Dual return pump plumbing design w/ a manifold

[J Crew]

I'm hoping I can get some input and help designing my return plumbing back to my RSR display tank. I want to run a dual return pump setup for redundancy and will use my GHL to control the speed. I want to plumb in a manifold on the back side wall from the tank to run most equipment and then have it tie back in to the return going up to the display tank. Is this possible? I'm assuming I'll need a back flow valve, which I have shown in my very poor drawing, lol. I'm sorry, but I'm not very good at drawing at all!

I appreciate your feedback, opinions, and input.

 

[blaxsun]

You'll probably want a valve at the first junction to be able to control the flow to your manifold and UV sterilizer. Note that you won't be running 100% of your return water through your UV (not sure if that was intentional).

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I'm hoping I can get some input and help designing my return plumbing back to my RSR display tank. I want to run a dual return pump setup for redundancy and will use my GHL to control the speed. I want to plumb in a manifold on the back side wall from the tank to run most equipment and then have it tie back in to the return going up to the display tank. Is this possible? I'm assuming I'll need a back flow valve, which I have shown in my very poor drawing, lol. I'm sorry, but I'm not very good at drawing at all!

I appreciate your feedback, opinions, and input.

I run two return pumps in all my tanks. 1 is dedicated return to tank. The other feeds a UV and a manifold. I prefer to run two independent lines. Typically when servicing or somethingC the display is never taken off line.

 

[wlmalek]

This is my sketch for plumbing when I was building my sump. Ended with some changes.

**Red circles are gate valves
**Dark purple are unions (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

 

[J Crew]

You'll probably want a valve at the first junction to be able to control the flow to your manifold and UV sterilizer. Note that you won't be running 100% of your return water through your UV (not sure if that was intentional).

Yes, I'll place a valve there and I'll also have a flow sensor before the UV with a valve so I can control that flow.

I run two return pumps in all my tanks. 1 is dedicated return to tank. The other feeds a UV and a manifold. I prefer to run two independent lines. Typically when servicing or somethingC the display is never taken off line.

I've thought about this setup as well. Would I still be able to tie into the main return that flows back to the display tank if I ran one pump to display and one pump to the manifold?

I want to be able to tie back into the display's return line to keep if clean, less cluttered, and to not dump back into the sump.

 

[J Crew]

What I'm most curious about, is if I'm going to run into issues tying back into the return line going to the display tank. Will pressure and flow have to match or can it be different here? Thanks.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

What I'm most curious about, is if I'm going to run into issues tying back into the return line going to the display tank. Will pressure and flow have to match or can it be different here? Thanks.

Your talking about creating a closed loop? So if you are pulling from the spot where you put your pumps normally, then dumping from the manifold back into the sump, right? Yeah, so there are two options, I am open ears for a third. 1) Place second pump/system on the other side of the return chamber then dump the manifold into the return chamber. On my 135G system, this is what I am doing. On my 65G system, I hard plumbed the return from the manifold up into the tank and use it for more flow control. In both scenarios the same is true for the UV line. While I need to make those returns "permanent". Currently using tubing with a 90. I am attacking one of the tanks today with a lokline and a more permanent look.

 

[J Crew]

Your talking about creating a closed loop? So if you are pulling from the spot where you put your pumps normally, then dumping from the manifold back into the sump, right?...

No, not dumping back into the sump. But instead, looping it back into the return line going to the display tank. I'm wanting to avoid dumping back to the sump, mainly because of the UV. I want that sterilized water to flow to the display tank.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

No, not dumping back into the sump. But instead, looping it back into the return line going to the display tank. I'm wanting to avoid dumping back to the sump, mainly because of the UV. I want that sterilized water to flow to the display tank.

AHHHH Singular pump. Yes you can do that. I have seen people use a WYE fittings in that scenario.

 

[J Crew]

Updated design

Not ball valves and check valves not included. I just want to make sure this overall design and water flow concept will work. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

 

[wlmalek]

Updated design

Not ball valves and check valves not included. I just want to make sure this overall design and water flow concept will work. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

I don‘t know which return pump and UV flow rate you are aiming for. But, Wouldn’t be better if you lined the UV with the other return pump? So you can have more flow margin to hit both algae and pathogen.

 

[J Crew]

I don‘t know which return pump and UV flow rate you are aiming for. But, Wouldn’t be better if you lined the UV with the other return pump? So you can have more flow margin to hit both algae and pathogen.

Yes, I definitely could. I would just have to use a longer run of plumbing on that side to pass through the wall opening and then back to the display tank. But it's definitely a design I've thought about. I'm open to it.