# Is this plumbing complete/good?



## cb1021 (Sep 21, 2009)

Hi guys

Just picked up a new tank. I'm very unfamiliar with plumbing (FW guy).

Anyways. Is this all setup and ready to go? There's two ways the water can go in through the pipe: 1) through strainer and 2) over the top. Is the top part the emergency drain??


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

If the top is under the top of the tank than it could serve as emergency. You might want to do two drains and use the return over the back of the tank. But being a discus tank you don't want too much flow so maybe the current setup would serve you well


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

You just have to make sure the drains never clog with plants cause then you'd have water everywhere. That's why I suggested two drains


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

Your drain line is open/uncapped because it requires air to allow water through it to your sump/filter below.

The downside of this? It can ~potentially~ get noisy as water "gurgles" down it. In time, you may find that you need to _restrict_ (NOT_ stop_) the airflow (typically with a hole drilled through a plastic cap) to eradicate that noise.

If you don't have a noise issue, then potentially your current drain could act as a rudimentary emergency drain. But if the noise drives you crazy, and you have to restrict the airflow, I'd recommend exercising caution to ensure that strainer never gets clogged!

(some form of foam pre-filter on the strainer, and/or even an overflow might help in this regard)

Also: What are you draining too? An (open) sump, or a (sealed) canister filter? If the former, you ~may~ need to also consider restricting the flow of water into an open sump through the use of either a gate valve (preferably) or ball valve, and based on how much water your return pump can push back up into the tank&#8230; too much water draining to the sump for your return pump to handle = wet floors


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

You could easily retrofit this to be a stockman intake and it would be very reliable and quiet.


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Is anyone concerned that the size of the drain pipe seems small?


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Why are women always concerned about pipe size!!!! 
Sheesh!!!!


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Of course you would go there!! I just spent all day at a craft brew conference and of course every supplier had to show off their biggest piece of equipment.


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## cb1021 (Sep 21, 2009)

Well....

Filled the 150g today. Totally screwed up on plumbing. Everything is good under the tank with unions and ball valves. 

The current plumbing inside the tank is completely flawed. I cannot balance the pump flow rate back into the tank and the gravity fed drain pipe. 

Being a complete plumbing n00b, I have no idea how I'm supposed to get this thing working properly.

*headache*


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*Plumbing*

Hey there i am sure it's not a right off.. why don't u take some detailed pics ... maybe even a video so some of the plumbing gurus can have a look and see if they can help u out ....athe least it will be a start before u start just ripping and tearing and making a mess ...


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

You need the flow of water returning to your display tank to ~equal~ that of the drain line into your sump.

Too much water returning to the display tank? Then your pump is too powerful for your drain. So ensure your drain line is fully 'open' (if it's partially closed) and/or restrict the flow of water _returning_ to your display tank.

Conversely: Too much much water in your sump? Then your drains are operating quicker than your pump can handle. So, either: restrict the flow of water draining to your sump (by partially closing your ball valve), or upgrade your pump (hint: the ball valve option is considerably less costly!)


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

And this is why I think your drain pipe is too small. I like it when the drain line is bigger than required. It provides room for error. I bet your tank is overflowing, right? If the sump is overflowing just take some water out.
If the tank is overflowing then you will have to reduce your flow in the return pump, which will reduce the turn over of water from your tank, which may not be a good thing.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm pretty sure I answered your question in my post....

I'll answer again....

Stockman overflow


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

altcharacter said:


> I'm pretty sure I answered your question in my post....
> 
> I'll answer again....
> 
> Stockman overflow


A Stockman is nothing more than "another type" of drain design/architecture&#8230; in and of itself, it won't resolve the OP's current predicament.

The current problem (as I understand it) is that there is too much water flowing _in one direction_ (whether that be -up- to the DT, or -down- to the sump&#8230; the OP has yet to state).

Start with the basics, then let the arguments over whether the OP should buy Chev/Ford/Dodge begin!


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Put a gate valve on the return line to equal the amount of water needed.

Very simple and easy...

But there will be twenty more opinions on what to do I'm sure


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## cb1021 (Sep 21, 2009)

Thanks for responses. I need to build a weir first. Biggest concerns were safety and noise.


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