Remodeling Office and Plan on including my Future Reef tank into the build...

[JonCherba]

I'm remodeling one of our extra bedrooms into an office. I plan on building cabinets next to and around my reef tank. more to hide support equipment then anything. I plan on building some reef tank specific plumbing into the wall. The RODI system will be in the cabinet next to the tank along with 2-3 16 gallon storage tanks. one will be for pre-mixed saltwater for water changes, one for RODI, one for fresh / kalk mix storage / top off.

My system will be 2 40 gallon breeder tanks, one display and the other for the sump. in the sump i plan on having a emergency overflow to outside the house, the plumbing will run from the tank into the wall and out into the yard.

I also plan on making water changes easy by including a drain with a valve at a specific height in the tank that can be opened to drain approx. 20%. Then a pump from the saltwater holding tank will transfer its contents to the sump. This is the plan anyways...

both the emergency overflow and the water change drain will be plumbed into the same drain to the outside, any suggestions on what size of pipe should work best? i was thinking 2" should be plenty, it will be in a 2x4 wall.

would it be safe to use a brass fitting before the RODI system?

I'm trying to make life easier with the more mundayne of chores, I plan on monitoring the output of both drains as a precaution. the ATO will be using a dosing pump so that i don't run into the issues of pumps getting trashed by the kalk if i decide to use it later.

 

[SPR1968]

I can’t help with the specific question but I can bump the thread to see if we can get you some attention

 

[rwb500]

yes you can use brass/copper fittings before your RO DI unit.

I would rethink the whole outdoor drain idea. With matching sump and display volumes, the chance of a sump overflow is basically zero unless your ATO completely malfunctions (get a good one) or unless things are designed with no margin for error (hard to do).

You could still use the drain for water changes. But do you really want to be dumping saltwater right outside your house regularly?

If you really hate buckets, consider making a 10 gallon holding tank, with a powerful pump and prefilter, that pumps waste water through a 1/2 or 3/4" PEX line through the walls to a nearby drain (maybe along the same course as your RO DO supply line and waste line).

 

[JonCherba]

Will dumping saltwater outside hurt anything? Maybe a bit of buildup from the minerals...Would it be more advisable to dump it into my septic system instead with all of the other waste from the house?

I was planning on plumbing the RO waste line into the same drain as the emergency overflow / water change drain, to the outside...

It would not be much more work to tap into the drain for the house. There is a bathroom next to the room were I was planning on tapping into the water supply.

 

[minorhero]

Saltwater will kill plants and keep other plants from growing if you dump it on the regular. If you live in an area that gets cold, keep in mind your drain can freeze over and plug if exposed to the air. Another concern is mice and other pests going into an exposed drain line and either entering your house or plugging the line or both.

Better to run it into the houses sewer/septic line instead.

 

[JonCherba]

I'll be connecting to my house drain to the septic system. I'll be adding a p-trap and an extra vent in the wall. I'll probably go with 1.5" PVC...

 

[JonCherba]

I have decided to include a small bar sink near the tank. I was thinking cold water only would be plenty but warm would be nice when washing hands. What does everyone think?

I'll include some images of my basic rendering when I get a chance so everyone can have a better idea of what I'm planning to give better suggestions and whatnot.