Cadlights 70 Flow and Drain Problems

[Buddy1234]

So, I recently purchased a Cadlights 70 gallon Artisan II. They actually delivered and installed it for me including the plumbing. It is plumbed with a 1/2" return line and 1 1/2" drain line. It is a durso overflow. So I am having a couple of issues.

It came with a modeaquarium pump per the link below. This is the name, I think, Cadlights is moving towards. So, I am also using an Apex and wanted to take advantage of using the flow sensor so I am using their 1" sensor because it is set up to handle higher flow. So, I have it plumbed with 1/2" tubing off the return pump adapting to 1" plumbing for the sensor and then adapting back to 1/2" tubing up to the standard 1/2" return line the aquarium comes with. I have 1/2" split locline at the tank return. The problem is with the pump at maximum I am only getting 275gph. This pump is rated up to 2000gph. Cadlights came back yesterday and they questioned the flow the apex sensor was actually giving but later after they left I checked it with a 1 gallon container. It took 1/2 of the localine 27 seconds to fill up the container. If you calculate that out each locline is supplying about 133 gallons per hour when added together is 266gph. Pretty close to the apex sensor. The question is why is the flow so low? The 1/2" line should handle around 1200gph. Also they brought me out an even stronger pump(Model 12000) and the flow was still only around 320gph. Maybe the transition from 1/2" to 1" and back is causing a problem. The apex sensor is basically right off the return pump output.

https://www.modeaquariums.com/produc...aquarium-pump/

Also what would it take to make the return line bigger? Would I have to drain the aquarium and drill new holes?

The second issue is the drain. As I said before it is plumbed with a 1 1/2" piping. There is a ball valve inline. The issue here is leaking. When I first started up the drain manifold was leaking(dripping) and when I adjusted the ball valve to reduce the drain flow the leaking got worse. So Cadlights came back out yesterday and removed the drain manifold and put a new one in. Now it doesn't leak when you have the ball valve wide open but if you start to restrict the flow it starts leaking. Cadlights says this is because by restricting the flow I am putting pressure on the drain manifold which is causing the leaking but this doesn't sound right. Also I am using a cup rather than a sock and I can't get it to stop overflowing.

Cadlights is saying they are willing to come out and replumb it again but I am not feeling very confident. I am wondering if I should get someone else to come in a tear out the old and replumb.

Sorry to be so long winded and appreciate any feedback.

 

[Bigfudge]

Not a pro reefer or an experienced reefer by any means but I think I can speak a bit do the CADlights aquarium since I have one myself.

I knew plumbing was going to be different when I purchased mine used. I decided to try and drill mine since I wanted a herbie drain set up and not the standard durso that came with it.

I will say this, there was no way to drill the tank within the stock overflow box for standard US bulkheads. I did manage to drill the tank using the bulkheads cadlights use but it was an extremely tight fit. There wasn’t anyway to make the return bigger for me either. I have a photo of it in my build thread.

My return isn’t producing the flow I wanted either (using a cor20 return pump) so I’ve elected to replum and use a sea swirl instead of the stock return lines.

You could also drill a new return hole in the back glass if you wanted to go that route or hang a return up and over the rear glass. Short of that I fear there’s not much else to be done.

They’re beautiful tanks, but the plumbing has long been one of their downsides.

 

[Buddy1234]

Thanks for the reply. Do you know what flow you are getting with the COR20? How are you going to replumb with the sea swirl?

For the drain I was thinking of moving to this manifold which BRS sells.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/replacement-rollermat-40mm-bulkhead-theiling.html

and then using a converter like this to move to US plumbing.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/metric-to-standard-pvc-adapters.html

Do you think it would work?

 

[Bigfudge]

With the stand I wasn't able to use the FFM module from my Apex due to space constraints so I don't really know exactly what the flow is. I know its not enough for what I wanted (it's not tumbling my Chaeto in my fuge with drain tuned at full siphon and I'm not getting enough turnover through the sump for Triton Method (which is what I'm currently running).

As far as plumbing the sea swirl, I purchased the multi swirl so I can use either 3/4" or 1" plumbing on it. I'm going to most likely go from 1 1/4" PVC from the COR then go down to 1"PVC to the 1" FFM Module, then to the sea swirl and put it on the back corner of the tank. I'm not sure if I want to hard plumb it just yet or vinyl tubing.

I'm not sure about the 40mm bulkhead your referring to. You could always order the bulkheads from Cadlights that they use (which is what I did).

Those metric-to-standard- PVC adapters are exactly what I used, and they worked great. Just be mindful that they add length to the fittings, especially with the CADlights bulkheads.

 

[Buddy1234]

I did some investigation and the sea swirl is a good solution to increase flow. I am just not sure I would be happy with it sitting on my tank. Also I have a custom lid in process and I didn't account for adding something like this.

At least your return line is 3/4" not 1/2" like mine but also your tank is bigger.

I may just have to resign myself to live with the lower flow. I didn't really plan on any high flow corals and I do have the two pumps inside the tank to stir things up. I was hoping to do the Triton method also but not with this tank. I also plan to grow chaeto so we will see if that is possible.

I will be following your thread. Thanks for the replies.

 

[jtl]

I have the Cadlights 100g. I used the metric bulkheads and did some creative work on them to accept standard plumbing. I have a 3/4" return, a 1" main drain and a 1/2" safety drain. At full throttle using my Jeboa DC 9000 pump I think I am getting about 1000 gph but it has been a while since I tested it and my memory is a little fuzzy. I know it was not even close to the 2250 advertised gph but that was likely with a 1.25 return line. If you are using barb fittings be warned they are very restrictive.

 

[Buddy1234]

Can you provide a little more detail on how you have your return line plumbed from the return pump up to including entering the tank? Thanks.

 

[jtl]

I used all hard plumbing and to make the conversion from metric I ground down a std fitting to fit into the metric bh and sealed it with two part expoxy. Hard plumbed my return pump to a manifold to feed my fuge and my reactor, no barb fittings.

 

[Buddy1234]

How about up to your tank? Are you using split locline to feed your tank? So even with the split to your fuge and reactor you were getting that much flow?