Connecting two glass sumps

[jp1986]

I am planning to connect two glass aquarium diy sumps together via bulkheads and pvc pipe. One is a 60 breeder and the other is a 40 breeder. Water will drain from my tank to the 60 breeder which will have filter socks and skimmer, and then flow through to the 40 breeder which will be a refugium and the return pump. Do I need to worry about what bulkhead size/pipe I use to make sure it flows properly through the next tank? Would two pipes connecting be enough or should I do three? The display is a 300 gallon.

 

[leewish]

I am planning to connect two glass aquariums diy sumps together via bulkheads and pvc pipe. One is a 60 breeder and the other is a 40 breeder. Water will drain from my tank to the 60 breeder which will have filter socks and skimmer, and then flow through to the 40 breeder which will be a refugium and the return pump. Do I need to worry about what bulkhead size/pipe I use to make sure it flows properly through the next tank? Would two pipes connecting be enough or should I do three? The display is a 300 gallon.

I think the newer large Red Sea tanks have a similar setup to what you are describing and just run 2 bulkheads

 

[leewish]

I think the newer large Red Sea tanks have a similar setup to what you are describing and just run 2 bulkheads

I would do 2” drains. Won’t hurt and better to be safe than sorry especially if 1 got blocked.

 

[Staghorn]

My current sump of about 13 years is composed of a 29 gallon and a 20 gallon long tank the 29 was an old display that I drilled the back for 1 1/2” bulk head, the water flows through this bulk head and into the the 20 gallon. Once the water flows through get about 400-450 gallons per hour I get a slurping sound less flow was incredibly silent. Maybe go with bigger bulkheads to allow for more flow. Otherwise it works very well.

 

[jp1986]

My current sump of about 13 years is composed of a 29 gallon and a 20 gallon long tank the 29 was an old display that I drilled the back for 1 1/2” bulk head, the water flows through this bulk head and into the the 20 gallon. Once the water flows through get about 400-450 gallons per hour I get a slurping sound less flow was incredibly silent. Maybe go with bigger bulkheads to allow for more flow. Otherwise it works very well.

Are yours just open, or did you put any type of strainer on the bulkhead?

 

[PPBlimpy]

i have a redsea s1000 and it has a setup sort of like you described. runs 2 40mm bulkheads.

The thing I do not like is it make a BIg U shape and "extensions" sump flows funny. but as you described would work better then the redsea design.

this setup flows in thru one and then back out thru the second extremely limiting flow. if you did two and 1.5" it should handle anything you want to throw at it.

 

[jp1986]

Would it be a good idea to put a intake screen on the bulkhead in the refugium, the second connected sump, so the algae doesn't somehow flow back in to the first sump in the event of a power outage? Or would that limit/reduce the flow between the two? I'd only have it on the refugium size of the connection.

 

[PPBlimpy]

It is funny you ask that. Yes put a screen! Not sure it will back flow but anything can happen. With two 1.5" pipes you should be able to sustain plenty of flow with strainers in place

My redsea sump is different then what you are designing but what happened last night has my mind set on swapping to a frag grow out instead of Refugium in my extensions sump and finalizing my chaeto reactors.

I came home from work to an empty ATO bucket. Currently just using a 5G bucket while I run lines under my house to hook up to my mixing station. I bring it up to about the 3 gallon mark every morning. I evaporate 2G daily.

Anyways a chunk of chaeto broke off and got stuck in one of the connector pipes. This slowed down flow, dropped the levels in my return chamber kicking on the ATO. Luckily its a big system 260G total so an extra gallon wont harm anything but if I had it plumbed to my mixing station it would have pushed another 5-8 gallons before turning off. Probably wouldn't hurt to bad still but its irritating.

 

[Staghorn]

Are yours just open, or did you put any type of strainer on the bulkhead?

I had a strainer at one point but eliminated it. It’s just another part to clean. I do have a 90 on both sides of the bulkhead and they’re installed horizontally