YHSublime July 29, 2013 Author Share July 29, 2013 Wow. There is a lot of information coming at me right now. I think what I'm going to do is get my bulkheads from quantum tonight. Go to home depot and sit in the PVC section for about 2 hours. Buy that PVC cutter. Stop playing around and start making some magic happen. Stay tuned for more stupid comments and questions as I go down the road of a first time plumbing situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 29, 2013 Share July 29, 2013 Do it my way! hehe Here's a good primer on hydraulics and flow rates and stuff with a calculator for full siphon drains. The chart posted on the last page is for open air drains, I think. http://www.beananimal.com/articles/hydraulics-for-the-aquarist.aspx As you increase flow through a given pipe it goes from silent film flow to flushing sound slug flow (basically the films on the walls start to touch in the middle) to trickly/swishy bubbly flow (mostly water with some air bubbles coming from a durso vent, for instance), to silent full siphon. It's the air in the pipe that makes the noise, not the water, heh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 29, 2013 Author Share July 29, 2013 So Quantum Reefs was pretty sure my bulkheads were meant to be 1". I went with threaded instead of slip, as I didn't want to have to glue underneath and about. Should there be any wiggle room inbetween the glass hole and the bulkhead, or should it butt right up... I think I know the answer, and I should have gone with my gut on this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 even the 1" ABS bulkhead requires a 45mm opening (you said you had a 37mm) so i'm curious if you indeed did get a 1" bulkhead and it indeed fit into the hole in the overflow? i would suggest getting a slipxslip, threaded is no fun properly installed under a stand and then you got to go to PVC anyway and are simple adding another fitting. you should have a tight seal between bulkhead, gasket, glass, and nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 30, 2013 Author Share July 30, 2013 even the 1" ABS bulkhead requires a 45mm opening (you said you had a 37mm) so i'm curious if you indeed did get a 1" bulkhead and it indeed fit into the hole in the overflow? i would suggest getting a slipxslip, threaded is no fun properly installed under a stand and then you got to go to PVC anyway and are simple adding another fitting. you should have a tight seal between bulkhead, gasket, glass, and nut. So was told they were 1" bulkheads, and they did fit in the whole. Threaded sounded nicer because I wouldn't have to glue, and at the end of the day, have a seal that wasn't water tight! The seal will be tight... but even with the 1" there is still tad bit wiggle room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surf&turf July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 Congrats on the new tank Isaac!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 30, 2013 Author Share July 30, 2013 Congrats on the new tank Isaac!! Thank you! I'm learning all about plumbing... I'm also learning that I need to be better at measuring. The sump I bought was plumbed with a ball valve off the side for a Dart. It's about 7" out, which means I've got to pick this tank up and slide it through the top of the stand, as there is no other way it's getting in there. Yikes. It'll be a while till I get this right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 I think it's much easier to get a glued fitting leakproof than a threaded one. I like the bulkheads that are threaded on the flange side and slip for the pipe coming out, so you can unscrew the stuff that doesn't need to be as leaktight (like the drain tube on the inside) and glue the stuff that does (the pipe on the outside of the tank) If you're doing a threaded one, make sure you use lots of teflon tape or even better teflon paste that specifies that it can be used on plastic fittings. Lowes and HD should have it by the pvc glue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 So was told they were 1" bulkheads, and they did fit in the whole. Threaded sounded nicer because I wouldn't have to glue, and at the end of the day, have a seal that wasn't water tight! The seal will be tight... but even with the 1" there is still tad bit wiggle room. i dont know, i think you want a higher quality (beefier) bulkhead. doesn't sound like it's going to take much of movement or a bump to the plumbing to crack something like that. i've helped members fix cracked/leaking cheap bulkheads because they were too thin and accidentally applied too much torsion or bumped the plumbing coming off of them and those were standard ABS plastic thickness - based on what you're saying these are even thinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 I think it's much easier to get a glued fitting leakproof than a threaded one. I like the bulkheads that are threaded on the flange side and slip for the pipe coming out, so you can unscrew the stuff that doesn't need to be as leaktight (like the drain tube on the inside) and glue the stuff that does (the pipe on the outside of the tank) If you're doing a threaded one, make sure you use lots of teflon tape or even better teflon paste that specifies that it can be used on plastic