FrankenTank
New Member
I’m pretty new to all of this but hopefully I’m on the right track. I started in the Hobby in November 2025 with a Cobalt AIO 45g cube. Immediately fell for it and wanted to go bigger. I have put together some pieces from marketplace but wanted to see about my plumbing and/or plans for plumbing.
For context, the display is a Waterbox Reef LX 290.6, the cabinet and sump are from a Cade 1800 S2/p. From left to right, it is the emergency drain, primary drain, secondary drain and then the return. Rather than coming down and doing several 90’s I used some 45’s from the drain to what was the filter sock compartment. I took out the cups and plan on removing the smaller glass panels inside the compartment to run a filter roller, likely a Reefmat 1200. Thought is I will do a 90 and a T to connect the two drains in the compartment and then attached the hose for the reef mat so both will flow through. Front left section will be for my skimmer, however I am also thinking of running a small pump out of this section to the UV and then have the UV exit directly into the return section. I think this part so far is pretty sound, but definitely open to feedback.
The return is a bit of a challenge though. So the in the design of the sump the back right corner is the return chamber. But the return without and bends comes down just to the left. Here is the plan, I want to run two return pumps for redundancy, and rather than try to cram everything in that corner I was going to run the pluming to the left over that would be the refugium but I would run soft silicone hose from the pump in the return section to the return fitting.
I want the one straight dedicated as laid out and another ball valve before the horizontal tee a one after having the second return pump feed in from the bottom of the tee and then run the manifold after. Although maybe the ball valve after the Tee can be switched with a union in stead. I’ll note I don’t know if I even need or will use the manifold after but I also figured since it came with the sump I can have it plumb in now and be a bit future ready.
Does this make sense? Should it work or is there fundamental errors in my thinking? Am I needlessly over complicating things?
Please disregard the random deck lights with cords hanging haven’t decided if I will stick with them for lighting in the sump and haven’t tucked the cords. Also disregard the beach clamps, started cycling some rock in the sump and using the return pump for some movement and flow.
For context, the display is a Waterbox Reef LX 290.6, the cabinet and sump are from a Cade 1800 S2/p. From left to right, it is the emergency drain, primary drain, secondary drain and then the return. Rather than coming down and doing several 90’s I used some 45’s from the drain to what was the filter sock compartment. I took out the cups and plan on removing the smaller glass panels inside the compartment to run a filter roller, likely a Reefmat 1200. Thought is I will do a 90 and a T to connect the two drains in the compartment and then attached the hose for the reef mat so both will flow through. Front left section will be for my skimmer, however I am also thinking of running a small pump out of this section to the UV and then have the UV exit directly into the return section. I think this part so far is pretty sound, but definitely open to feedback.
The return is a bit of a challenge though. So the in the design of the sump the back right corner is the return chamber. But the return without and bends comes down just to the left. Here is the plan, I want to run two return pumps for redundancy, and rather than try to cram everything in that corner I was going to run the pluming to the left over that would be the refugium but I would run soft silicone hose from the pump in the return section to the return fitting.
I want the one straight dedicated as laid out and another ball valve before the horizontal tee a one after having the second return pump feed in from the bottom of the tee and then run the manifold after. Although maybe the ball valve after the Tee can be switched with a union in stead. I’ll note I don’t know if I even need or will use the manifold after but I also figured since it came with the sump I can have it plumb in now and be a bit future ready.
Does this make sense? Should it work or is there fundamental errors in my thinking? Am I needlessly over complicating things?
Please disregard the random deck lights with cords hanging haven’t decided if I will stick with them for lighting in the sump and haven’t tucked the cords. Also disregard the beach clamps, started cycling some rock in the sump and using the return pump for some movement and flow.
