Plumbing help

[JoaoMP]

Hello all,

So, I received my new reef tank a week ago and this weekend I started to plumb it and I noticed something that might force me to change plans and thus I need you advice!

Setup & initial plan:
- Tank Dimensions: 36x36x18 (90x90x45cm)
- Water Volume on DT: 96G (365L)
- Water Volume on Sump: 26G (100L)
- Plumbing System: Simplified Bean Animal, tank has 3 holes - 1 drain with valve, 1 emergengy drain, 1 return
- Jebao DCP3000 return pump - 800gph max
- Plan was to use 1inch plumbing on both drains and on the return as well (hard pvc)

Problem:
- 2 of the holes are too small to fit the 1inch bulkhead. On the third hole I can fit a 1inch bulkhead

Solution:
1 - reduce all the plumbing to 3/4 (my favorite, any issues?)
2 - reduce main drain to 3/4, keep emergency at 1inch and reduce return to 3/4
3 - reduce main drain to 3/4, reduce emergency to 3/4, maintain return at 1inch
4 - keep all the plumbing at 1inch, use 3/4 bulkhead and buy adapters from 3/4 to 1inch (main drain flow will be reduced anyway to the the valve)
5 - send the tank back to the shop to increase the size of the 2 defective holes (not my favourite, it is super heavy)

What do you think?

 

[Reefer1978]

I think you are overthinking it. 2x 3/4" for the drains should be ok. You can leave return as 1", you have a controllable pump, you can tweak how much water goes through the tank.

On a separate note, DCP3000 is too small for your tank. I would go with DCP-10000. That's what I ran on Reefer 425xl which is 88 gallons.

 

[JoaoMP]

Well, if 3/4 is enough to plumb this tank it will save me a lot of work, just need to go to the store and replace the plumbing Thks for taking the time to analyse this question

3/4 main drain with valve
3/4 emergency drain
1inch return

Regarding pump power, I have another one that is a bit more powerful if needed

 

[homer1475]

Herbie setup.

3/4" main siphon
3/4" emergency
1" returns

No need to overthink it.

 

[sam2110]

Sounds good to me

 

[JoaoMP]

So, to summarize general consensus seems to be that 3/4 is enough for the flow this tank will have.

On a side note @homer1475 it is actually not an herbie, it is a simplified bean animal, emergency drain will have a durso with a hole on top thus acting as a syphon if hole is covered by water. Rui Gaspar is the father of this simplification.

 

[X-37B]

1" is the drain. 3/4" is the return.
I use both on my 120 and 45 frag tank.
The other 3/4" is the emergency if you want.
I also run the hole in the top of the drain. Works well.

 

[homer1475]

But then you have 2 full siphons and no way of knowing when you have an emergency?

The whole point of an emergency not going into full siphon, is it makes a ton of noise so you can hear something is wrong. Hence an EMERGENCY because the main siphon is blocked.

Maybe I'm just not understanding the idea, but it doesn't sound like a good one to me.

FWIW I run a herbie, and having an open emergency has saved my floors from flooding a couple times.

 

[JoaoMP]

@homer1475
no, we will not have 2 shyphons, let me elaborate.

1 - if main drain is blocked the first fail safe system is the durso (hole on top not blocked by water thus it does not act as a shypon)

2 - if the durso is unable to drain all water, water level will rise on the overflow and the second fail safe system will kick in. This second line of defense is the hole on top of the durso. IF and only if this hole is covered we will have the durso act as a full shypon

The only difference vs the normal bean animal system is that instead of 3 holes on the tank we use 2 holes only. A lot of us here use this system, it is super safe, simpler and has zero noise during normal operation.

 

[homer1475]

Since I run a herbie setup, I might have to try that. I had never heard of it.

 

[JoaoMP]

1" is the drain. 3/4" is the return.
I use both on my 120 and 45 frag tank.
The other 3/4" is the emergency if you want.
I also run the hole in the top of the drain. Works well.

@90's reefer Why do you prefer this setup instead of what other members have suggested (3/4 for drains and 1 for return)? Thanks

 

[X-37B]

Why do you prefer this setup instead of what other members have suggested (3/4 for drains and 1 for return)? Thanks

1" is standard which equals more flow, if you want.
Its also the way most tanks are setup from the manufacturer.
I run low flow at 2-300gph through my 120 sump with 1/2" return.
My 120 is a 1" bulkhead with a 11/4" pipe. For me it is just what works and is very quiet.
On my 45 i run standard 1" and 1/2" return.
Both run hole in top with no extra emergency overflow.
I have ran this way forever, since mid 90's with no issues.

 

[DaAznGuy]

Agree with 90’s on using 3/4” for return. On a tank that size there isn’t a need for a 1” return. Plus most pumps under 1000gal/hr are setup for 1/2” or 3/4” output. If you plan on using siphon for main drain use the 3/4 and use the 1” for the emergency.

 

[Reefer1978]

This is exactly how all Red Sea and Waterbox tanks are. 2 drains, one acts as both "silencer" and emergency.