Plumbing help plz

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

Clyde

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2007
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New York
I brought home my new 150G AGA Tank last weekend, I went with reef ready option. Its not my first tank, but it is the first in some time, and also the largest and first with a sump type filter. This weekend I hope to get the plumbing done and get water into it, which is where my questions begin.

The tank is fitted with 2x (1" return from tank and 3/4" supply to tank) the sump is a DIY. All the fittings from tank and from my pump are barb type.

What I plan to do is to "Tee" the 3/4" supply's to one 3/4" to pump having one check valve on the pump side of the "Tee"

The 1" returns will go directly to two bulkheads on top of my filter.

Should the returns get check valves as well?

Can I use Stainless hoseclamps (possibly with some paper around tubbing) or do I need to use the plastic ones?

Thanks in advance
 
Funny I am also plumming a 150right now.

I plan to have valves on return lines just for when any work needs to be done to the wet dry <<<also a DIY project.
 
depends on wether your output tubes will be in the water or not. If they are above the water than there is no need for check valves. If the output is going to be in the water then yes you should put them on. Most types of pumps will not allow siphoning but some will. As for the clamps you should be fine and should not need anything around the clamp and I don't know what kind of plastic clamps you are talking about but just use stainless worm clamps.
 
use stainless clamps (you can buy them at homedepot), i tried to use the plastic clamps and they leak. no need to put paper just tighten them up right, not too tight but tight enough for it not to leak.

i agree about the check valve. i have a mag 18 and i made sure my pump had a check valve right after the output pipe. better safe than sorry. it is also true that if they return is under water it is needed, and if it does not touch the tank water you don't need it. (do you have any UV after the pump? if you do put the check valve, you don't want it to drain water and dry up the UV sleves even if it is dry.. it creates heat)

the drain i would go with 2 x 1" on them... reason, better have more drain than pumping water too fast. your sump will dry up and damage the pump, drain is actually controlled by the water the pump puts out.. if the sump is full and the pump puts out "x" amount of water.. the drain pipes can only drain the same "x" amount of water... i have a 180 gal, two 1" drain, and one 1" return that splits into two 3/4 tubing.

good luck! it's fun and a learning experience... remember to let the pvc cement dry up at least 24hours better yet 48.. cold weather makes the cememt dry up longer.. patience will pay off after your project.. take some pitures and share it with us!:D
 
Thanks for the replies.

I was wondering becouse the overflow pipes came as a kit, supposed to be silent? and they are put together without any sealant. Was afraid that if power went out enough water might drip back down to sump to couse it to overflow. Maybe I am over thinking this lol.
 
how low is the pipe? you said it had an overflow box right? when the power is out the water will only drain up to the overflow box's drain grills... a good extimate is to measure your tank... multiply the LxWx2 inch (2 inch is being safe)... then divide it by 231. that will give you the amount of gallons it will drain to your sump.. now measure your sump's capacity. LXWXH / 231 again... for the sump.. be conservative.. if the sump's capacity is less than the computed drain of water.. you got a problem.:(
 
I apologise, I should have desribed the system better. Yes there are two over flow boxes siliconed inside the tank. Each box has an outer shell with slits high medium and low in the tank, Inside that there is another shell solid up to top of over flow pipe. The pipes themselves are adjustable. So they are just pushed together hand tight. But I understand now even if the hand tight fittings leak only the volume of water inside the inner shell can drain into the sump. I should be fine.

Thank you again for your help.sorry for the confusion.
 
Don't worry about it too much. I have the 125AGA myself, and used teflon tape on the overflow (durso type) and no leaks or backspill into my w/d. The only difference was I bought my own bulkheads instead of using the ones that came with the kit. Also modified the 1 1/4" reducer by getting my own and using a 1" pvc on the other end to fit tighter into my new bulkhead.

The return pvc was glued into my bulkheads, instead of using the ones supplied with the kit I used a regular 3/4" pvc pipe. If you notice, on the threaded elbow that came with the kit, on the inside corner (elbow facing down) you'll see they drilled a small hole in it. This is to prevent siphoning from the returns. I didn't bother with a check valve, although I have 2 of them here, all I did was added ball valves on all bulks, 1" and 3/4". I wasn't crazy about the barbed end that came with the kit.

What I should have done was picked up the threaded bulkheads (inside and out) this way everything will be easier to breakdown if need be. So if you want, pick up new threaded bulkheads it'll make things a whole lot easier. :D
 
I agree, I would'nt worry much either.

Sounds like your in good shape. How far along are you? I am just mock plumbing everything in...looks like I will be cementing in tomorrow and then finally it will be time to corss the fingers and give it a test run. :uhoh:
 
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