# Plumbing the NEW Aquarium, thoughs?



## [KRAFTIG] (Apr 19, 2017)

So this is what I sketched for the initial plumbing apparatus for the new tank. The sump is going to be Eshopps AZU-100 (tank capacity 17 gallons). The aquarium itself is a custom 90 gallon 36x24x24 (fish only). My questions to the group are as follows:

1) What is wrong, or can be improved?
2) Is the Eshopps AZU-100 Sump large enough?

TIA!


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Looks fine but some tips and suggestions for longterm peace of mind:

- at the return in the aquarium, use LocLine and when the system is running, have the output nozzle just below the water level. This will create the siphon break and eliminate the need for the check valve. It will fail in the most inopportune time if not regularly checked.

- raise the backup drain to the same height as the bottom of the overflow teeth. the water level will go to about 1/2 way up the teeth but the flow backside will trickle down. Too low of a back-up you'll get the trickling sound of water dropping into the overflow and down the backup pipe.

- put a union after the pump discharge to help in disassembly for service/relplacement.

- spend the extra $ on True Union Ball Valves (TUBVs). The non union ones will get stiff/seize and if glued...you will lose your marbles 

Re: sump. It's a bare bones design and will serve its purpose. Just drop a skimmer in there and you have basic fundamental filtration for a SW system. When it comes to dealing with NO3, PO4 and carbon you will be looking at external reactors as there isn't alot of room to put equipment in the sump. Spend the $ on ones made from cell cast acrylic and machined flanges and SCH40 fittings.

For NO3, drop a few bricks of the BioBlocks(?) to start it takes time to colonize. May as well be ahead of the curve 

I would put the sump against one side of the cabninet so that you have a chunk of space to work with vs a bit on this side and a bit on the other. It will make the plumbing run a bit more work but you only do that once and done. Having to regularly fuss with supplemental equipment, if well laid out and accessible, makes these tasks easier and if it's easy to do , you will do it.

No knowing the clearance you have within the cabinet, ideally you want the gate valve in a vertical position as close as possible to the bottom of the drain line, ie, sump top. 

Horizontal will be fine as you arent pushing through 1000gph and you won't hear the fizz hitting the 90* fitting


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## jixer750 (Nov 23, 2014)

I agree with wtac on everything but I noticed you want to put a valve on one of the return lines?? You don't want too restrict the flow on a return line if it gets plugged not good.


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## [KRAFTIG] (Apr 19, 2017)

> - at the return in the aquarium, use LocLine and when the system is running, have the output nozzle just below the water level. This will create the siphon break and eliminate the need for the check valve. It will fail in the most inopportune time if not regularly checked.


Yes, Locline is the plan. Check value is a safety backup, which I will monitor.



> - raise the backup drain to the same height as the bottom of the overflow teeth. the water level will go to about 1/2 way up the teeth but the flow backside will trickle down. Too low of a back-up you'll get the trickling sound of water dropping into the overflow and down the backup pipe.


Thanks for the tip!



> - put a union after the pump discharge to help in disassembly for service/replacement.


I was going to use silicon or braided PVC pipe with the plastic securing clamps. Okay?



> - spend the extra $ on True Union Ball Valves (TUBVs). The non union ones will get stiff/seize and if glued...you will lose your marbles


Absolutely! The damn plumbing is costing a small fortune!



> Re: sump. It's a bare bones design and will serve its purpose. Just drop a skimmer in there and you have basic fundamental filtration for a SW system. When it comes to dealing with NO3, PO4 and carbon you will be looking at external reactors as there isn't alot of room to put equipment in the sump. Spend the $ on ones made from cell cast acrylic and machined flanges and SCH40 fittings.


Is the above (Magenta) in regards to sump or external reactors? Any suggestion of sumps too?



> For NO3, drop a few bricks of the BioBlocks(?) to start it takes time to colonize. May as well be ahead of the curve


Already in the plans 



> I would put the sump against one side of the cabninet so that you have a chunk of space to work with vs a bit on this side and a bit on the other. It will make the plumbing run a bit more work but you only do that once and done. Having to regularly fuss with supplemental equipment, if well laid out and accessible, makes these tasks easier and if it's easy to do , you will do it.
> 
> No knowing the clearance you have within the cabinet, ideally you want the gate valve in a vertical position as close as possible to the bottom of the drain line, ie, sump top.
> 
> Horizontal will be fine as you arent pushing through 1000gph and you won't hear the fizz hitting the 90* fitting


Thanks for your feedback much appreciated!


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## [KRAFTIG] (Apr 19, 2017)

jixer750 said:


> I agree with wtac on everything but I noticed you want to put a valve on one of the return lines?? You don't want too restrict the flow on a return line if it gets plugged not good.


Based on what I read this is a prerequisite, helps dial in the perfect flow for ultra quiet system, no?


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## jixer750 (Nov 23, 2014)

[KRAFTIG] said:


> Based on what I read this is a prerequisite, helps dial in the perfect flow for ultra quiet system, no?


To be honest I don't know how this make your sump quieter but post your results after it is running quite interested in the final results.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

The sump will hold the overlaying water in the DT and pipes when it goes from a running state to shut down. Roughly calculating to be a max 7gal. In essence you will not need a check valve. One less thing to spend $ and time on 

You just have to determine the max/min levels of various conditions that you will encounter as well as factoring the ideal skimmer water depth. I'll get into that later and something that should be stickied.

The only noise that that is inherent to a reef system are mechanicals (pumps, air intake of skimmer, etc) and water drainage to the sump. With a Herbie overflow system, noise is very minimal when dialed in. All that is left are the mechanicals. Choose the quietest pumps you can afford.

To clarify my magenta-ed statement, I was referring to external reactors. Most off the shelf sumps are a basic design. The EShopps is a prime example and uses space efficiently for what it is and for your application as well as spatial constraints within the cabinet area. You are better off going the present route and add on various reactors as needed vs the expense of a custom sump where IMHO/E won't be as effective down the road. 

You can use tubing and clamps but I prefer union fittings...no need to fiddle with tools in a hunched position...twist off and done...yeah...I'm old and "lazy"


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