[plecosword]

Originally Posted by stephaniesquires

I will take pics of everything I can think of!!! It is much easier to understand with visual aides!! If I get done with work early enough tomorrow I will start with the basics. Got my fuge home today, so I have to make a Home Depot run for plumbing and etc.. and get to try drilling 'bulkheads' Should be a fun weekend!!!

I bet it will. The pics will be helpful for me too

[stacef]

Hi guys, I drew this up and think I am getting the hang of everything. Let me know what your opinion is, good and bad. Thanks guys!!

Click the bar above to make original size to be able to read the writing. (Sorry the font sucks, I couldn't figure out how to change it so it's more ledgible)

[plecosword]

those powerheads are cute lol!!, and is that an ro unit or a plugg!! and are you sure that is a skimmer?
JK

[e_baer]

Yeah, I think your getting the hang of it, but that might be a little too much flow in the sump. Maybe you can do something like this:




The orange represents the return line. Both return lines can be T'd off and fit with a ball valve. This way some of the flow goes from the return line and into the fuge and the fuge gets the amount of flow YOU want it to have. The flow should not be more that a couple hundred gph. maybe 2-3.

Hmmmmm...well the color didint come out, but you can tell the darker lines are the drain lines.

[stephaniesquires]

SEE it's starting to make sense!!! Good job! (one thing you dont need is a pump in the top off water. I may have confused you when I was talking about adding a pump to the tub where I mix salt water...), otherwise, I think you've got it!!

[stacef]

Ok, that didn't take near as long as I took, hahah. So, no drain lines would go into the fuge. When the water is being returned to the tank, both return lines will be "T'd" leading to the fuge. This would be controlled with a ball valve. You said no more that 2-300 gph, how would I know that I am not over doing it? Thanks so much for your help Elliot!

What I was thinking when I was drawing that all out was that the line going to the fuge, would be much smaller than the line going to the skimmer area. Is this to "uncontrolable" to set up like this?

Thanks!

[stephaniesquires]

I went to Home Depot today and got lots of plumbing stuff, I'm sure half of it wont work and I'll have to go back but I can get started, I will take pics of how I am connecting everything, hopefully that will make it easier for you and others planning future builds. I need longer hoses from the overflow to the sump but will have to go to a pool supply for those....

[stacef]

Steph--I don't need a pump in the auto top off? I may still be lost on the topics of auto top off then.

I was thinking that I was going to have two "trashcans" (in my case) one for mixing saltwater, and then one for the auto top off. If you do not need a pump for auto top off..then how does it work? Thanks!

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by stacef

Ok, that didn't take near as long as I took, hahah. So, no drain lines would go into the fuge. When the water is being returned to the tank, both return lines will be "T'd" leading to the fuge. This would be controlled with a ball valve. You said no more that 2-300 gph, how would I know that I am not over doing it? Thanks so much for your help Elliot!

What I was thinking when I was drawing that all out was that the line going to the fuge, would be much smaller than the line going to the skimmer area. Is this to "uncontrolable" to set up like this?

Thanks!

I am t'ing off one of my overflow lines to my fuge. You can buy a "flow meter" to see how much flow you have, I am not going to use one, I am going to control it with a ball valve and some guess work!!

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by stacef

Steph--I don't need a pump in the auto top off? I may still be lost on the topics of auto top off then.

I was thinking that I was going to have two "trashcans" (in my case) one for mixing saltwater, and then one for the auto top off. If you do not need a pump for auto top off..then how does it work? Thanks!

My auto top off is set up higher than the sump level I want - there is a 'valve' in the sump that opens when the sump is low, gravity lets the water flow and when the sump is high enough the valve automatically closes.. I do have two water containers, the overflow (in an ice chest) and the rolling trashcan...

[stacef]

Ok, Elliot do you think this looks better? It's starting to look more confusing. But it's hard to make it "simple" with everything that is going on. So I hope that I understood what you were saying. Thanks again!

(Once again, click on the bar above the image to get full size to read the text)

[e_baer]

Yup, I think you got it. You can also have the drain lines t'd if it is easier. 6 in one, half dozen the other.

[stacef]

You just said "I think you got it" That is such a huge relief. I went from being absolutely lost..to somewhat found. I finally putting it all together! Thanks so much! I will probably end up splitting them like you mentioned.

Also--the Drain lines...do those just "drain" right into the rank? Is there any sort of "head" on them?