fittings. Lowes and HD should have it by the pvc glue. exactly and yes skip teflon tape for pipe joint compound for use on threaded fittings, but i would really swap them out for slipxslip or thread(flange side)xthread like alan suggests Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 30, 2013 Author Share July 30, 2013 i dont know, i think you want a higher quality (beefier) bulkhead. doesn't sound like it's going to take much of movement or a bump to the plumbing to crack something like that. i've helped members fix cracked/leaking cheap bulkheads because they were too thin and accidentally applied too much torsion or bumped the plumbing coming off of them and those were standard ABS plastic thickness - based on what you're saying these are even thinner. I think there may be a misunderstanding in the way I'm wording it. When I insert the bulkhead without tightening it with the nut, there is minimal flex room, but still some flex. If I were to tighten the nut on it, it would not slide around. Are you thinking I'm saying that when I tighten it, it still moves about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 (edited) I think there may be a misunderstanding in the way I'm wording it. When I insert the bulkhead without tightening it with the nut, there is minimal flex room, but still some flex. If I were to tighten the nut on it, it would not slide around. Are you thinking I'm saying that when I tighten it, it still moves about? no, i understand. and that is fine within reason as the gasket will cover that. but you're saying you have a 1" bulkhead on a 1.5" opening and have wiggle room which means that there is little beefiness to that bulkhead. typically most bulkheads in your size range require about 3/4 - 1" extra inch of their plumbing size. a 1" ABS bulkhead requires a 45mm (1.8") opening and the 1" you have you describes is loose in a 1.5" opening. sounds like not cool beans. Edited July 30, 2013 by monkiboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 30, 2013 Author Share July 30, 2013 no, i understand. and that is fine within reason as the gasket will cover that. but you're saying you have a 1" bulkhead on a 1.5" opening and have wiggle room which means that there is little beefiness to that bulkhead. typically most bulkheads in your size range require about 3/4 - 1" extra inch of their plumbing size. a 1" ABS bulkhead requires a 45mm (1.8") opening and the 1" you have you describes is loose in a 1.5" opening. sounds like not cool beans. Ok. Heard. Next problem. Slid the sump in, and now realize that it's too tall. Should have followed the gut and just built a stand. Either that, or will have to cut part of the sump out, which is what I'm seriously thinking about, in order to access skimmer cup and the center area. It took me and my friend lifting the tank off to the side and sliding it through the top, so I have some serious thinking to do before adding the water back in. Ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkiboy July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 ok. ready...breathe. i undestand the excitment, i really do but TAKE YOUR TIME. the drawing out of your plumbing was great foresight and design. take a similar approach of diligence in the next few steps. figure out what will truly make sense and your setup simple to work in and around and optimize the build within your budget and let time/immediate satisfaction not be a primary concern. the tank will be great because it's yours but take the necessary steps to get it there. if you need to build a stand, then we all can help along the way - it sounds like that's ideal at this point as that stand really was quite low or a "custom" sump and equally well designed skimmer for your application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 30, 2013 Author Share July 30, 2013 ok. ready...breathe. i undestand the excitment, i really do but TAKE YOUR TIME. the drawing out of your plumbing was great foresight and design. take a similar approach of diligence in the next few steps. figure out what will truly make sense and your setup simple to work in and around and optimize the build within your budget and let time/immediate satisfaction not be a primary concern. the tank will be great because it's yours but take the necessary steps to get it there. if you need to build a stand, then we all can help along the way - it sounds like that's ideal at this point as that stand really was quite low or a "custom" sump and equally well designed skimmer for your application. Thanks. I needed that. I think the best, most economical solution at this point is going to be building a stand. I like the sump, and think that it's perfect for the tank, and I am putting the cart before the horse. I'm going to put this water back in the tank and clean up the living room. My next step will be drawing out a stand. I have toyed with the idea of a custom sump, but I think making something better suited for my needs will be more practical. Thanks for talking me off the ledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 July 30, 2013 Share July 30, 2013 (edited) I actually found that building my stand cost me about the same amount of money as getting Adam to build me a sump.. Soo weigh out your pro"s and cons on both directions will have for you... :-) :-) Edited July 30, 2013 by Mattiejay6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 30, 2013 Author Share July 30, 2013 I actually found that building my stand cost me about the same amount of money as getting Adam to build me a sump.. Soo weigh out your pro"s and cons on both directions will have for you... :-) :-) That's sound information, thank you for sharing. I might PM him and see what kind of turn around time I can get, and at what cost... