Plumbing Design Basement Sump

[mchartier]

Getting ready to start setting up the 90 Gal. I am looking at taking the drain from the tank directly to a reverse durso in the sump. The return will go to a manifold as indicated below. The manifold will have outlets to the return of the tank, the fuge, the house drain, and a spare for future use. These will all have ball valves on them to control flow. The outlet to the house drain is only for water changes. I will be using 1" Flexspa for all the plumbing.
I did not put the line for the drain in the drawing so it would be easier to follow the return.

 

[Miller]

I'd split the drain from tank, have one go into the 30G fuge and the other go into the 70G sump.

I would also put a few extra T's in with ball valves for future use. Easier to put them in before you setup the system then to have to shut off the return to cut the plumbing to put one in.

Make sure to use True Union Ball Valves, this way if over time if calcium builds up in the plumbing and the valve gets stuck and you cant move it you can easily take it out and replace it with another. Also its handy to have unions in the plumbing incase you want to change something down the road.

As for using Spaflex I would only use it in places where it would be difficult to use regular PVC because Spaflex cost a lot more and it will take a good bit to plumb a basement setup. The only place in my setup that I used Spaflex was to make the turn from the ceiling up to the tank gentle sweep instead of a 90.

 

[JayM]

Barry makes some excellent points.....

I'm not sure where you are putting your skimmer, but the 'dirtiest' water from your drain should be where your skimmer can get to it, and also your refugium, which are your primary methods of nutrient export.....

Also, for noise purposes, I think that spaflex IS the way to go. I have spaflex in coming off both drain and rurn in both upstairs tanks, but I do convert to rigid PVC once the spaflex gets below my floor, except for 90 degree turns, where again I use a 'sweep' rather than an elbow

 

[Liam]

nice drawing,also make sure your return enters the tank above the water line in case of power outage.
This may be you intention it is just not clear from the drawing.

 

[mchartier]

I have been reading you should feed the fuge with clean water instead of dirty water from the drain. I will add 1 or 2 more Tees on the manifold.

I just did not draw the internal plumbing of the tank, yes the return will be above the water line.

The skimmer (G3) will be setup right next to the drain lines coming into the sump.

 

[stingythingy45]

I have been reading you should feed the fuge with clean water instead of dirty water from the drain. I will add 1 or 2 more Tees on the manifold.

I just did not draw the internal plumbing of the tank, yes the return will be above the water line.

The skimmer (G3) will be setup right next to the drain lines coming into the sump.

I think that whole feeding the refugium with clean water is kind of redundant.
Why feed a refugium with cheato/pods/mini-brittles clean water?
These will be the same people posting on other sites that their chaeto doesn't grow or they have no pods.
I hear stuff like.....ewww....my refugium gets all gunky.
Well,I've had a 20L refugium feeding off the about 1/3 of the overflow line for months and mines not all gunky.And I'm only pushing maybe 30 gph through it.

 

[mchartier]

I think that whole feeding the refugium with clean water is kind of redundant.
Why feed a refugium with cheato/pods/mini-brittles clean water?
These will be the same people posting on other sites that their chaeto doesn't grow or they have no pods.
I hear stuff like.....ewww....my refugium gets all gunky.
Well,I've had a 20L refugium feeding off the about 1/3 of the overflow line for months and mines not all gunky.And I'm only pushing maybe 30 gph through it.

Thanks for the insight on this. I will change it to be feed from the overflow line, with a ball valve to control the flow to it.

 

[stingythingy45]

This is kind of what I have.
I have the exact same thing you are trying to do.
Same return pump,same 70 gallon sump only difference is the 30 gallon fuge.
I have a 20L instead.I use my reverse durso in the sump to run carbon on occasionally.