DIY sump

[boardryder]

I was bored!

 

[KathyC]

Okay so I have my sump all planned out. Thanks again. I'm looking for some input on my plumbing to streamline my setup and reduce the amout of powerheads I need.

How well will it work if I plumb my UV sterilizer off of my overflow to the sump. I will have a a side 90 (http://pvcfittings.com/graphics/SideOutlet90s.jpg), splitting with one going direct to the sump and the other through the UV to the sump. I will have ball valves for flow control.

Also looking to do the same with my mag5 return branching it off to the display and one to my PO4 reactor. Ball valves will be used for flow control to the reactor.

I think it sounds like a solid idea and I'm pretty sure I've seen similar ways of doing this through pics. Hopefully I can get some feedback before I start so I don't have to start sniffing the pvc cement to make myself feel better when all goes wrong.

I'm far from an expert on sumps but I can see a thing or two that you might want to rethink.

Don't know if you've already purchased a UV, but the water must flow slowly through it or it will be basically useless. Plumbing it off your overflow to your sump won't work unless only a very small portion of water is being fed to the UV (read the instructions that came with it and see what it requires). More flow is not better when it comes to UV's.

There are 2 schools of thought on using your return to provide water movement in your tank. Some think the flow within the DT should mostly be controlled through the use of powerheads so that you have better control of the flow itself. The water coming from the return is treated more like 'bonus' flow, and is on the lower end of the scale. This method requires a return pump that simply will get the water back to your DT at the same rate as your overflow works.
Others use a more powerful return pump and sometimes put penductors on the returns, using them as the main flow within the tank, sometimes supplementing them with smaller powerheads.

Your thread states that you will be using a Mag 5 as your return pump (500gph before you deduct the headloss for the distance the water is traveling through your plumbing itself) .
You have that poor little pump doing an awful lot of work! Best to find out the requirements of all of those items you are looking to run. Start with the chiller and find out how much flow it requires (you'll kill it quickly if you don't provide the proper GHP!) Do the same with the skimmer requirements and the reactors.

There are some great idea and suggestions on this link for sump building..and it includes a head loss calculator link
http://www.melevsreef.com/allmysumps.html

I'm sure the folks here will jump in with other suggestions for you too!!
btw..what size is the DT?

 

[boardryder]

I'm not too worried about the overflow into the UV. I will have a ball valve so I can make all water or little water run through it.

It's branching off my mag5. It's already going through a chiller and up 4'. The output is perfect for my setup though at Around 300gph which is all my overflow can take. I am slightly worried about branching it off to my reactor. Even though not much flow will be going to it and the reactor will be right next to the pump do you think it will reduce the main flow by much?

 

[KathyC]

How much flow does the chiller require?
Is it a single overflow?

 

[boardryder]

It's a jbj 1/10 (240/960gph) and it's a single 1" overflow. I could always upgrade to a mag7 if I needed. I'm just trying to be green and save cut back on all the pumps.

Right now I think my flow is spot on. Chiller cools the tank in about 30 minutes and overflow is gushing just a tad much.

 

[KathyC]

With the Mag 5 you are just scraping by on the requirements for the chiller alone and that isn't taking any elbows into consideration on the head loss. If you plan on adding more to T off to reactors and the UV, it looks like you will have to upgrade the size of the pump.
Don't forget that the flow will slow over time as the build-up of slime and whatnot increases inside of the plumbing itself.

 

[boardryder]

So I got my glass pieces cut today. Using 10" high on the 1st chamber into a bubble trap with 4" high into the refugium so it can get some flow through it instead of just the top. The other end of the refugium will also be 10" high into a bubble trap with 6" high on the return. The return is lower incase for some reason I lose the siphon the main doesn't overflow, plus I have an ato so no worries about running dry.

Thanks to this site http://www.plumbingsupply.com/ since I can't find everything I want anywhere else I have decided to supply my UV, and reactor off of my overflow with the use of some t's, reducing couplings and ball valves(trying to be green along with saving on that electric bill!). I will leave my mag 5 to do all its' work pumping water back through the chiller to my display.

Does anyone t off their return for pressure release and less wear on the pump?

 

[autoponicz]

from what i know...the uv are usually connected to the return pumps..
....depending on which uv your using......the uv also should be filled completely to do it job effectively...when you use it on the drain...it will collect alot of detritus which will hinder the uv bulbs effectiveness...and you wouldnt be able to adjust the flow of the drain witout effecting the uv performance also...

 

[boardryder]

So I have 4 of the 5 baffles in that I decided to go with. The 5th piece was cut a little big by my glass shop so I need to bring it back to get a little shaved off. Of course the 4th one by far turned out the best (almost professinol looking), but the good thing is that I tested the return section (the first one I put in) and NO LEAKS after leaving it sit overnight. I'll post picks once I have it finished.

Is just regular silicone fine for use? I used the crappy Aquarium silicone in a hand tube that is way too much a pain to use is why I ask. I'm sure if I would've used the gun and tube silicone everything would have turned out much better.