfish1ca

dragonfish1ca

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 13, 2005
231
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alberta canada
Im just finishing up on a new 300 gallon in my basement, I have dual 2" overflow pipes and dual 1 1/2" returns coming off of a 1/4 horse pool pump....
The 2 return bulkheads are facing eachother from the dual overflows are are really pumping in there lol when i started adding silver aro's i noticed just how hard the pressure is and that something needs to be done to town down the pump. I have a ball valve on the main line before the split so that helps but i would also like to come up with diffusers or a spray bar or loc line to break the current up. Problem is i need it to be black, and i dont want too loose much more space in the top of the tank...
Also have a drip in the main threaded fitting to the pump, Threads were rough when i got it so if you have a trick for this too :) :) lemme know
Any ideas you guys have would be greatly appreciated.
The Sump setup so far
003-2.jpg

Bulkheads on the overflows (see the bubbles in the current)
004-1.jpg
 
The spray bar idea would be ablack abs pipe cut in the center with a union so it can slide in and out and still be snug, with 3/8" holes drilled right across the bottom of it? but this would take up alot of room in the tank. Or a threaded nipple with a cap and try to install 3 3/4" loc lines on each end but this would restrict the flow a fair bit.... and maybe look like an octopus at the end as well???
 
Use thread tape on the threading that's leaking if you haven't already. As far as toning it down, you can easily do a couple of things.

If you want to run a spray bar, you can T the in return line to a black PVC spray bar attached to the back rim of your tank. Simply drill a bunch of holes down the length of the pipe.

An alternative way to just reduce flow back into the tank is to T the return line back into the sump. This way your pump isn't fighting your ball valve causing unnecessary strain on it and you can decide how much flow to re-direct back into the sump with either a gate valve or a ball valve. The pressure won't build back up like it does now though, because it has an alternative path other than just pressing back on the pump.

Edit: I say T the pipe off above, but really you can use Y's to reduce head pressure.
 
A T back into the sump.... now there is an idea :) Awesome
As for the threads, i believe the threads were muched a bit when i got the pump (used) but i have tried 3 wraps. 2 wraps and a single wrap of teflon and still she seeps.... The spray bar is an option for sure, just trying to get it to the back so i dont loose too much space
 
It dosent have a duty cycle on the pump.... but it came from an LFS that ran it for a while and has been using this model on thier rack for years.....
Should be ok for now anyways... By compound you mean glue??? or pipe dope?
 
I would use a spray bar, split the returns to reduce flow, or I would put a "T" in the line with a ball valve and redirect some of the flow back into the sump.
 
threads were muched a bit when i got the pump

If it were my pump, I would glue(Epoxy) a fitting to the pump head.
I would use either a male-male or male-female fitting.
Solves the leak, period..Yet you can still uncouple it from the rest of the system.
 
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