Running AWC and ATO lines through crawl space.

[Richmond]

Hello DIY team! I'm planning out how to plumb a few things for my new tank. I'm going to run the plumbing either through the floor into the crawl space, or through the wall down into the crawl space. I'm considering options and was interested in opinions on the way to proceed.

Automatic waterchange w/ DOS
* Current thought: Wall plate with RODI connection drilled through (unless this exists), flex tubing connected - think this will be clean, and simple
ATO w/ DOS
* Current thought: same as AWC - wall plate, flex tubing (wall plate will have 3 RODI connections - AWC clean, AWC waste, ATO)
BIG water change
* 1/2 inch pex in/out, probably through a fiber wall plate

For the big water change, I would like the option to connect a python to the waste line so I can siphon the sand and not have to lug buckets. Any thoughts on easily accomplishing this? A splitter in the 1/2 out line with a on/off valve and adapter?

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Brett S]

I’m not quite sure what you mean by “RODI connections”. Are you talking about the john guest/mur-lok/push connect type fittings?

Honestly I don’t think I’d want to put any fittings on a wall plate like that. The more fittings you have the more places you have for a leak. I have my ATO and AWC lines run through my wall, into my attic, then down into my garage and I just have one unbroken tube for the whole run. I can see how a wall plate might look a little nicer, but given that it will be behind the tank anyway I’m not sure I’d prioritize looks over leak resistance.

I originally ran vinyl tubing for this, but I had a problem where my NSW tube would get clogged with precipitate about once a year. The ATO and the OSW tubes never got clogged. I would blow it out with pressurized air and then run some vinegar through the line and it would be good for another year or so. I replaced the NSW vinyl tube with a polyethylene tube and I haven’t had any clogs yet. I would suggest using polyethylene for at least the NSW line.

Running a drain of some sort would be good too, that way you could potentially drain your skimmate right into the drain and if you got a trident you could put that in the drain. You could also siphon into the drain for your big water changes. Just make sure that the drain always slopes down so you don’t wind up with clogs. I believe if you look at the plumbing forums you’ll see that there is a standard for this... It needs to come down x inches for each foot of horizontal run.

You didn’t mention power, but I would also run two separate circuits to the tank as well and spIt the loads between them. That way if one circuit breaker or GFCI trips then some of your equipment will keep running and keep powering the tank. For example, I have two return pumps and two heaters and one of each pair is plugged into a different circuit.