[plecosword]

wow you leaned soo fast. you just started like less than like a week!. It wass all thanks to me right? lol

[stacef]

I have been studying like crazy!! And asking TONS of questions, probably annoying the heck out of everyone hahaha jk!

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by stacef

Also--the Drain lines...do those just "drain" right into the rank? Is there any sort of "head" on them?

Nope, they just go by gravity. The drainlines on a 220 are probably anywhere from 1.25-1.5" so they will drain probably around 12-2000 gph. I do not know for sure though, it is just an estimate.

[stacef]

Ok, another question--of course. I stated my last question wrong, confused myself I guess.

The return lines--do those just "drip" into the tank? Is there some sort of head or jet on them?

Also --What do you guys think of instead of t'ing off the return lines to the fuge, Put a 2-300 gph pump into the return section to pump into the fuge. This way the gph is controlled, no worrying about if I am over/under doing it at all. Let me know. Thanks!

[Jareth]

OK, why couldnt you control flow into the fuge by t-ing off the overflow with a small diameter pipe with a ball valve & flow meter? So the line that heads off into the fuge is only feeding 200gph. The water will always strive to be level, so you can drain less flow into the fuge that way. Or am I crazy?

The return lines will spit out whatever GPH your pump/headloss will allow.

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by stacef

Ok, another question--of course. I stated my last question wrong, confused myself I guess. The return lines--do those just "drip" into the tank? Is there some sort of head or jet on them? Also --What do you guys think of instead of t'ing off the return lines to the fuge, Put a 2-300 gph pump into the return section to pump into the fuge. This way the gph is controlled, no worrying about if I am over/under doing it at all. Let me know. Thanks!

Return lines are what bring the water from the sump/fuge back to the tank. The water is pumped back to the tank through your 'return lines'. There is a pump either in the sump or outside the sump. At the end of the return line there is usually a 'hose' called lok line - Loc-Line 3/4 inch Ball Socket Flexible Tube 6 inch (Saltwater Aquarium Supplies > Plumbing Parts > Loc-Line > 3/4in ) which is flexible and can be turned to point the direction you want your 'return flow'. There are different flow heads you can put on the return lines, mine are flare nozzles. This is what is on the end of my return line Loc-Line 3/4 inch x 3 inch Ball Socket Flare Nozzle (Saltwater Aquarium Supplies > Plumbing Parts > Loc-Line > 3/4in ) Clear as mud yet!!

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by stacef

Also --What do you guys think of instead of t'ing off the return lines to the fuge, Put a 2-300 gph pump into the return section to pump into the fuge. This way the gph is controlled, no worrying about if I am over/under doing it at all. Let me know. Thanks!

Originally I was thinking of doing the same thing. The challenge is to maintain equal flow between the overflow coming in and the return going back to the tank, too much coming in and you overflow, too much going out and you drain the fuge. My original plan was to put a flow meter on the overflow line coming in, and a low gph pump going out... But there is no safety that they will work together..... You could add a 'safety' measure by drilling some holes - or slits in the top of your fuge section so if it got too high it would overflow into the rest of the sump...

[plecosword]

Originally Posted by Jareth

OK, why couldnt you control flow into the fuge by t-ing off the overflow with a small diameter pipe with a ball valve & flow meter? So the line that heads off into the fuge is only feeding 200gph. The water will always strive to be level, so you can drain less flow into the fuge that way. Or am I crazy?

The return lines will spit out whatever GPH your pump/headloss will allow.

Ohh yeah, your crazy alrigh! lol

hahaha

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by stacef

Ok, another question--of course. I stated my last question wrong, confused myself I guess.

The return lines--do those just "drip" into the tank? Is there some sort of head or jet on them?

Also --What do you guys think of instead of t'ing off the return lines to the fuge, Put a 2-300 gph pump into the return section to pump into the fuge. This way the gph is controlled, no worrying about if I am over/under doing it at all. Let me know. Thanks!

you mean like this?

[stacef]

Yes Elliot, just like that!
What do you think???

[stacef]

Ok--now that I have actually thought about it. That is not a smart thing to do. It seems actually rather pointless. So, is the only answer the t off the lines?

What about a smaller drip line with a flow meter directly to the fuge from the overflow? I can draw it up if you'd like.

Anyways, Thanks again, I guess I was brainstorming outloud too quickly on that last thought!! Thanks!

[e_baer]

Originally Posted by stacef

Yes Elliot, just like that!
What do you think???

That acutally would work. Just make sure the pump is as far away form the fuge as possible. that way when the water overflows back into the return area, the pump wont be recirculating the same water.