Basement sump in the works-need plumbing help from you smart folks.

[amonchak]

but i recommend air testing the pipe before running any water. Meaning, cap both ends after it is built. But on one of the caps connect some sort of union valve which can be connected to a air pressure gauge and air compressor. Fill it up with air to a certain pressure then let it hold for a day or so. Use leak detector or soap on your fittings. Then if you have no leaks, your pressure stayed the same, cut the caps off and connect your final fittings. I am new to the saltwater hobby but I lay natural gas pipe for a living. I specialize in pvc and p.e. pipe.

From a safety stand point I highly recommend against pressure testing PVC pipe with air. All PVC manufactures will tell you the same please don't test PVC with air!!!! Use water if you like a pressure test.

I would also recommend to go big on the drains (2") and bigger on the pump lines (maybe up size to 1.5" lines after the pump and then down size just before you get to the tank or the discharge point). As I am sure you figured using the calculators the least amount of bends and larger diameter pipe will reduce the head loss in the pipe and increase your flow.

Are you planning on plumbing both pumps together or one to the 75/25 and one to the 125?

 

[Boogie]

was going to plumb for both but hope one did the job. Still working on manifold design. any ideas?

 

[amonchak]

What model pump exactly are you looking at using and what is the height of the top of the 75/25 and the height of the 125 and assuming the sump is 0 feet. Also is the 50' horizontal distance total including piping to all of the tanks?

Just a quick check of the pump curve (using Model 70 RT) and the flow increase that you get changing from 1" to 1.5" sch 40 pvc is change from ~15 feet of headloss to ~3 feet of headloss (this was just the pipe no fittings) and an increase of flow from ~18GPM to ~25 to 26 GPM (adding the fittings and your overall flow would drop but the increase in flow from different pipe sizes would still be proportional).

If you have two pumps your best bet to get the most flow would be to plumb one pump to the 125 and one to the 75/25 IMO.

 

[Boogie]

What model pump exactly are you looking at using and what is the height of the top of the 75/25 and the height of the 125 and assuming the sump is 0 feet. Also is the 50' horizontal distance total including piping to all of the tanks?

Just a quick check of the pump curve (using Model 70 RT) and the flow increase that you get changing from 1" to 1.5" sch 40 pvc is change from ~15 feet of headloss to ~3 feet of headloss (this was just the pipe no fittings) and an increase of flow from ~18GPM to ~25 to 26 GPM (adding the fittings and your overall flow would drop but the increase in flow from different pipe sizes would still be proportional).

If you have two pumps your best bet to get the most flow would be to plumb one pump to the 125 and one to the 75/25 IMO.

Iwaki 70vt (I have two). Was going to plumb one to the 125g and one to 75/25 (was also going to branch off of the 75/25 one and run a small frag tank and a reactor with it. Plan is to have two bulk heads coming out of sump, one to each pump, have both pumps plumb to a manifold but be able to ball valve them on/off to see if one pump runs it all.

11' height to 125. apx 4' to the 75/25 (vertical). 25' horizontal to each.

Ok, so, I believe the drains on the bottom of the tanks are 1.25" so I'll run 1.25" flex hose to a "y" then run individual 2" drains down (one from 125g one from 75/25g). Will then run 1.5" out of sump to pumps and from pumps to manifold, manifold to just under tanks and y to 1" (might be 1.25 as well, will have to look) to returns.

 

[saltySamurai]

since you're going to the trouble of doing the plumbing, I'd recommend you also consider running 2 identical drains instead of 1. As someone else said, if one drain clogs (normal buildup or some stuck fish / macro algae / snail), you have redundancy for very little additional effort or cost. This makes me sleep better at night with my setup - a little insurance against your sump water ending up on your floor.

 

[Boogie]

Well..here are the sump progress pics so far. Trying to figure out what to do with the chamber to the far right. I could split it and run a fuge in that section or???....what you guys think?

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