getting tank drilled how to plumb?
- Thread starter deeboi
- Start date
dawnmarie;4199790; said:I don't want to complicate this thread too much, but, I used the unvented version on my 100 and it is completely silent. I used four 3/4" drains very similar to Dan Feller's and I get no gurgling at all.
I'm not saying Dan is wrong just sharing my experience with my setup.
Although I am currently using a closed loop filter system, The drain was designed as a gravity flow for a sump/refugium.
I'm still playing with the sreet ell's in the tank so they aren't painted yet.
No, I am wrong - I often say "definitely" when I should say "probably".
There are lots of variables - pipe size, GPH, drop, inlet screening, and a bunch others I missed. I've found that vented systems are usually quieter, but I'm sure there are cases where the opposite could be true. I'm curious about the two large pipes extending up from the crosses - are those vents by any chance?
I just painted mine a couple weeks ago after 12 years of looking at white ells, I wish I would have done it sooner! I rounded the edges and took off the markings with a Dremel tool for a little more finished look.
deeboi;4199678; said:
Yeah, the drains are 6" apart, I believe.
The right side uses a 1" PVC street ell (painted black) with a 1 1/2" piece of ABS and a circle of plastic grating for a DIY surface skimmer. It works great, you can see how the water drops right in in the photo. It keeps the surface 100% film-free without having to use bubbles or surface agitation.
The left side drain is just a screen (a piece of an old heater guard, actually). I like drawing some water in from in the water column as well as just the surface.
The extra piping is the venting - instead of running straight out the top (which is a more efficient way to do it) the vents are run out of tees connected close to the street ells coming out the back of the bulkheads. I did this because the tank was right up against the wall in our old house. If I were to redo it now I would just have the vents go straight out of tees attached close to the bulkheads.
On mine the three 1" drain lines connect together with a 1 1/2" DWV PVC cross. From there it goes through the floor and into the sump in the crawl space.
You asked about the sump, and yes is a DIY monstrosity! 
Dan Feller;4200441; said:Yeah, the drains are 6" apart, I believe.
The right side uses a 1" PVC street ell (painted black) with a 1 1/2" piece of ABS and a circle of plastic grating for a DIY surface skimmer. It works great, you can see how the water drops right in in the photo. It keeps the surface 100% film-free without having to use bubbles or surface agitation.
The left side drain is just a screen (a piece of an old heater guard, actually). I like drawing some water in from in the water column as well as just the surface.
The extra piping is the venting - instead of running straight out the top (which is a more efficient way to do it) the vents are run out of tees connected close to the street ells coming out the back of the bulkheads. I did this because the tank was right up against the wall in our old house. If I were to redo it now I would just have the vents go straight out of tees attached close to the bulkheads.
On mine the three 1" drain lines connect together with a 1 1/2" DWV PVC cross. From there it goes through the floor and into the sump in the crawl space.
wow! that is super filterization there! i just went to a lfs today and seen they had huge open sumps like yours...a while back i bought from a local member...he had a 240 in the house, but the plumbing ran thru the wall into the garage. first time i have seen anything like that, but i remember it was one *sweet set-up!
No, I guess they could be if needed, they are topped with female threaded adapters and threaded plugs the same as the ends of the horizontal manifold.Dan Feller;4200361;4200361 said:
This is to give access if neccessary to all parts of the drain without the need to disassemble or move the tank.
All the threaded adapters and threaded plugs are air tight.
I used pipe thread sealant on every connection.
As long as the drain does not ingest air it will not gurgle.
This is not to say this will work in every application, however, it works well in mine.
Early on in the testing phase I did remove a threaded plug from one of the risers while the system was running just to observe how it was flowing and there was no difference in performance or sound.
BTW, I painted all my exposed PVC bits with Krylon Fusion spray paint including the 3/4" MPT x Slip 90's in the tank that are threaded into the bulkheads. I did have to shorten the 90's slightly to eliminate vortex's drawing air into them.
I used pipe thread sealant on every connection.
As long as the drain does not ingest air it will not gurgle.
This is not to say this will work in every application, however, it works well in mine.
Early on in the testing phase I did remove a threaded plug from one of the risers while the system was running just to observe how it was flowing and there was no difference in performance or sound.
BTW, I painted all my exposed PVC bits with Krylon Fusion spray paint including the 3/4" MPT x Slip 90's in the tank that are threaded into the bulkheads. I did have to shorten the 90's slightly to eliminate vortex's drawing air into them.
great stuff guys you guys really gave me a better understanding of plumbing thanks I have one question how about a hose instead of pcv pipes would there still be any noise cause I was planning to use hoses because of space issues in the back of my tank
