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Thoughts on this build


Ruester007

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I am designing a new system and would appreciate any feedback you guys and gals can offer.

I am starting with a Deep Blue 29 gallon that I plan on drilling. What size holes should I be drilling for the outflow and Inflow? Would 1" outflow and 3/4" in flow be sufficient? I need to add the ATO, but the attached image is what I am working with now. I am going to reuse my ReefBreeders fixture as it has been performing flawlessly.

 

Thank you in advance

ReefTank_zpsf4b7741c.jpg

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What kind of drain are you looking to use? Just a durso or something? I think that a 1'' and a 3/4'' would be fine for that on a tank this size.

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Mr. Microscope

On my 25 gallon cube, I have a herbie overflow with 3/4" pipes and my return is 1/2". I'm using a Mag 3 for a return pump for reference.

 

I have one note on design. Though, the tank will look nice in that alcove, the limited space will also cause headaches with maintenance. Rule of thumb is to have at least 4 inches space behind your stand from the wall so that you can get your hand back there. If it's surrounded on three sides, it's really going to be tough to get behind it if you need to.

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I highly suggest doing a herbie, but make the emergency drain bigger than the syphon drain. On my next build I'm going with 3/4 inch drain and pump return, with a 1 inch or maybe even bigger emergency drain.

reason: i need to have my pump and syphon drain almost fully closed at the valves, causing very slow sump circulation because if my main drain clogs, it takes a while for the emergency drain to engage in full syphon, which is enough time for a few cups of water to overflow from the tank. I have to have the pump throttled WAY back in order for the emergency drain to be able to handle the flow without engaging a syphon.

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Kailua-Kona

Bigger sump. You got the room.

 

On my Herby drain. I'm running a 3/4" emergency drain with a 150gph return and it will flow 100%. My main overflow is 1" and I think it's too big. I should have gone 3/4" all the way. Again, I run a medium slow return for my sump about 4x complete system turnover per hour. I've read 1" drain is going to flow around 600gph, and A 3/4" Flow is only around 300gph but a lot depends on conditions.

 

Just turned my Herby off completely just to test again and my 3/4" flows 100% with three 90 degree elbows. Noisy but fine with me I want to know if something's wrong.

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its probably fine, is your main drain pretty much all the way closed at the valve to get a full syphon? the issue is that my pump is a lot stronger than yours, its probably flowing about as much as yours is right now, but to do that I have to have it way throttled back. so long as when you close the main drain the safety works fine, its good, my issue is just that I wanted more flow, my return pump is about 480gph at 4foot hight, its way lower now, because a 3/4 inch pipe can only handle that kind of flow if its a full syphon, which takes too long to engage. you're fine, although I really question what made you think the main drain should be BIGGER than the emergency :P if you had enough flow, there would be no way your smaller emergency drain could pick up the slack if a bigger drain got clogged at full syphon.

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On my 25 gallon cube, I have a herbie overflow with 3/4" pipes and my return is 1/2". I'm using a Mag 3 for a return pump for reference.

 

I have one note on design. Though, the tank will look nice in that alcove, the limited space will also cause headaches with maintenance. Rule of thumb is to have at least 4 inches space behind your stand from the wall so that you can get your hand back there. If it's surrounded on three sides, it's really going to be tough to get behind it if you need to.

 

Thanks. I am not as familiar with the Herbie method. I'm going to have to research a little more. The image is a little deceiving, I have about 6" behind the main display. I am a little concerned about access in general though.

 

Bigger sump. You got the room.

 

On my Herby drain. I'm running a 3/4" emergency drain with a 150gph return and it will flow 100%. My main overflow is 1" and I think it's too big. I should have gone 3/4" all the way. Again, I run a medium slow return for my sump about 4x complete system turnover per hour. I've read 1" drain is going to flow around 600gph, and A 3/4" Flow is only around 300gph but a lot depends on conditions.

 

Just turned my Herby off completely just to test again and my 3/4" flows 100% with two 90 degree elbows. Noisy but fine with me I want to know if something's wrong.

I was planning on using a 10 gallon for the sump. Do you think that's too small in general or is there a major benefit to having the added volume? Any thoughts on the return pump?

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Kailua-Kona

its probably fine, is your main drain pretty much all the way closed at the valve to get a full syphon? the issue is that my pump is a lot stronger than yours, its probably flowing about as much as yours is right now, but to do that I have to have it way throttled back. so long as when you close the main drain the safety works fine, its good, my issue is just that I wanted more flow, my return pump is about 480gph at 4foot hight, its way lower now, because a 3/4 inch pipe can only handle that kind of flow if its a full syphon, which takes too long to engage. you're fine, although I really question what made you think the main drain should be BIGGER than the emergency :P if you had enough flow, there would be no way your smaller emergency drain could pick up the slack if a bigger drain got clogged at full syphon.

 

Hard to say exactly how closed my valve is, but I do think a smaller pipe diameter would be better for tuning with my flow. My pump could flow more but I tuned to flow only 150gph to the main tank, the rest goes back into the sump. Yeah, I see the merit with reversing the size of the drains. At the time I thought I wanted the most versatility with the main return therefore bigger.

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Kailua-Kona

The bigger the sump/refugium the less you have to worry about water quality. Throw some "Macro Algae" in and you can naturally lower your nitrates and phosphates.

 

Edit: My choice in pumps is the smallest one that will do the job. Your return pump probably shouldn't account for the amount of flow you want in your tank. I flow 4x turnover per hour, but I have read that a sump will work with as little as 1/2 turnover per hour. Take into account the height you have to pump water back into the tank or you could burn up a pump.

 

 

Edit: removed formula.

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The bigger the sump/refugium the less you have to worry about water quality. Throw some "Macro Algae" in and you can naturally lower your nitrates and phosphates.

 

Edit: My choice in pumps is the smallest one that will do the job. Your return pump probably shouldn't account for the amount of flow you want in your tank. I flow 4x turnover per hour, but I have read that a sump will work with as little as 1/2 turnover per hour. Take into account the height you have to pump water back into the tank or you could burn up a pump.

 

 

Total gallons of water in system / GPH return flow = Turnover Rate

Good point. I certainly will not be relying on the return pump for flow. I will move my mp-10 over to the new tank.

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