Frag Tank Setup

[Nate]

I currently have a 40 gallon breeder setup as a stand alone frag tank. It is getting pretty full so I am building a second one. I wasn't sure how I wanted to plumb the new tank into the old one. After quite a bit of thinking I came to the conclusion of running Four 40 gallon breeders in one setup. Two for the display frag tanks and two for the sumps/refugium. I Made up a basic diagram of how I am going to be setting them up. My question is if I need to link the two sumps together (yellow) to prevent them from overflowing in the event that one pump begins to pump faster.

 

[DaveS]

I'd have to sit down and go through all the failure modes but something tells me you'd be better off with plumbing the sumps together as you have shown in yellow AND do something similar with the frag tanks up top. One pump pumping faster is less of an issue than EITHER pump failing- an event with 2x the probability than if you only had one pump.

[Nate]

Originally I wanted to set up the two frag tanks in a cascading setup. This wouldn't work because the amount of flow was going to be too much for the last tanks overflow to handle. I have already purchased all the tanks and will hopefully have this thing up and running sometime in the next few weeks. I don't think that I need to link the two displays together if the sumps are linked. This way if a pump does fail, like Dave said, the water will just flow from one sump to the other vs overflowing one sump. But I would really appreciate other people's input here. Maybe I am overlooking a much simpler way. Nothing is set in stone yet aside from using four 40 gallon tanks.

[DaveS]

Thought about this a tiny bit more and have another example of why my gut thinks you need that connection between the displays. What if the drain on one of your display tanks gets clogged? I think that tank will likely over fill and put water on your floor.

 

Basically if you don't have all the tanks fully meshed, there are various failure modes in which you will have to be able to handle all the overflow from 3 of your tanks in one of the tanks.

 

This approach is different than cascading them but as a result, you have different issues to account for.

[TROLL]

This set-up won't work well, you have to factor in for power failure and many other issue. My best suggest would be changing refugium and sump for one long tank that accommodate both features. Both pumps going to top tanks from sump instead of crisscross manner.

[lanman]

Originally I wanted to set up the two frag tanks in a cascading setup. This wouldn't work because the amount of flow was going to be too much for the last tanks overflow to handle. I have already purchased all the tanks and will hopefully have this thing up and running sometime in the next few weeks. I don't think that I need to link the two displays together if the sumps are linked. This way if a pump does fail, like Dave said, the water will just flow from one sump to the other vs overflowing one sump. But I would really appreciate other people's input here. Maybe I am overlooking a much simpler way. Nothing is set in stone yet aside from using four 40 gallon tanks.

 

Make a 2nd hole So you can just use one pump.

 

bob

[Nate]

This set-up won't work well, you have to factor in for power failure and many other issue. My best suggest would be changing refugium and sump for one long tank that accommodate both features. Both pumps going to top tanks from sump instead of crisscross manner.

 

I wish I could have gone with one long tank as a sump but I already bought the tanks and there is no turning back.

 

I have decided to link the two. I think it will do fine. The yellow link is going to be a 2 inch pvc pipe which should be adequate in transferring water from one sump to the other in the event of a power outage, pump failure or what ever might happen.

[reefmontalvo]

I currently have a 40 gallon breeder setup as a stand alone frag tank. It is getting pretty full so I am building a second one. I wasn't sure how I wanted to plumb the new tank into the old one. After quite a bit of thinking I came to the conclusion of running Four 40 gallon breeders in one setup. Two for the display frag tanks and two for the sumps/refugium. I Made up a basic diagram of how I am going to be setting them up. My question is if I need to link the two sumps together (yellow) to prevent them from overflowing in the event that one pump begins to pump faster.

 

 

I would link the Sump and Fug together, then have one pump split and feed both tanks and have both tanks return to your sump. Just make sure you have your bulk heads placed high in the the display tanks and I would use flex hose as the drain for the tanks. Also I and this is my thought would use a drop in pump to save space on your floor.

 

And lastly if you check you drain mesh weekly, daily or monthly, you will spot and clear most problems with it not working or starting to get clogged.

[Nate]

Redesigned the plans. Each main display will have a 1500gph overflow kit installed with two 1 1/2 inch pvc drains. The return lines will be 3/4 inch. The yellow pipe will now act as an overflow between the fuge and sump and be constructed of two 2 inch pvc. If this setup becomes the final decision then I am going to need a new pump. If anyone has a pump rated for approximately 3,000gph, or knows of someone that does, please let me know. Also, please give me some input on this new setup.

 

[reefmontalvo]

Looks better try to keep the setup as simple as possible.

[Boret]

Why do you want so much flow??

 

I will simplify. Drill Frag#1 and connect to Frag#2, Drill overflow from Frag#2 into Sump, connect Sump with Fuge, and pump return from Fuge into Frag#1.

 

Are you going to run a Skimmer?If so, I guess you want to run it in the sump?

 

If you have the space I will definitely go for a bigger sump and place the fuge in there. Basicly fuge is your 1st filtration, then sump with skimmer and rocks your 2nd filtration.

[Vader]

I'm going to throw a wrench into this, but don't you want lower flow through a refugium than your sump? It looks like you're trying to get this done by only using 1 pump. With that idea, I would pipe the drain line from tank 2 directly to the sump, but place a tee in that line, and installl a ball valve in the piping that is going to the refugium, to controll flow.

 

Anyone??

[Boret]

I see your point Vader. I was a bit concern about the pod population not getting to the main tank to feed the main tank.

Most of the sump/fuge designs that I've seen have the skimmer in the area where water pours from the overflow, a few baffles to reduce bubbles, a middle section with the return pump and a fuge that feeds either from that middle section with a smaller pump or with a tee from the main overflow. In turn the refugium overflows into that middle section and returns to main tank.

[Vader]

Boret, wouldn't the pods flow from the refugium to the sump, then into the display tank ?

[Vader]

double post...opps. server is running slow tonight.

Edited May 29, 2009 by Vader

[Nate]

I'm going to throw a wrench into this, but don't you want lower flow through a refugium than your sump? It looks like you're trying to get this done by only using 1 pump. With that idea, I would pipe the drain line from tank 2 directly to the sump, but place a tee in that line, and installl a ball valve in the piping that is going to the refugium, to controll flow.

 

Anyone??

 

I see what you are saying. I still have not decided on which pump to use yet so the flow is yet to be determined. It might end up being a lot less flow than I want. I prefer more flow through my refuge mainly to keep it clean and the chateo free from stuff getting stuck in it. I want to keep the plumbing as simple as possible so adding a "T" to the drain from tank #2 would just add more unnecessary piping. Thanks for your 2 cents though. I am pretty sure that my final plan is going to work very well. I plan on sticking my protein skimmer in the sump section. I am looking for advise on what type of light to use over my fuge though.