I am plumbing as I write this

[Brooke24]

I am plumbing my tank right now, and my dad is confused. So am I. I have a ghost overflow, primary secondary and emergency drain pipe. Where does the emergency drain pipe run to? Which section of my pump? I am gonna run my primary and secondary into each of my filter socks, but I don’t know where to put my emergency drain pipe (which section) and how far above the water. Can I place it in my Skimmer section, a little bit below where my water level will be?

 

[count krunk]

The emergency drain can go anywhere. You want it cut a few inches above the waterline. You want it to be very audible, as when it is running that means something is wrong.

 

[don_chuwish]

The emergency drain can go anywhere. You want it cut a few inches above the waterline. You want it to be very audible, as when it is running that means something is wrong.

Exactly!

 

[Brooke24]

The emergency drain can go anywhere. You want it cut a few inches above the waterline. You want it to be very audible, as when it is running that means something is wrong.

Understood. Thank you so much. Is it ok if I have my emergency on the first pipe out of three, then primary in the middle and secondary last?

 

[count krunk]

You mean in the overflow box? Order doesn't matter here.

 

[Brooke24]

You mean in the overflow box? Order doesn't matter here.

Gotcha. Thank you very much, I appreciate it

 

[theMeat]

Count krunk got your emergency drain question spot on.
In the overflow box, depending on how much room you have, it’s usually best to put emergency in middle so you have enough room for elbows on top of primary and secondary. Emergency needs no elbow on top

 

[Brooke24]

Count krunk got your emergency drain question spot on.
In the overflow box, depending on how much room you have, it’s usually best to put emergency in middle so you have enough room for elbows on top of primary and secondary. Emergency needs no elbow on top

Right. In the overflow, the emergency pipe goes above the waterline, right? Just in case it overflows? About an inch or two above?

 

[Brett S]

Right. In the overflow, the emergency pipe goes above the waterline, right? Just in case it overflows? About an inch or two above?

Yes. But make sure that it’s lower than the top of the tank.

 

[theMeat]

Right. In the overflow, the emergency pipe goes above the waterline, right? Just in case it overflows? About an inch or two above?

Primary is lowest and is fully submerged. Secondary should be next highest and elbows less than half submerged. Emergency above water

 

[count krunk]

The meat has it spot on. Just make sure the emergency is above normal waterline but still under the max waterline.

Once you do it once you'll be like ohhhhhh I see.

 

[Brooke24]

Primary is lowest and is fully submerged. Secondary should be next highest and elbows less than half submerged. Emergency above water

Thank u.

 

[Brooke24]

The meat has it spot on. Just make sure the emergency is above normal waterline but still under the max waterline.

Once you do it once you'll be like ohhhhhh I see.

Right, I hate plumbing honestly, it’s so confusing

 

[Brooke24]

Primary is lowest and is fully submerged. Secondary should be next highest and elbows less than half submerged. Emergency above water

The meat has it spot on. Just make sure the emergency is above normal waterline but still under the max waterline.

Once you do it once you'll be like ohhhhhh I see.

I have a question. I am gonna run secondary in primary both into my filter socks, but if they are too far down I can’t take out my filter socks to clean them. I am having trouble understand what U guys mean, because I’m using pipes so the secondary cant only be part submerged. The one my dad is holding in this picture is secondary. Is this ok? Then the primary will run fully submerged.

 

[don_chuwish]

Put the primary wherever is convenient to get your hand on the gate valve. On my tanks it was to one side, facing the side I could reach from.

 

[Brooke24]

Put the primary wherever is convenient to get your hand on the gate valve. On my tanks it was to one side, facing the side I could reach from.

Yes, I know where it’s going but I don’t know how far down my primary and secondary need to go down into my socks. If they are too far down I can’t remove the sock to clean it,

 

[Brooke24]

Put the primary wherever is convenient to get your hand on the gate valve. On my tanks it was to one side, facing the side I could reach from.

And I’m now having elbows on the end of them when they run down. I connected normal pvc to the elbow at the end, so it could be a bit longer

 

[Brett S]

And I’m now having elbows on the end of them when they run down. I connected normal pvc to the elbow at the end, so it could be a bit longer

Don’t glue the pipe at the end of that elbow. That way you can remove it and cut it down further or replace it with a longer pipe after you get the system running if you need to adjust it. It won’t matter if it leaks a little (or even falls out) since the water will still go into your sump, so glue won’t be necessary for that piece.

 

[Brooke24]

The meat has it spot on. Just make sure the emergency is above normal waterline but still under the max waterline.

Once you do it once you'll be like ohhhhhh I see.

Primary is lowest and is fully submerged. Secondary should be next highest and elbows less than half submerged. Emergency above water

But I’m running filter socks, so the primary and secondary have to be the same length.
Just above the sock, so I can even get the filter sock out in the first place. If the primary is submerged I won’t be able to get out my socks

 

[Brooke24]

Don’t glue the pipe at the end of that elbow. That way you can remove it and cut it down further or replace it with a longer pipe after you get the system running if you need to adjust it. It won’t matter if it leaks a little (or even falls out) since the water will still go into your sump, so glue won’t be necessary for that piece.

You’re right! Genius, ok thank you