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 July 31, 2013 Share July 31, 2013 Yea.. Might be easier to make a nice long sump versus building a stand and canopy or a stand to match your current canopy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 31, 2013 Author Share July 31, 2013 Yea.. Might be easier to make a nice long sump versus building a stand and canopy or a stand to match your current canopy... I started thinking about what I would want my custom sump to be, and I thought, man, if I made my sump a shallow 10", I would only need about a foot high sump. Then I could run it 4-5' and just have a long shallow sump that would be perfect. Then I remembered, half the reason our sumps have all that extra room from the water line to the top is in case the water comes back down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime July 31, 2013 Author Share July 31, 2013 So I've done a lot of complaining and rushing and not much of any real progress here, so I figure I'd share a picture of my GBTA tonight and get back on the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattiejay6 July 31, 2013 Share July 31, 2013 External skimmer is always an option... Build a sump design around that :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebekwl July 31, 2013 Share July 31, 2013 (edited) Thanks. I needed that. I think the best, most economical solution at this point is going to be building a stand. I like the sump, and think that it's perfect for the tank, and I am putting the cart before the horse. I'm going to put this water back in the tank and clean up the living room. My next step will be drawing out a stand. I have toyed with the idea of a custom sump, but I think making something better suited for my needs will be more practical. Thanks for talking me off the ledge. I think you would be happier with a taller stand, I have one regret with my 90 corner and it's that you have to bend down to see everything.. I would love to have made my own stand, at/near eye level (Not literally) maybe 46-48" .. I have seen several this way and wish mine was too.. Oh yea, there is the added space thing too. I think with a tank that large, it will command attention at that height ( not that it wouldn't already) but it would define the space. As the Food Lion would say: "That's just my 2 cents" Edited July 31, 2013 by rebekwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Rhoads July 31, 2013 Share July 31, 2013 Isn't reefing fun? Making great progress Isaac, and this community has some excellent knowledge/advice. Take it all in and keep it simple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 1, 2013 Author Share August 1, 2013 External skimmer is always an option... Build a sump design around that :-) I don't think I'm ready for that at this stage. I think you would be happier with a taller stand, I have one regret with my 90 corner and it's that you have to bend down to see everything.. I would love to have made my own stand, at/near eye level (Not literally) maybe 46-48" .. I have seen several this way and wish mine was too.. Oh yea, there is the added space thing too. I think with a tank that large, it will command attention at that height ( not that it wouldn't already) but it would define the space. As the Food Lion would say: "That's just my 2 cents" I agree with ya man. I'm thinking maybe when I move... Isn't reefing fun? Making great progress Isaac, and this community has some excellent knowledge/advice. Take it all in and keep it simple Dude, I've made NO progress, I've just complained and thrown a bunch of ideas around. My most recent being: Plumbing the tank outside. Now I know I've been saying that's not an option. but I was thinking this morning. I've got a coffee table on the left hand side of the tank. I don't have a wall behind, but I do have space for it there. It would sure as H-E-double hockey sticks be easier to build a stand, or coffee table over the sump/skimmer there then any of these other options. Now I've heard mix and matched reviews on flex tubing for plumbing. I'm thinking I'll throw the sump on the side tonight, and just use flex tubing instead of pvc, and I could be rocking and rolling.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 August 1, 2013 Share August 1, 2013 (edited) Where can I buy a Blue BTA? Ok seriously, use threaded/slip. The thread will be in the overflow the slip will be on the outside. You can go from the slip to a 3" section of pipe then to a union. This will allow you to dryfit inside then go outside to glue. Also, if you ever need to change things the union will be right there to make it easy. Like this: 20120904_210141 by mteske1, on Flickr Edited August 1, 2013 by BowieReefer84 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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