Radically increasing system water volume - Questions

[JavaJones]

I am thinking about plumbing a large tank--http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?item=84--into my 110 - 120G total system.

250 G 62"L x 29"W x 42"H​

Right now I have a 75G display that is connected to a 29G refugium (above and to the right of and drainng back into the display). I have still to put a 33 L sump in below the display.

My goal is to increase the stability of the system by increasing the volume but not the surface area that loses water through evaporation (I add about 2 gallons of RODI water to the system every day).

What is the best way to plumb this tank? I need to answer all aspects of the plumbing:

• how to get the water in (probably from a sump that is lower in height than the storage tank?;
• how to pump the water back?
• back to the sump or the display?
• what flow rate is desirable?

Any suggestions that you have will be most appreciated.

 

[marco67]

I like that tank!
It's pretty compact for the amount of water it holds.

I would add a ball valve to the supplied bulk head and use it for cleaning and emptying the tank only.
Add two more bulkheads one on the side as high as possible and in line with the access hole/ top.
Add another bulkhead on the top.

Pump in the top (Id probably add some type of plumbing to get the water to exit low in the tank, remember your siphon break)
and Drain out the side.
The reason I suggest the drain bulkhead be near the top/ lid is so that you can play with different drain configurations.

Pump from the sump and drain back to the sump, slow flow if fine.

The tank is nice and square so it might be a good candidate for applying rigid insulation but don't forget you'll need to add ~ 7-900w of heat to the system depending on ambient where it's located.

 

[JayM]

don't forget you'll need to add ~ 7-900w of heat to the system depending on ambient where it's located.

Even insulated, that heating watts number may be low in a chilly basement.

I have 200 gallons in my basement, and I run 1500+ watts in the winter to maintain 78 degrees.

 

[stevenp]

Cindy did something similar a while back. Looks like a great way to increase water volume.

http://bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21538

 

[JavaJones]

Thanks for the wealth of pointers and tips. Have to confess that I had not even considered the insulation and extra heating needs. Marco's plumbing advice is great and the route that I will take. Hopefully, I will post pictures soon.

 

[mloebl]

Even insulated, that heating watts number may be low in a chilly basement.

I have 200 gallons in my basement, and I run 1500+ watts in the winter to maintain 78 degrees.

My basement is in the mid 60s in the winter, and with my 150+ gallons of water in the basement (most of which is insulated) I still need to run about 1kw as well to keep it around 78F. I can see it on the electric bill when the heaters kick on during the winter. But if that's not a concern, go for it... tank stabilizes out quite a bit with large amounts of volume like that

-Mike

 

[grendel]

I am running forced hot water through PEX tubing my 500g sump to heat it. I also have axillary electric heaters, but never needed them.

Plumbing ideas are pretty easy. I have my fuge above my sump. Big pump is connected to the bottom of my sump, 155g display gravity drains into my 125g fuge, fuge has a by pass feed into a secondary pump to the display and a main feed into the the sump.

I simply built a 2x4 rack above my sump. Looks like that would work for you, as well.