manifold building for dummies needed

[Djplus1]

Manifolds are great, but the one thing that has always made me uneasy is figuring our the flow out of each output. It's not as simple as opening them all halfway and then dividing the output of your pump by the amount of outlets and halving that number or whatever. Outputs on one end will have more flow going out then the other and so forth, so if your skimmer say needs 500 gallons per and your display needs 1200 per, and your reactors need 150 per, and your chiller needs 600 per, how in the heck do you get that just right? Every little adjustment made to one will in turn affect each other output. If none of your specifications are that tight, may be you can just "eyeball test" everything, but certain pieces of equipment supposedly "need" to be at a certain flow rate.

 

I personally designed a manifold for air agitation in my anodizing line, and each output is air, but it's the same premise. I on the other hand can just see if something is bubbling too hard or perhaps not at all, which is easy to see in bubbles, but not so much in water flow.

 

If someone can give a effective method of measuring these outputs independently, I am certainly all ears, as it has been the one thing keeping me from bothering with it, especially since operating one giant pump and making something out of plumbing fittings for <$100  is waaaay appealing in the long run.

[jacobB89]

bah looking at this thread after i talked to monkiboy i realized i got the cheaper manifold. Just ordered the better one now lol o well worth it in the end.

[going deep]

Hello,

Came across this while researching how to build a manifold!  I would like to build one using this approach but a couple of questions please:

1.  My return line is 3/4 in,  but the manifold is 1" id, i believe.  What do i need to connect the manifold to the 3/4 in return line, a reducer?

2.  Would this be the same reducer to use to connect the cepex ball valve?

Appreciate any help.  I am sure I will have more qustions as I start the bulld.  Thanks!

[zygote2k]

You'll need a reducing bushing 1" to 3/4" 

Try to keep all the fittings the same size as the rest of your manifold until you get to pump connections or bulkhead connection.

 

FWIW, Sched 80 is unneccesary overkill unless being used in high traffic, high impact areas.

[going deep]

Thanks.