Need Help With Tank Plumbing, First Timer :) Thnx

[mundegus]

hey guys so starting up my marine tank been a couple of weeks, and finally got money together for the rest of it after spending my tax check getting the hardware.

so ive got my 4ft tank with corner box overflow with hole at the bottom.
first question is what sort of pipe is best to bring water from the overflow box down to the sum?

also just wondering if anyone uses a Hailea immersible pump, and i think im answering my own question right there but ill still check, does it sit in the sump as i was told, just seems wierd as there is obviously electricity involved as wont the lead be in the water to?.

one final thing i wasnt sure on was the return. im planning to use pvc piping and was just wondering how the best way to return the water into the tank is? should i just have one long pipe across the top with holes in it like my freshwater pipe? or should i have 4 single return pipes like ive seen in others running from the main at intervals along the top?

any other info u need plz ask

 

[Zoodiver]

I'd just run a length of PVC from the over flow to the sump. Just make sure it's large enough to handle the amount of water getting introduced from the return pump.

As for the pump, if it submersible, then yes, you can set it right in the water.

For the return line, either way works: Spray bar or few main return lines. The people who run just a few return lines like the concept of offering higher flow/circulation areas and pockets of less flow. People who like the spray bar style tend to speak highly of it for it's surface aggitation. It depends on which one you like.

 

[mundegus]

hey so i went to do it the other day and noticed hey wait. the skimmer isnt powered, does this mean its run by the return pump? hook the return pump to the skimmer then have suction from the pump bring water through the skimmer then into the pump then up to the tank????

 

[dmopar74]

its gonna need a pump. if its a recirculating skimmer the pump recirculates the water in the skimmer and a venturi hooked to the pump draws in air, and the skimmer if fed either by another pump or your overflow. if its a non recirculating skimmer the pump draws in water from your sump, also with a venturi hooked to it.

either way the pump will need either a needle wheel or mesh wheel impeller.

got pics?

 

[grnmtnlwrdr]

i used pool hose for my overflow to sump with pipe clamps, worked great.3/4 pvc out the overflow the hose connected there to input in sump.my skimmer has its own pump, then the return ine is pump returned to tank with hose.i like the hose way better than pvc

 

[mundegus]

 

[mundegus]

any help on putting this all together will be much appreciated, ill be going to the fish shop tommorrow to speak to the guy who quoted the stuff and built the tank and sump but yeah plz help

. i think maybe we may have stuffed up with the sump also, if the protein skimmer is meant to hang on the side of the sump, theres no way it will.

 

[mundegus]

/bump

 

[sploke]

The large pump you can run up into the main tank as your return pump. I have built a few spray bars out of a few 90 degree elbows and a short piece of 1" pipe with a bunch of holes in it. The smaller pump you could use for the skimmer, but you're going to need some method of introducing air into the water column for it to skim. The small pump doesn't look like it has a venturi inlet, you may need to look for a different powerhead with a needlewheel or mesh disc impeller with a venturi to get the fine bubbles necessary. The small round thing in the second and third pics from the bottom looks like a silencer, you put it on the airline going into the venturi so it doesn't make air-sucking noises. As far as getting water down into the sump, you'll want a bulkhead fitting for inside the overflow box, and some plumbing to get the water to drain into the sump. Tou can also look up Durso standpipe, Stockman standpipe, and Hofer gurgle buster as far as options for keeping the drain quiet.

 

[mundegus]

yeah i think the smaller pump is actually just a powerhead for the main tank. i called yesterday and he said the skimmer doesnt need a pump, so im going to go down today to just get him to draw it up what i should have where. but anymore help with the skimmer would be helpful thnx