Loc line question

[DarthRaiderBob]

Kind if a 2 part question
1. Can loc lines be shortened? And
2. Can I redo my return plumbing on my tank safely with the tank live, I have e a Jebao return pump I'd like to put on the tank but, I want to even out the runs to the returns at the same time. Can I safely assemble and glue new return lines on the tank with livestock in tank?

 

[UncommonSense]

Kind if a 2 part question
1. Can loc lines be shortened? And
2. Can I redo my return plumbing on my tank safely with the tank live, I have e a Jebao return pump I'd like to put on the tank but, I want to even out the runs to the returns at the same time. Can I safely assemble and glue new return lines on the tank with livestock in tank?

1. Assuming you are taking about more than one short segment; yes, individual segments can be added or removed from a length of Loc-line as desired! — There is a special line assembly/dissasembly tool, otherwise; pliers and some force is the way!

2. You can, just wait for the pipe cement to fully cure before running water through the new plumbing! — Possibly consider making a temporary return using a smaller pump and some tubing/etc hung over the display’s rim to keep the system circulating while you wait.

 

[Red_Beard]

Yep, as lited above loc line is modular. Add, remove etc.
I have redone my plumbing before on my tank while it was live. No problems. I moved a heater up into the display temporarily, cut out the old one, made up a new one with larger pipe. I let it cure an hour or so and let it rip. No issues. Can be done.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

1. Assuming you are taking about more than one short segment; yes, individual segments can be added or removed from a length of Loc-line as desired! — There is a special line assembly/dissasembly tool, otherwise; pliers and some force is the way!

2. You can, just wait for the pipe cement to fully cure before running water through the new plumbing! — Possibly consider making a temporary return using a smaller pump and some tubing/etc hung over the display’s rim to keep the system circulating while you wait.

Thanks for the reply. I have 2 six inch sections on the returns that came with the tank, what I'd like to do is add a y at the return and order one six inch section and split it in 2 for shorter returns. 2 straight out and the longer ones kind of in and x to the opposite corners of the tank.

I figured I would build the new return plumbing as far as I could, shut the old return pump down and attach everything on a Saturday morning and then be able to fire up the new return pump in the evening. I only need to glue 2 spots on existing plumbing.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

Yep, as lited above loc line is modular. Add, remove etc.
I have redone my plumbing before on my tank while it was live. No problems. I moved a heater up into the display temporarily, cut out the old one, made up a new one with larger pipe. I let it cure an hour or so and let it rip. No issues. Can be done.

I have a spare heater I can run in my tank and a gyre for temporary circulation. It's just too big to be on my tank full time.

 

[UncommonSense]

Thanks for the reply. I have 2 six inch sections on the returns that came with the tank, what I'd like to do is add a y at the return and order one six inch section and split it in 2 for shorter returns. 2 straight out and the longer ones kind of in and x to the opposite corners of the tank.

Clever thinking! Are you using Random Flow Generators as your return nozzles?

Here’s what I’m playing with currently, for inspiration!

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

I do use rfg nozzles. And I happen to have 2 extra in my spare parts bin.
I've been struggling with noticeable dead spots for flow in my tank. I'm not running any power heads at the moment although there's one for sale for a reasonable price close to me that I might pick up over the weekend. But I think most of the problem is that my right side return is basically straight up from the return pump while the left side runs from the right side all the way to the left side and is losing alot of pressure in the trip. I Caan fix that by bringing the return out in the middle and having equal runs right to left giving equal runs to each return. Then I can add the new nozzles and give myself more options for flow patterns in the tank. Right now I have them facing each other across the back of the tank.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

 

[Red_Beard]

In my pipe, i added a few extra threaded tees so i can add lockline return nozzles in 4 places. I am only using 2 to keep flow velocity up though and the rest are capped.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

Another slightly related question but not really I suppose, the jebao pump I am going to install is a dcq-10000, I bought it for my 125 I had. Do you guys think this is overkill or will be fine if I turn it way down. It's rated at about 2600 gph which I know it would never do that but at 30% would be theoretically 8x turnover per hour.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

Also, do you run check valves on your returns?

 

[Red_Beard]

Add a union right before your flex line to the pump. That dc10000 should work dialed down, but if it doesn't all you have to re plumb for a new pump is that short section to the union. Then you can also remove the pump easily for cleaning too if desired.

I do not recommend check valves.

 

[Aaron75]

No on check valves and I do believe that pump is going to be way overkill. I think you would want a 6500

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

No on check valves and I do believe that pump is going to be way overkill. I think you would want a 6500

If I was buying a new pump I would buy a smaller pump but I already own this pump so, I'm going to use it to replace the ac pump that is on the tank now. I will probably run it in wave mode like I did on my 125 and turn it down as far as I can. I also will have valves on my return lines so I can limit flow that way as well if I need to.

 

[Aaron75]

If I was buying a new pump I would buy a smaller pump but I already own this pump so, I'm going to use it to replace the ac pump that is on the tank now. I will probably run it in wave mode like I did on my 125 and turn it down as far as I can. I also will have valves on my return lines so I can limit flow that way as well if I need to.

You run your return pump on wave mode? It should work, turnover might just be a little high

 

[Red_Beard]

It is harder to keep an ato stable in wave mode. Turnover would average out to the same though.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

You run your return pump on wave mode? It should work, turnover might just be a little high

I ran it on wave mode on my 125 gallon it just worked the best for quieting the terrible overflow setup I had on it. It was very poorly designed to say the least but I had no idea what I was doing.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

It is harder to keep an ato stable in wave mode. Turnover would average out to the same though.

I never even thought about that. I did manual top off on my 125, it used basically a gallon a day so I would just dump a gallon of ro water in every morning. I'll just have to watch it when I do the pump change and see how it's doing.

 

[Red_Beard]

I never even thought about that. I did manual top off on my 125, it used basically a gallon a day so I would just dump a gallon of ro water in every morning. I'll just have to watch it when I do the pump change and see how it's doing.

If you are manual top off, no worries. Wave mode though could make the water level in the pump chamber go up and down enough to trigger the ato way too much though, depending on the type of sensor and size of the chamber. But manual top off it wont make any difference whatsoever, unless you create more surface agitation which you may need to add a little more water each time, but that is no big deal at all.

 

[DarthRaiderBob]

I run a tunze 5017 on this tank. Has an optical sensor and then a float valve for over fill. Something I'll ha e to keep an eye on when I do it.