PVC and pump setup

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Bee0912

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2009
419
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Ohio
Ok so I am going to have my 180 gallon tank drilled when I move. So I am working on what pump I want and what size holes I need. I am running a 20 gallon glass tank home made wet dry. So I want 2 drain holes on the back wall of the tank. Should I put them on each corner of the back of a few inches apart in the middle? Why?

Second:
1" PVC will flows 16 GPM at normal gravity:
http://flexpvc.com/WaterFlowBasedOnPipeSize.shtml

So if i run 2 1" drains i will be at 32GPM.

I want to run a MAG18- so 1800 GPH or 30GPM

Now in theory an overflow will never run faster than a pump will run? I could run 4 4" drains and a 30 GPH pump and my sump would never overflow? Because the pump will only pump enough water up above the level of the overflow box or drains as it can handle?

So with the head loss on the pump and it running 30GPM at 0 head I should have it matched correctly with 2- 1" PVC drains?
 
HMMMMM so i would need 2" to keep up with a Mag18 but then i am overkill? on the drain side. Not a bad thing?
 
Definitely not a bad thing.
 
Next question:

What size rerturn should i run? I am going to run 2-1" drains and am thinking about a 3/4" return. however the Mag-18 i am going to run in a 1/2" outlet?

I think i want to do a 3/4" return so i can switch to a larger pump down the road if i switch sumps. but will the Mag-18 struggle to pump water up a 3/4" return?

Should i have the tank drilled for a 3/4" bulk head and run a reducer to run 1/2" pipe for the mag-18?
 
yeah large drain pipes is always a good thing. a bigger drain pipe cant hurt. it just allows water to drain faster. and yes, the water flowing through the overflows will ALWAYS be the same as what your pump is pushing. wont be less. wont be more. i think 2 1.5" drains would be more than enough. i'm draining 3400gph through one 2" drain with no problems in my 400g.

as for returns, i think one 1" return would be fine. ive used 1" piping on a 1000gph pump and it seems to work fine.
 
jcardona1;3670422; said:
yeah large drain pipes is always a good thing. a bigger drain pipe cant hurt. it just allows water to drain faster. and yes, the water flowing through the overflows will ALWAYS be the same as what your pump is pushing. wont be less. wont be more. i think 2 1.5" drains would be more than enough. i'm draining 3400gph through one 2" drain with no problems in my 400g.

as for returns, i think one 1" return would be fine. ive used 1" piping on a 1000gph pump and it seems to work fine.
Click to expand...

Ok I am going to do 3 1" holes in the tank and use a reducer if needed on the return. this will give me room to expand doen the road.
 
Crispy;3670779; said:
20g wet/dry is a bit small. I would go for a 40g or 55g.
Click to expand...

No the 20 gallon has been running on the tank by itself for 9 months and is more than enough filtration. All my questions have been about having the tank drilled and losing my HOB overflow.
 
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